Scott Jessee

Home » Scholars and Authors of the Clinchfield Railroad » Scott Jessee

Clinchfield Railroad
CSX Blue RIdge Subdivision

The CSX Blue Ridge Subdivision, the old Clinchfield line south of Erwin is now reopen after the extensive damage from Hurricane Helene. The first revenue freight train ran on September 21st, and two coal trains followed on September 25th. Ribbon cutting photo by Mark Loewe. Use this link to see Designs in Orbit’s exceptional video updates with drone footage. Also, Train Chaser Elliot also provides wonderful coverage.  Click here to read about the monumental CSX rebuilding efforts. In the weeks ahead we will add much more content chronicling the events of the past year.

Scott Jessee’s Clinchfield and CSX Career

Scott Jessee has been a wonderful friend and source in the development of this website. His interests include both the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago (3Cs) and the Clinchfield Railroads.

Scott started as a clerk at Dante for CRR in March 1980. By 1983 he was an extra board Erwin Dispatcher. Other stops along his 36 year career for the Clinchfield include:

  • Yardmaster at Dante
  • Supervisor of Train Operations at Erwin for CSX
  • The coal department and operations center in Huntington WV, 2003-2016 

‘Trains’ Article on CSX Operations

Scott is an integral part of the excellent article by Ron Flanary in the October 2001 issue of Trains magazine about the CSX operations on the old Clinchfield Line.

‘Adventure of our Lifetimes’ as told by Ron Flanary

Scott Jessee - Clinchfield Railroad - CSX

“Here’s an image that will win no awards, but it captures the sheer drama of being in the cab of a giant steam locomotive at speed. The fellow on the left is Scott Jessee, who was CSX’s trainmaster at Kingsport at the time. He was at the epicenter of this whole operation (as well as Santa Trains before and after). He and I have been friends for many years, and the stories we might be able to tell between us could fill a book.

(Photo courtesy of Ron Flanary)

Scott is an excellent researcher and has flushed out much information on the earlier operations of what eventually became the Clinchfield. He retired several years ago after a railroad career that started in 1980 as a clerk with the Clinchfield in Dante, Va. Scott knows more about how to efficiently move heavy traffic over a busy single track railroad through the mountains than any known computer program could handle.

At this location somewhere between Miller Yard and Starnes, Va. on a very rainy Sunday, November 22, 1992, some of the pressure of this epic operation had lifted from his shoulders. He was on the jump seat behind UP fireman Lynn Nystrom, one of ten UP employees, along with then-steam boss Steve Lee in charge of the operation and maintenance of the Challenger. Lynn was keeping an eye on some aspect of the big 4-6-6-4’s steaming performance. Scott, at last, was in his own world of feeling the wind in his face as this ultimate dream unfolded before his eyes in real time. What were the odds he and I would be in the cab of a 4-6-6-4 on the Clinchfield in 1992? I wonder what he was thinking. We both knew this was an adventure of our lifetimes.”

Clinchfield Historian

Even though Scott is humble, he is a key Clinchfield and CC&C historian. He prefers to say ‘avid and interested.’

He and James Goforth were close friends. With Ken Marsh, the three of them have hiked across Clinchfield country searching for relic roadbed of the CC&C.

Jitterbug Contributor

If you are a member of the Carolina Clinchfield Historical Society, you will see many articles by Scott in the organization’s magazine, the ‘Jitterbug.’ https://nrhs.com/chapters/north-carolina/carolina-clinchfield/ . He has also been providing CRR/CC&O/S&W documents and maps to the Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University.

Retirement

Scott is now retired and playing golf in AL, but still enjoys keeping the history of the CRR & CC&C alive. You will even find him out hiking and exploring the segments of the old CC&C roadbed.

Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Clinchfield Railroad. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Clinchfield.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

Clinchfield Railroad

Contact Us at Clinchfield.org

Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the Clinchfield or Model Railroads.

Go back

Your message has been sent

3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org