Division 5 Survey of the Clinchfield Railroad
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- Related Websites: Appalachian-Railroads.org | Southern-Railroads.org
CRR Survey – Spruce Pine to Catawba River, Including the Loops
This segment of the Clinchfield Railroad (South & Western Railway) is particularly famous for its climb up/down the front ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A large portion of this segment is now called ‘The Loops’ and is considered an engineering marvel.
Initial surveys were done in 1902. The final and adopted survey was completed in 1906. Both McKinney Gap (east) and Gillespie Gap (west) were considered as crossing points on the ridge.
After consideration, President George L. Carter and General Manager/Chief Engineer M.J. Caples decided on the survey with a 1.2% grade with the use of broader 8-degree curves when possible (Survey #18, Adopted Line). This route had a length of 34.9 miles from Spruce Pine NC to the Catawba River, crossing the Blue Ridge at McKinney Gap.
Division 5 Survey Options
The Clinchfield/S&W had several survey options to choose from:
- 1% grade – Survey #2 – McKinney Gap: 40.5 miles with 14-degree curves. This option had a much larger number of curves, weaving in and out of the ridges.
- 1.2% grade – Survey #18 – McKinney Gap: (Constructed/Operated): 34.9 miles with 8-14 degree curves.
- 1.5% grade – Survey #1 – McKinney Gap: 30.4 miles with 14-degree curves
- 1.8% grade – Survey #14 & #15 – Gillespie Gap: 33.5 miles
- Steep grade – Surveys #14 & #16 – Gillespie Gap: 22.5 miles (ended west of Marion)
The survey index below does not signify if any of these S&W surveys incorporated the original 3Cs survey, or even reference a location for the 3Cs proposed grade. One could guess that the 3Cs would have been closer to surveys #1 or #2, with tighter and more curves, fewer tunnels, and steeper grades.
It appears that the Gillespie Gap options were not preferred alternatives, as the surveys were not fully completed. Additionally, the Johnson City Southern (Southern Railway) had announced in 1905 that they would build their railroad through Gillespie Gap.
Construction of Clinchfield’s Division 5 and the Loops was completed in 1908.
Clinchfield Railroad Survey Division 5 Index
Surveys provided by Scott Jessee
Use the zoom features on your browser to view the index and map in more detail.
Clinchfield Railroad Survey Division 5 Map
Interactive Map: Clinchfield Loops Survey Options
So you can better see and understand the various options for the Clinchfield Loops, and the Clinchfield Railroad segment from Spruce Pine NC to the Catawba River: click here for a Google interactive map.
Zoom in, zoom out, and move around on the map to see the proposed surveys in greater detail.
Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources
- Personal Maps & Memorabilia – Documents, maps and track charts that I have from the CRR, CC&O, and S&W
- Archives of Appalachia
- Book – Drury: The Historical Guide to North American Railroads
- Book – Goforth: ‘Building the Clinchfield’
- Book – Goforth: ‘When Steam Ran the Clinchfield’
- Book – Graybeal: ‘The Railroads of Johnson City’
- Book – Helm: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad in the Coal Fields’
- Book – Irwin & Stahl: ‘The Last Empire Builder: The Life of George L. Carter’
- Book – King: ‘Clinchfield Country’
- Book – Marsh: ‘Clinchfield in Color’
- Book – Poole: ‘A History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’
- Book – Poteat & Taylor: ‘The CSX Clinchfield Route in the 21st Century’
- Book – Stevens & Peoples: ‘The Clinchfield No. 1 – Tennessee’s Legendary Steam Engine’
- Book – Way: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad, the Story of a Trade Route Across the Blue Ridge Mountains’
- Article – Flanary: ‘The Quick Service Route, The Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Article – Flanary: ‘Men Against Mountains, Running Trains on the Clinchfield‘ October 2001
- Video – Ken Marsh on Kingsport area railroads and region’s history Video #1
- Video – Ken Marsh on railroads and region’s history Video #2:
- Articles – ‘Johnson City Comet‘
- Article – Scientific American: ‘The Costliest Railroad in America‘
- Article – Classic Trains: ‘Remembering the Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Article – Railway Age: ‘This Coal Road Is Also A Speedy Bridge Line,’ Sept 1, 1952 edition
- Article – ‘Railway Signaling and Communications‘
- Website – Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads
- Website – StateOfFranklin.net which hosts Johnson’s Depot
- Website – RailFanGuides.us for Johnson City and for Erwin
- Website – The Radio Reference Wiki
- Website – SteamLocomotive.com
- Website – Clinchfield Railroad 1982 Track Chart at Multimodayways.org
- Website – Newspapers.com
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.
3Cs Websites
Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org