Erwin Situation Survey of the Clinchfield Railroad
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- Related Websites: Appalachian-Railroads.org | Southern-Railroads.org
The Erwin Situation
Once the Southern got wind that the South & Western Railway (S&W, eventually becoming the Clinchfield Railroad) was building to North Carolina through the Nolichucky Gorge, the Southern started their own effort called the ‘Johnson City Southern Railway.’ The S&W responded with lawsuits and other tactics. Additionally, with competitive sureys and land purchases, the S&W had to consider various options for their line through and on either side of Erwin Tennessee (the Erwin Situation).
Eventually, the Southern gave up, and the Clinchfield was able to complete their line as planned.
In the days ahead, I will provide even better scans of the ‘Erwin Situation’ survey map below which shows the Southern’s entrance into Erwin, and the various options the S&W and George L. Carter was considering. Believe it or not, the proposed S&W and Southern Lines would cross multiple times in the gorge south of Erwin, one of which was inside a tunnel. The Erwin Situation map also shows the proposed Erwin highline survey, which would have included a viaduct 90 feet higher across the gorge at Unaka Springs.
‘Erwin Situation’ Survey
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