JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 23, 2021) – The valuable natural resources of the southern Appalachians were a big part of the growth experienced by America in the past, and the railroads built to serve it will be the highlight of the ninth event in the 2021 Heritage Day series at the Carter Railroad Museum on the campus of East Tennessee State University on Sept. 25.
The museum covers historical railroading from around the nation during these special events, but this one will be of interest to local residents, some whose families were once employed by the like of the old Clinchfield Railroad and Southern Railway operations that ran through Johnson City. The museum’s Heritage Days program is held on the final Saturday of each month.
“The need to move heavy bulk commodities like coal, limestone, ores and timber were the impetus for both short local railroads and larger mainline operations that once ran through these mountains, some remaining even to this day,” says Heritage Days Coordinator Geoff Stunkard. “Those lines played a huge role in both the jobs available and the services offered to isolated communities. This was hard work for everyone, but back in the day, these were better opportunities than hard-scrabble farming offered. Railroads had to overcome the rugged terrain with tunnels, bridges and steep grades, so it is also a favorite of fans of this technology, as well.”
Coal mines were primary, and regional lines moved tons of it every day both to domestic customers and for overseas shipment. Other hard rock minerals were also mined and moved, one primary local line being the original East Tennessee & Western North Carolina based in Johnson City. Timber moved to lumber and paper mills, while textiles and chemical traffic also came from these areas. Climbing the Blue Ridge and Smoky mountains to get to places like Atlanta, Nashville, Ohio and the northeast cities made railroading an exciting part of this, and railroad fans traveled to places like Saluda, North Carolina; Natural Tunnel, Virginia; and other locales to witness the struggle between machine and mountains.
Many of the original Appalachian rail corridors and branches are gone - the Clinchfield, the L&N, the Interstate, the N&W, the C&O, and the original Southern Railway are vastly different due to changes in these industries. Gone, too, are logging railroads that once climbed to remote places throughout the southern hills.
The Appalachian Way Heritage Day is one way to reflect back on them. All four of the operating layouts at the Carter Railroad Museum feature aspects of mining and logging scenes. On this day, equipment specially related to the lines above will be part of the events, while copies of the museum’s book “Tales of the Rails” (all related to regional rail history) will be offered at the museum’s sales table.
The Mountain Empire Model Railroaders club and the George L. Carter Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society serve as hosts during the museum’s operating hours, and many will be showing off personal equipment on the museum massive 24x44-foot HO scale model display. G scale, N scale and display cabinets also host regional lines, and the newest addition, dedicated to the long-defunct but well-remembered “Tweetsie” line, the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad, is focused on the ore mining business.
The Carter Railroad Museum is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and includes model railroad layouts, a children’s activity room and ongoing programs. Admission is free but donations are welcome and go toward museum upkeep.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all visitors must wear a mask.
The museum may be identified by a flashing railroad crossing signal at the back entrance of the Campus Center Building. Visitors should enter ETSU’s campus from State of Franklin Road (at the traffic light) onto Jack Vest Drive and continue south to David Collins Way, then left to John Roberts Bell Drive at end, then right and then next left on Ross Drive (176).
Due to ongoing construction on a nearby ETSU building, visitors to the museum must park outside the fenced construction area. This means a walk of up to several hundred yards to access the Railroad Museum.
For more information about the museum or Heritage Day events, contact Fred Alsop at 423-439-6838 or alsopf@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.