I
Misty clouds rising from the dark green overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains in the morning seemed to smoke tendrils. The twelve car train, carrying the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Tuscan Red and Rio Grande and gold livery pulled by an EMD GP-9 diesel locomotive vibrate, and rang the bell at the top of the gravel near the rails integrated gray, wooden Bryson City store that is prepares for the next 44 miles round trip starting Nantahala Gorge. The passengers, many ofwere replaced by buses, flooding the area small porch waiting, lulled into a state of mind of North Carolina, strumming a guitar trio. I would like to get to the Car Club MacNeill, number 536, today, in 6118 and dragged by car dining car Silver Meteor generator 8015 This journey that inextricably tired of these mountains of western North Carolina, has its origins in the mid-1800 track.
Although the region was rich in rugged beauty of natural resources such as wood,fertile soil, and minerals, and the Appalachian Blue Ridge Mountains peek, at 6,000 meters, had made it inaccessible and isolated, with a rough wagon IMPLIED off the only link with the rest of the state. After considerable efforts to persuade, to the state legislature of North Carolina, to remedy this deficiency, they had decided to build the line between Salisbury and Asheville in 1855 to subsidize, which are used by the Western North Carolina Railroad.
Equal developmentPeriod of six years had been foiled in 1861 by civil war was not yet at that time about 70 miles of track are planned, but the momentum was finally completed 16 years later, when slave labor was used for the first time. Has been divided into five layers track 150-man fields, each of whom was a captain, a foreman and several guards were made.
A survey has revealed that incorrect path to the existing topography was not suitable for the track was a different requirementDecade to determine correctly, and was to be crude, hand tool and use primitive methods of extraction of rock have been tightened, the rock expands through the fire and cracked by the heat generated after wet with cold water.
The rails to trails and cow paths of India, has brought a 891.5 meters in altitude with a class average of two percent, and had gone through five tunnels and the precarious path almost fake. In fact, March 11, 1879, the Swannanoa Tunnel, which hadwas drilled from both ends, had collapsed and crushed 21 people immediately.
Hub Murphy, who has already served the eastern terminus of Georgia Marietta and North Railroad, the same purpose in 1891, when tracks for the north-western branch of the Caroline Murphy had been placed, even though six years later than expected, and the transport between the two was raised if the first had changed its doctrine from narrow to standard. The 111 miles of Asheville, had for the first time sinceconnected to the network.
Despite the delays, which had, for their construction, their rough way, topographic barriers, road bed, and the lack of ballast often caused derailments caused a condition that partially mitigated by the addition of underground pipes and pillars.
Quickly became a lifeline for communities facing it, carried supplies, agricultural products and timber, and other short line railroads exist, such as the Valley Alarko, the Appalachians, the Carolina andTennessee Southern, the B & B, the Smoky Mountain Lumber Company Ritter, the sunburst and the Tuckasegee Southeast Asia, but has always been plagued by steep, tight turns with small capacity engines and lower maintenance.
Three years after its completion, the Southern Railway took control of them, and in 1907, when it was new "Murphy Division", with Bryson City serves as headquarters. Its local businesses and industries that manufacture and wood fiberPallets and propane gas sales had to rely heavily on rail to support their activities, routinely need food, railroad ties, wood and sand.
Improved access road, however, gradually replaced the need for the rails. In 1937, for example, two trains a day had a Murphy-freight traffic by the end of 0600 and during the 0800-passenger, but since 1944, only one passenger train was majestic, the line and let Murphy in 0715 to return to Asheville and 1415 In addition to offering greaterWestern North Carolina had developing access by the opening of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway has become necessary.
Declining timber resources, coupled with the completion of the dam near Fontana, had finally permanent suspension of the passenger has taken July 16, 1948. Thirty years later, in 1980, 2239 boxcar loads track was impressive, until 1987 the number was reduced to 817. In the last three yearsthe time of the Norfolk Southern railroad traffic, which is not more than five cars were purchased, had only between Waynesville and Andrews have been preserved, with stops at Murphy made only sporadically.
Maintenance costs, already high because of the 34 bridges that connect Dillsboro to Murphy and had too much curvature of the track, escalate without a corresponding increase in revenues in 1984 and had the Champion paper mill, long dependent on the line for his activities,converted its traditional wood fiber chips produced in a cube whose size precluded its rail traffic through the tunnel was packed and Dillsboro Rhodo. The cost to reduce or increase their substructures their ceilings were prohibitive, especially for the use of a single undertaking. Was due to the mill was forced to truck their products to Canton and Norfolk Southern, unable to stem the losses, were forced to abandon 67 miles of track between DillsboroMurphy in 1988.
Although many potential operators of both passenger and cargo had been explored, none had been used for self-financing, and July 18 this year, the North Carolina Department of Transportation had forced the car for 650 000 bought U.S. dollars for the proposal to introduce a new passenger train excursion from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.
His initial two GP-9 locomotives of the Burlington Northern and the UnionPacific, with some converted, open-top car was a 1942 Baldwin steam engine, originally designed for the U.S. Army and two other GP-7 diesel from Chicago and joined Northwestern was built in 1995.
Its current fleet of open cars, buses, coaches "Crown", club cars, dining cars and vans included, was acquired and renovated by several railroads. The revisions, whose 80 - and 85 kilos rating mandatory 25-mph top speed faster, have more severe and associated railwayTrack lubricator installations on the tight corners, the strengthening of many rams, and the bridge on the Tuckasegee River in Dillsboro redecking.
In 1996, it acquired the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Dillsboro to Andrews section of the state of North Carolina, while the state continues for the rest himself, by Andrews to Murphy.
Three years later, December 23, 1999 acquired by American Heritage Railways, the Great Smoky MountainsRailroad was one of three excursion trains operated by the new company, with similar projects in Colorado and Texas properties.
II
Bryson City, Nantahala Gorge, the origin of my personal journey is a mountain community of 1,400 located on the Tuckasegee River and named after Colonel Thaddeus Dillard Bryson. Incorporated in 1887, had one in accordance with the old ways and streets of Cherokee, who had initially taken as a reference set "Big Bear Springs," and today servesas a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains and is the hub for the railroad. Because of its proximity to Fontana Dam, which had temporarily proliferated during the construction period.
The current train depot, built in 1890, is the only one from the Southern Railway to operate the line, although its cargo had been removed and replaced to share storage through an open portico. A one-and-a-half mile long yard, had the four titles, the City facilitated manySectors, including the Company turners Carolina, supply Palazzo Carolina, Southern Concrete Company, and a distributor of petroleum, while there was a turntable, a water tank and a slide for the use of coal, then contemporary Instrumental of steam locomotives. Bryson City is a marker 63 miles from Asheville to Murphy on the line is running.
My train had completed the 1955-manufactured diesel engine, generator, a car, the car club MacNeill, the Silver Meteor dining car, which containedDixie Flyer dining car, the Café's manager, Bryson City Manager, opened the car Wildwater, coach of the Cherokee, Fontana opened the car, the limited Crescent coach and a galley.
A car-clutch-created place went to the train the first movement in 1030, as the track slid slowly immersed Everet way mirror soon after the arrest, red and gold Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in the chain of coach rocked by freight train before it crashed through thick, almost tunnel-likeIncrease foliage, although still slightly accelerate.
Emerging from the dense forest, whose high, thin trees standing like sentinels guarding the only way the chain of cars crept away from Bryson City, parallel to the northern bank of the Tuckasegee River. The original embankment, taking care on the right at 64.5 miles, had been replaced by the current course set up in 1944 due to flood embankments.
Passing through a bridge truss steel that was built in 1898 and extends426 meters, crossing the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, Nantahala River, and from there to a 12.1 degree curve, curve, beginning a climb almost imperceptible, a 1.3 percent grade, before the summit with a curve in U horse on the left. The Alarko Creek, a blue glow from the blur of deep green forest, shot in the left window.
The train rocks me gently rock in a calm relaxed require a closer look at the car park of the club that I ran MacNeill.The line is the newest addition, was built in 1940 and had previously called the "Powhatan Arrow", Norfolk and Western operational service with the same name on the line of premier until 1982, when they were transferred to the merged Norfolk Southern steam-program 's. He had been renovated in 1993 and was subsequently damaged in a collision during the following year, in Lynchburg, Virginia.
It is no longer needed after the program had been established steamFebruary 1995, was auctioned and purchased through the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, in honor of Malcolm and Jean MacNeill for their dedication and years of service and renamed for its vision of an economically viable mountainous western North Carolina roller coaster. It was at this service in mid-1999 Nantahala Gorge on the moment I am running, after a careful restoration has been inaugurated.
Richly decorated, it was an area that is characterized by simply swiveling, padded tan,Unlike the chair of round tables on one side and separated couples who are separated by a rectangular, on the other, fine wood paneling, brass lamps on the tables, and thick, red carpets. Fruit salad, muffins and coffee was served shortly after departure.
The sun is finally able to tear the clouds white, gray and silver, revealing bruises. The pine green, reflective glass surface of Lake Fontana, once a fertile valley, turningthe dense foliage before opening up a whole body of water, 72.2 miles. Its creation has been given much the current path rail.
The track Murphy Branch, 8.5 miles have been more, but with softer varieties had the north bank of the Tuckasegee River in Bushnell, the small community to the point of convergence of the Little Tennessee River and the intersection of Carolina and Tennessee Southern Railway Company followed the trail. But World War II, necessitated the request for increasedfacilitate the electricity, the production of vital war material, the Tennessee Valley Authority dam project had aroused Fountain Murphy Branch and the track deviation.
Fontana had formed, a town 1.5 miles from the nucleic acid site was a success and South Carolina and Tennessee lane extends 2.84 miles along the Little Tennessee River, the lifeline for the temporary relief material and machinery for. State transportation a wooden frame constructionon Eagle Creek. A four-track yard, long enough to support cars to 100 in each of its spores, together with a workshop, a carpentry workshop, a warehouse and storage areas, had formed the basis of the project, full of cars and cement had to be performed Bryson City, around the dam, pumping 8,000 cubic meters of concrete and 15,000 tons of sand and gravel per day.
The war had made two provisions: the dam was to be completed within a period of two years and steel could not be provided for them,removed or reconstructed bridges and requires huge amount of coverage would otherwise be necessary to replace the U.S. dollar.
Three Rivers had the floor of the new Fontana Lake, if the resulting reservoir was 24 miles from the first track from Bryson City branch Murphy Weser formed flooded, and the dam, 480 meters, the highest in the eastern United States and the fourth largest the world when it was completed in 1944.
The old line, not through the continuedMilestones southern railway between 64.5 and 88.2 on 25 September last year, was the new July 30, 1944 has been replaced
Eating away the steel beam, concrete-based Runge Fontana Lake Bridge, crossed the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad This evergreen reflective water.
At milestone 76, moved residues orchard, site of the former house of the South Garden Railway by the President. After the waters of Lake Fontana, negotiates the Diesel14.2 ° right-hander at 77.8 miles, the sharper the line moved, which could safely be moved to 5 mph.
The Nantahala River, a vital force that explodes liquid thrown in the small problem with the white smoke from every rock and boulder obstacles in the way that corresponded to the 12-car link.
Lunch, served in the dining car at the car club had MacNeill Silver Meteor, grilled vegetables, Portobello mushrooms and creamy goat cheese on a hero, served with seasoned containPotato wedges and a salad and tomatoes. The two axes, car light, in 1940, built for Seaboard Airline Railway and restored through the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, in 1994, had a kitchen forward, even out of twelve, four square, black lacquered tables filled with floral motif Sports Chairs; small, brass lamps and white geometric rug designs that adorned the bottom of the side walls were.
The conductor is a café, a snack car built in 1949 and alternativePlace the dinner had been operated as a residential house on the Atlantic coast railway line, and also had a short service with Amtrak before seen them implemented in their present form in 1997.
Multiplying the last mile track laid down, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad and Nantahala Falls Creek Weser Outdoor Center went before the Appalachian Trail at milestone 80, now by steep mountains that form Nantahala Gorge and disabled all but the high-rays of the afternoon Sun rockedpenetrate. The route is parallel to the river, near the side of the mountain with the help of air no more than picks and shovels down and looked cool and dense nature of the hole, always green, vegetation-made tunnel.
The caves outside the right coach windows were once used by hunters and settlers and was instrumental in exile in Oklahoma Cherokee Trail of Tears in their period.
Maneuvering through the curve of the brightest line 17Able, to 83.2 milestone, went to the Mountain Train Talk, Nantahala approaching when the last position of a water tank, a coal-chute and a tower of sand to fill the steam engine, require adequate provisions for 56 km to go forward ee Murphy and vice versa. Today as it was at the end of my journey was.
Diesel 1751 to separate from its 11-car chain, Stanley went on the road, before returning to its right in front of the kitchen and the resumption ofMovement, now in the opposite direction, after a crush on barely perceptible, Nantahala Outdoor Center for the determined and time interval.
Sweets and rattling back to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad his way through the forest boring green walls that does not smell of soot or coal, but instead of a dense vegetation.
In the middle of the run of the river, where the tracks doubled short, in the Nantahala Outdoor Center has crawled. Immediately above the green canopy, small spotsBlue had the opposite white and silver clouds a mosaic afternoon. The same center, the starting point for rafting and permanently flooded with the heavy scent of pine trees had been more wooden, rustic cabins include gift ship accommodations and restaurants.
After being pelted by heavy rain, but fast during the rest hour, the diesel back signaling imminent departure with his pipe, published in 1400, and the brakesregained momentum induced in each movement of the clutch as the car caught imitated a chain reaction.
The Nantahala River, now in parallel with the train on the right side and a reflection of the mountain covered with vegetation appeared, a green glass mirror. The soft blue sky climbed towering trees.
Traveling north-west, put the long chain of cars make their way through the dense forest near the summits of the Great Smoky Mountains-blue before theirWheels screech in protest as they clung to the curved track.
The cap of the bottle of champagne had appeared and had cheese and crackers was served in the meantime, in the bar car MacNeill.
Fontana Lake, draped green carpet surrounded by hills and dotted with floating houses, once again slipped, now visible in the long, rectangular windows on the left side, as if he had served as a large TV screens showing a world from which they were temporarily separateself-contained coach.
After the thick, green mountain valley, the cradle of tracks, the train once again crossed the steel-truss bridge, and crawled behind the courtyard, through Evert Street in Bryson City and took the brakes at the last time gray deposit.
MacNeill club relegated from the car, I stepped on the gravel and saw the last car. Behind him was a track of light rails laid down by detainees through includes ranges,Flow-rich soil, after which require small bridges, small tunnels, tight curves and different qualities. Behind her was a history of the branch Murphy, who provided the security cable available for the Great Smoky Mountains "isolated communities facilitates their growth and development, and the connection from city to city. It was beyond the final connection , one of soul to soul.
Opening the door, I stepped in the Bryson City Depot.
