A Train goes by the Coliseum I had no idea that those tracks between the Titans coliseum and the Cumberland river were still used, as I was crawling all over them earlier. This CSX train scooted backwards through the parking lot to join up with some train cars that lots of small bits of scrap iron. (the pieces came from that trashy eyesore you see when you cross the river on I-24.) I was standing on the Shelby St. Pedestrian Bridge, and you can barely see my gray car along the left edge. (Free parking space!)
Lot R for Railroad Parking This rail car was carrying tiny bits of scrap metal.
CSX Caboose - Bruceton, TN There can't be that many CSX cabooses out there, can there? This one was seen at the CSX yard in Bruceton. The old Bruceton roundhouse is seen in the background.
Family Lines System Caboose 16636 OK, I'll admit that I'd never heard of Family Lines System until I saw this caboose in a CSX transflo terminal near the UT campus. For those of you who like me had never heard of Family Lines System, their faded logo on the left of the caboose points out they were a merger of five different lines (most notably Seaboard Coast Line and L&N). Eventually, it became easier to call themselves Seaboard System and soon thereafter merged with Chessie to become CSX.
A typical NS-CSX train Seen in Dalton, GA which is a good place for railfanning. Here, we have NS9228 paired with CSX7589 and CSX7606
Running Water Creek Bridge Anyone who has ever traveled Interstate 24 through Marion County, TN has seen this impressive bridge. A bridge was first built across this valley by Nashville and Chattanooga railroad. You can read more about the Civil war significance on this historic marker: seemidtn.com/gallery3/index.php?album=historical-markers/... The current version of the deck plate girder bridge was built in 1968 and used by CSX. Highway TN134 also passes under the bridge and was the main road through the area before the Interstate. Also before the interstate, the bridge appeared much more impressive, as it looked even higher before the roadway in the valley built it up
Ocean Springs, MS Passenger Station Originally built by L&N in 1887, the tracks are now CSX.
Dickson, TN Train Station at dusk This train station was originally built by L&N and along tracks belonging now to CSX. Across the street is the historic railroad hotel, Hotel Halbrook which is now operated as the Frank Clement museum.
1849 Ringgold, GA Train Depot Back in 1849, Ringgold was the largest city in the area, even larger than nearby Chattanooga. The depot is made of stone which was common in the area at the time. In 1862, the Ringgold Depot was one of the places to be a part of the Civil War's famous Great Locomotive Chase. Travelling north along the Western and Atlantic tracks, Andrew's Raiders would abandon The General steam locomotive about two miles north of here. The depot is situated on a bit of an incline from the road below. The main road through town, which used to be the Dixie Highway and is now US41 runs between this vantage point and the station. The road passes under the tracks. The main part of town is to the left. Today, the building has been restored and the town of Ringgold uses it as a community meeting hall. Originally W&A, the tracks later became part of NCStL and are now CSX. The depot is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1849 Ringgold, GA Train Depot Back in 1849, Ringgold was the largest city in the area, even larger than nearby Chattanooga. The depot is made of stone which was common in the area at the time. In 1862, the Ringgold Depot was one of the places to be a part of the Civil War's famous Great Locomotive Chase. Travelling north along the Western and Atlantic tracks, Andrew's Raiders would abandon The General steam locomotive about two miles north of here. The depot is situated on a bit of an incline from the road below. The main road through town, which used to be the Dixie Highway and is now US41 runs between this vantage point and the station. The road passes under the tracks. The main part of town is to the left. Today, the building has been restored and the town of Ringgold uses it as a community meeting hall. Originally W&A, the tracks later became part of NCStL and are now CSX.
Bridges of South Chickamauga Five Points Crossing the South Chickamauga Creek at this spot is five bridges, hence the name Five Points. Some of them are visible here. (Not pictured) the first bridge to cross here was for the Western & Atlantic Railroad in the late 1840's. All that's left of this bridge are the stone piers. Next, the tallest bridge is the old Southern Railway bridge that is currently used by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum for their Missionary Ridge local excursion. This photo was taken from the window of that excursion. The Pratt Through Truss bridge is part of a CSX spur line originally built to reach the Volunteer Army Ammunitions Plant. Today, the spur line serves the new Volkswagon plant at the same site and the bridge has been reinforced. Not pictured 500 feet to the south is the CSX main line. Also not pictured is the Norfolk Southern main line which does not cross the creek. For auto traffic, Lightfoot Mill Rd. crosses here and is the bridge furthest away. It was built in the 1980s and replaced a small truss bridge. The thin bridge close to the water is for a sewer line.
CSX Tennessee River Bridge - Knoxville This railroad bridge near downtown Knoxville was built in 1966 to cross the Tennessee River and is currently used by CSX (originally L&N). It is a camelback through truss bridge where the main span is a polygonal Warren through truss.
Murfreesboro, TN Depot Built in 1887
Rusty train bridge This is the Really old rotating train bridge that crosses the Cumberland River in Downtown Nashville. I heard the train coming so I ran over here as fast as I could, and then after it finished, (and when no one was looking) I crawled up here.
The Abandoned Smyrna, TN Train Station (2006) I would guess that this depot hasn't been for train passengers form 35 years. Its stop is along the same CSX line that runs from Chattanooga to the Radnor Yard in Nashville, as well as right by my house. It's located in the old city center of Smyrna, with torn up concrete and front street on the right, and the tracks then US 41/70S on the left. This was before the Front St. Revitalization and before I lived in the area. This depot was built in 1873 Historical marker: seemidtn.com/gallery3/index.php?album=historical-markers/...
Tullahoma, TN Depot With a CSX engine
Vertical Lift Railroad Bridge - Decatur, AL This is the railroad bridge crossing the Tennessee River at Decatur, AL. CSX owns the bridge but NS uses it as well. (If you look at the Google map view, you can see where the two railroads split seemingly in the middle of Wheeler Lake.) The main segmant of the bridge is a vertical-lift drawbridge. While I never saw it while I was at Rhodes Ferry Park, I suspect it lifts often as there isn't much clearance there. A control house is in the middle of the Pennsylvania Pratt Truss main segment. Originally, it was built as a swing bridge. On either side of the lifting segment are Warren Truss spans
Vertical Lift Railroad Bridge - Decatur, AL This is the railroad bridge crossing the Tennessee River at Decatur, AL. CSX owns the bridge but NS uses it as well. (If you look at the Google map view, you can see where the two railroads split seemingly in the middle of Wheeler Lake.) The main segment of the bridge is a vertical-lift drawbridge. While I never saw it while I was at Rhodes Ferry Park, I suspect it lifts often as there isn't much clearance there. A control house is in the middle of the Pennsylvania Pratt Truss main segment. Originally, it was built as a swing bridge. On either side of the lifting segment are Warren Truss spans
The ascent at Cowan Cowan, TN is an important spot in the train line that runs from Nashville to Chattanooga. This is the last stop before the train makes the ascent up and then through the mountain ridge tunnel.
Downtown Nashville train This train was between the Titans coliseum and the river. I had assumed those tracks were unused. Shelby St. Bridge is in the background
Family Lines System caboose - Ethridge, TN Most people who pass through Ethridge see all of the Amish stores along highway US43. However, the caboose is located in the small central business district along Depot St. Family Lines System is a precursor to CSX with the consolidations of several other railroads into one: Seaboard Coast Line; Louisville & Nashville; Georgia Railroad; Clinchfield; Atlanta and West Point Railroad.
Curving Tracks of the Nashville gulch If you are taking a standard picture of Union Station from the Broadway bridge, and you turn around, this is what you see. This picture has made explore, peaking at #295! Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/nashville/incredible-na... These 20 Incredible Places in Nashville Will Drop Your Jaw To The Floor
New Johnsonville TN Train Depot Johnsonville was a small town along where the important train line crossed the Tennessee River. That town was flooded by the creation of Kentucky Lake, so the city of New Johnsonville was built nearby. This train depot was apparently relocated to New Johnsonville from the old Johnsonville, and is right next to highway US70.
Tunnel Hill, GA The mountains of northwest Georgia were the biggest obsticle to connect a train line from Chattanooga to Atlanta in the earliest days of the railroad. The most formidable challenge was the Chetoogetta Mountain in Whitfield County. The first tunnel at this location was completed in 1850 with a tunnel of 1477 feet. Eventually, it became insufficient and a second tunnel was built in 1928. That second tunnel is the one that lines up in this image with a length of 1527 feet. The second tunnel parallels the original tunnel which is to the right and you can walk through today. roadsidegeorgia.com/city/tunnelhill.html
Bridgeport, AL Depot & lights Built in 1917, this is the NCStL depot in the important railroad town of Bridgeport soon before trains cross the Tennessee River. The Sequatchie Valley Railroad also came through here. Today it is CSX along the tracks with some Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific coming through. The architecture here is an unusual design for this part of the country, a Spanish Mission style that you would more likely see in St. Augustine or San Antonio. Today, the depot is a museum operated by the Bridgepoort Area Historic Association (BAHA). my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=137159&...
Bridgeport, AL Depot & cart Built in 1917, this is the NCStL depot in the important railroad town of Bridgeport soon before trains cross the Tennessee River. The Sequatchie Valley Railroad also came through here. Today it is CSX along the tracks with some Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific coming through. The architecture here is an unusual design for this part of the country, a Spanish Mission style that you would more likely see in St. Augustine or San Antonio. Today, the depot is a museum operated by the Bridgepoort Area Historic Association (BAHA). my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=137159&...
Bridgeport, AL Depot b/w trackside view Built in 1917, this is the NCStL depot in the important railroad town of Bridgeport soon before trains cross the Tennessee River. The Sequatchie Valley Railroad also came through here. Today it is CSX along the tracks with some Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific coming through. The architecture here is an unusual design for this part of the country, a Spanish Mission style that you would more likely see in St. Augustine or San Antonio. Today, the depot is a museum operated by the Bridgepoort Area Historic Association (BAHA). my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=137159&...
Bridgeport, AL Depot full view Built in 1917, this is the NCStL depot in the important railroad town of Bridgeport soon before trains cross the Tennessee River. The Sequatchie Valley Railroad also came through here. Today it is CSX along the tracks with some Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific coming through. The architecture here is an unusual design for this part of the country, a Spanish Mission style that you would more likely see in St. Augustine or San Antonio. Today, the depot is a museum operated by the Bridgepoort Area Historic Association (BAHA). my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=137159&...
Train Crossing in Downtown Nashville There is a nice old rusty rotating train bridge in downtown Nashville that now is part of CSX. As I was driving around the area recently, I heard the train whistle off in the distance and quickly wanted to get in position to get a shot like this. I took the first parking space I could find without cinsidering whether or not I should park there. It happened to be a parking space just for cops. Luckily, I got out before I got a ticket.
CSX Bridge over the Stones River seen from the Stones River Greenway n Murfreesboro at the Manson Pike Trailhead. I waited a while for a train but didn't get lucky. I'm not sure how old the bridge is, but the train line pre-dates the civil war
Franklin, TN Train freight Depot I find it amazing...everything in Franklin and Williamson County of historic significance seems to be well preserved and cared for - except the train depot. It's not that the depot is in disrepair, or anything. It's made of concrete and built to last. But look at how much grief the tribulations of the Franklin Cinema has caused. Yet, the depot doesn't get much love. It's old. It's historic. Hovever, it's not opulant. Built in 1858, the brick depot is one of only two antebellum railroad buildings left in Tennessee. It is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places but not listed yet. During the Civil War, in 1862, Federal forces seized the roadbed, but the rolling stock was held by the Confederates and vanished. Reorganized in 1866 as the Nashville and Decatur Railroad. It was leased to and then purchased by L&N and has remained in continuous operation since then (and is now CSX). With the end of passenger service, the passenger depot was torn down in 1959. Here is a picture of the historical marker: seemidtn.com/gallery3/index.php?album=historical-markers/...
Wartace Caboose I was in Wartrace looking at the L&N Caboose in the center of town when a real train, CSX 567 decided to come through.
Dutchman's Curve Dutchman's curve is the location of the deadliest train wreck in U.S. history, and it happened in Nashville. Human error on the NCStL line mistakenly thinking the tracks were clear allowed a train to proceed with another coming in. The two train engineers couldn't see each other as they approached around a curve and crashed into each other at full speed. At the time, it wasn't uncommon for passenger card to be made of wood, and on impact the cars essentially disintegrated. All told, on the day of July 9, 1918, over 100 people died. The exact spot the two trains collided is a little difficult to determine, but the wreckage covered a lengthy area. Today, the area is commemorated in a subtle way. As one of the Nashville Greenways, the Metro Board of Parks and Recreation added a Wayside along the Richland Creek Greenway at a location near where the wreckage had been. The original railroad bed has been replaced with newer tracks that are built higher up. The small memorial is at a spot between bridge masonry abutments along the old line. These predate the Civil War and were built by the nearly forgotten Nashville and Northwestern Railroad. The tracks here used to cross Bosley Road, which also long gone. A train wheel and a connector is embedded into the concrete here. A metal bar and some other miscellaneous unsecured pieces were here the day I was. I suppose someone found them and just laid them there. A few feet from the old Bosley Road Underpass is where the tracks cross Richland Creek. The modern bridge is about 15 feet high. The old pier remains here also. A pedestrian bridge crosses Richland Creek Also, and then it's only a few more feet to the memorial. For additional views, look here. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/tn-disaster/ This Is Definitely The Most Horrifying Disaster That Ever Happened In Tennessee
Greetings from Smyrna Depot District This 2019 mural is located on the side of a building across Front St. from the Smyrna train depot. The mural is signed by Suzanne Lebeau and sponsored by VisitRutherfordTN.
Clay Wade Bailey and C&O Railroad Bridges Both of these bridges connect Cincinnati, OH to Covington, KY while crossing the Ohio River. On the left, the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge carries Highways US25, US42 and US127. It is a cantilever bridge built in 1974 and named for a local political reporter. On the right, Chesapeake & Ohio built the bridge carrying two tracks in 1929. Today, it is still in use by CSX. The first train bridge in Cincinnati opened here on the left in 1889. 40 years later, it was obsolete and was replaced with the bridge on the right. The bridge on the left was then retrofitted into an automobile bridge. In 1970, that bridge was destroyed when two tug boats hit it. The broken pier was replaced and the others were reused for this newer bridge. For more info: www.cincinnati-transit.net/co-bridge.html
CSX Coal Train crosses the C&O Railroad bridge Chesapeake & Ohio built the bridge carrying two tracks in 1929. This bridge crosses the Ohio River to connect Cincinnati, OH with Covington, KY for CSX. This photo was taken at the scenic overlook at Devou Park.
Cumberland Gap Railroad Tunnel, Tracks Leading into This railroad tunnel goes under the historic Cumberland Gap. It's construction finished in 1889 by Powell's Valley Railroad. In the first decade, it suffered two cave-ins and had to be re-bored. The second time was in 1896, however 1897 is etched into the top of the arch. Early on, it was used by Knoxville, Cumberland Gap and Louisville Railroad. In 1896, it was sold to Louisville & Nashville. Today it is owned by CSX. It is still in use, but infrequently, perhaps once a week. Because of the narrow clearance and track condition, trains have to creep along slower than 10 MPH. This entrance is in Lee County, VA. The Tennessee State line and the city limits of Cumberland Gap are about 100 feet away from the entrance. The other end of the tunnel is 3,741 feet away in Middlesboro, KY.
Cumberland Gap Railroad Tunnel Entrance This railroad tunnel goes under the historic Cumberland Gap. It's construction finished in 1889 by Powell's Valley Railroad. In the first decade, it suffered two cave-ins and had to be re-bored. The second time was in 1896, however 1897 is etched into the top of the arch. Early on, it was used by Knoxville, Cumberland Gap and Louisville Railroad. In 1896, it was sold to Louisville & Nashville. Today it is owned by CSX. It is still in use, but infrequently, perhaps once a week. Because of the narrow clearance and track condition, trains have to creep along slower than 10 MPH. This entrance is in Lee County, VA. The Tennessee State line and the city limits of Cumberland Gap are about 100 feet away from the entrance. The other end of the tunnel is 3,741 feet away in Middlesboro, KY.
Cumberland Gap Railroad Tunnel, Looking inside This railroad tunnel goes under the historic Cumberland Gap. It's construction finished in 1889 by Powell's Valley Railroad. In the first decade, it suffered two cave-ins and had to be re-bored. The second time was in 1896, however 1897 is etched into the top of the arch. Early on, it was used by Knoxville, Cumberland Gap and Louisville Railroad. In 1896, it was sold to Louisville & Nashville. Today it is owned by CSX. It is still in use, but infrequently, perhaps once a week. Because of the narrow clearance and track condition, trains have to creep along slower than 10 MPH. This entrance is in Lee County, VA. The Tennessee State line and the city limits of Cumberland Gap are about 100 feet away from the entrance. The other end of the tunnel is 3,741 feet away in Middlesboro, KY.
CSX #486 - Wartrace, TN
Greenville, AL Train Depot The train station in Greenville, AL was built by L&N. Today, these are CSX tracks and the building is for municipal use.
Whiteside Tunnel At first glance, this appears to be the all-time least necessary railroad tunnel. It's located on the west side of Chattanooga where Nashville & Chattanooga placed tracks in 1852. The tracks run through a valley; originally walls were placed on either side but they weren't enough to withstand dirt and rock slides. Thus, 400 feet of tunnel was completed in 1858 to serve as a roof and no longer need to clear the tracks. By 1911, the one track could no longer meet the railroad needs. They cleared out a much larger area and built two sets of tracks through the area. They even had to add buttresses to the side of the existing tunnel to prevent it from making it's own rock slide onto the new tracks. Over time, the railroad here went from NC&StL to L&N and now CSX. This area is fairly easy to find. The tracks parallel highway TN134. It's in Hamilton county very close to the Marion County line. There's a one-car pulloff spot on the side of the road, but sadly most people use the spot for illegal dumping. Whiteside is the nearest post office, so this is called the Whiteside Tunnel, although sometimes has been called the Raccoon Mountain Tunnel. source: books.google.com/books?id=tqVMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1018&...
Train (seen from White Bridge in Nashville) The old White Bridge from where White Bridge Rd. gets its name is now a pedestrian bridge crossing the tracks and Richland Creek. The tracks here still get plenty of traffic, such as this train carrying mostly intermodal containers. This spot is roughly a mile from Dutchman's Curve, site of the US deadliest train disaster.
Town of Smyrna Christmas Tree 2022 I was setting up my shot when conveniently CSX #548 sped down the tracks for me. Every year, the town of Smyrna places Christmas decorations at the historic train station in the middle of town. This year, they have a large Christmas tree without ornaments except for the tall star on top. This year, as a great photo op they have an oversized ornament with several chairs inside. The depot itself has been adorned with wreaths and the street lights have been adorned with large snowflake lights.
CCC&StL Depot - Greencastle, IN The passenger station of Greencastle, IN is located on the north side of town. The tracks are now CSX and they appear to use the building for storage.
1925 Railroad Bridge at Frankie Pierce Park This photo was made in May 2023. A couple months later, the entire interior became a large mural of many prominent local musicians. See both sides of that mural at these links: flic.kr/p/2pgu7L8 flic.kr/p/2pgyDYp Details on the bridge: It was built by L&N railroad (today CSX) in 1925 for one track to cross over Gay Street. It is a closed spandrel arch bridge with 5 concrete arches. There are beams which run between the arches which create the horizontal lines. I'm not sure what the beams are made of. The railroad tracks form a Y here at the end of the gulch, so there are two train bridges near each other for three consecutive streets. (The other bridge is visible off in the distance.) Although it's downtown, it's corporately undevelopable space so turning it into a park was a great idea. While the parallel streets (Nelson Merry and Josephine Holloway (aka Jo Johnston)) are open to traffic, Gay St. is now closed to traffic here, and is instead part of Nashville's Gulch Greenway.
Resilience and Reverie - Nashville, TN One of the newest murals in Nashville, Resilience and Reverie was spray painted by Eric "Mobe" Bass @mobeoner and completed in Nov. 2023. I really like this one. It's located at Frankie Pierce Park on the side of a 1925 CSX railroad bridge which crosses Gay St. Notice the black widow spider on the far right?
CSX Tennessee River Bridge - Knoxville, TN This bridge was built in 1934 by Louisville & Nashville and reconditioned in 1966. The original piers were built in 1892 by Marietta & North Georgia Railroad but had concrete extensions added to raise the height. The main span is a Polygonal Warren through truss with a length of 280 ft and a total length of 1051 ft. This is the most convenient view of the bridge taken from Scottish Pike Park on the south side of the Tennessee River. On the north side, the bridge also crosses Neyland Dr. (US11) and more train tracks. If you look closely Knoxville and Holston River Railroad KXHR 2002 is along those tracks.
FEC - Strauss Trunnion Bascule Bridge - Jacksonville, FL This train bridge was built for the Florida East Coast Railroad in 1925, but CSX (see their building in the background?) and Norfolk Southern use it as well. It crosses the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville and replaced a a swing bridge which was built in 1890. The prominent feature is a segment of track which can lift out of the way for passing ships so that a tall clearance above the water is not needed. This feature is makes it a Bascule bridge as it has a counterweight allowing it to rotate upward. Trunnions are the mechanical pivot mechanism. The manufacturer of this segment was the Strauss Bascule Bridge co. while Phoenix Bridge Co. from Pennsylvania built some of the other through truss segments. I took this photo while my wife was driving us along Interstate 95. The interstate makes a big curve through here and passengers can get a good view from many angles along the drive.
CSX 7209 at Frankie Pierce Park - Nashville, TN Just the Frankie Pierce mural: flic.kr/p/2pHqDgt The railroad tracks form a Y here at the end of the gulch, so there are two train bridges near each other for three consecutive streets. Although it's downtown (The Capitol is visible in the background), it's corporately undevelopable space so turning it into a park was a great idea. The 6 bridges at this park were built by L&N railroad (today CSX) in 1925 as one track here crosses over Nelson Merry St.
Tunnel Hil, GA Depot Built by Western & Atlantic in the 1850's, this Train Station made out of stone was the last stop before trains went through the Historic Tunnel. Later, this station was part of NCStL. Today, the depot is vacant with hopes of being restored soon.
Inside the Cowan, TN Depot Museum This was the depot's biggest room, with the old passenger benches. Also seen is the departure / arrival board which now lists the names of former railroad employees on small engraved metal plaques. For my other Cowan Railroad Museum pictures, look here: www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/cowanrailroadm...
Bridgeport, AL Lift bridge This is a Lift type drawbridge on the CSX line from Nashville to Chattanooga at Bridgeport, AL. The original span was a swing type drawbridge constructed in 1852 by the Nashville & Chattanooga RR. That structure was replaced in 1890 by another swing type by successor line Louisville & Nashville. Current span was completed in 1981. The central lift section was taken from another bridge that had been abandoned on an L&N line at Danville, TN. It was dismantled, shipped to this site, and reassembled in place. This spot was chosen to cross the Tennessee River because of a wide island in the middle of the river. The lift bridge is about 500 feet wide, then the Island is about 1000 feet, then a second bridge crosses another 1000 feet of river. This bridge is virtually inaccessible, unless you are a CSX employee or are willing to tresspass. The employees drive a gravel road through a desolate area to get to the other side. This view is from historic Battery Hill in Bridgeport before all the trees were in bloom to block the view even more. On GreenFrog.com, (a great website for railfan videos) they have a CSX video from Chattanooga to Nashville, filmed in the mid 90's and featuring the bridges here
Old and New Bridgeport, AL river bridge This is an important spot for railroads in the south as all of the CSX trains that run from Nashville to Chattanooga cross through here. I can't find any details on how old the old bridge is, but the river was first crossed here by NCStL in 1852. The bridges here cross the Tennessee River. One of the reasons this spot was picked is there is an approx 1000 ft. island 2/3 of the way to the other side at this spot. The tracks cross the wider 1000 ft. portion of the river with what you see in the foreground, and then there is a smaller 500 ft. lift bridge in the background. The lift bridge was placed here in 1981 from unused train line elsewhere. It's rather inaccessible unless you're a railroad employee who takes a gravel road on the other side. Unfortunately, the pedestrian bridge clearly marks it's for employees only, which is a shame. I'm not sure how new the new bridge on the left is. It's at least newer than 1995. On GreenFrog.com, (a great website for railfan videos) they have a CSX video from Chattanooga to Nashville, filmed in the mid 90's and featuring the bridges here before the new one was built.
Emory River Railroad Bridge This Warren Camelback Truss bridge was built by L&N in 1910 over the Emory River in Harriman, TN. Today, the bridge is in use so that CSX can deliver coal cars to the TVA Kingston Steam Plant via trackage rights with NS. The main span is 23 feet long, although there is a lengthy approach on both sides. The bridge also parallels highway US27 across the river.
Springtime at Bicentennial Mall (2006) This photo was taken 6 years ago. Some of the trees had started to bloom and showed rich color, while others had yet to start. CSX 1111 rolls on through over the bridge at the park. Notice the outline of the state of Tennessee at the bottom? This photo was taken from Capitol Hill where you can get this view of the entire urban state park. Every once in a while, I'll go through old photos and find something that for whatever reason I didn't like then, but now I find Flickr-worthy. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/nashville/incredible-na... These 20 Incredible Places in Nashville Will Drop Your Jaw To The Floor
Railroad Bridge over Barren Fork - McMinnville, TN I can't find too much information on how old this bridge is, but there was a railroad line that ran from McMinnville to Tullahoma before the Civil War. During the war, the north destroyed every bridge on this line between the two cities, including the one that crossed the Barren Fork River, which I assume is at this same spot. Originally, there were multiple mills up and down the river through here, but in 1902, a hydroelectric dam was built, but is not in use anymore. According to a photo on the historical marker nearby, this bridge was already here when the dam was built. The dam is on the National register of Historic Places. At one time, the bridge was used by NCStL, and then by L&N, and then by CSX. Today, the tracks are used by the short line Caney Fork & Western Railroad, which connects CSX from Tullahoma to Manchester and Sparta. There are a couple of kids sitting on the nearest pier. Can you see them?
Railroad Bridge over Barren Fork - McMinnville, TN I can't find too much information on how old this bridge is, but there was a railroad line that ran from McMinnville to Tullahoma before the Civil War. During the war, the north destroyed every bridge on this line between the two cities, including the one that crossed the Barren Fork River, which I assume is at this same spot. Originally, there were multiple mills up and down the river through here, but in 1902, a hydroelectric dam was built, but is not in use anymore. According to a photo on the historical marker nearby, this bridge was already here when the dam was built. At one time, the bridge was used by NCStL, and then by L&N, and then by CSX. Today, the tracks are used by the short line Caney Fork & Western Railroad, which connects CSX from Tullahoma to Manchester and Sparta.
Railroad Bridge over Barren Fork - McMinnville, TN I can't find too much information on how old this bridge is, but there was a railroad line that ran from McMinnville to Tullahoma before the Civil War. During the war, the north destroyed every bridge on this line between the two cities, including the one that crossed the Barren Fork River, which I assume is at this same spot. Originally, there were multiple mills up and down the river through here, but in 1902, a hydroelectric dam was built, but is not in use anymore. According to a photo on the historical marker nearby, this bridge was already here when the dam was built. At one time, the bridge was used by NCStL, and then by L&N, and then by CSX. Today, the tracks are used by the short line Caney Fork & Western Railroad, which connects CSX from Tullahoma to Manchester and Sparta. There are a couple of kids sitting on the nearest pier. Can you see them?
CSX Caboose 903913 - Etowah, TN With as many cabooses I've seen over the years, and as many CSX trains I've seen over the years, it occurred to me as I was photographing this one on the other side of the tracks that I'd never seen a CSX caboose before. It makes sense, I suppose. The need for cabooses had already diminished by the time CSX was formed in 1986, but it makes you wonder how many of them are out there. Flickr user hunter1828 has this photo of what it looked like when it was fresh and new: www.flickr.com/photos/hunter1828/6457969447/in/faves-bren...
Chessie System 900051 Caboose This has been left at the Franklin, TN Freight Depot
Williamsburg, KY Train Depot This used to be an L&N passenger depot and the tracks that run in front of it are today used by CSX.
CSX Cumberland Bypass Bridge This tall and long railroad bridge crosses the Cumberland River to the east and upstream of downtown Nashville. The southern end of the bridge on the right is located next to the Omohundro water filtration plant (an area that is usually off limits to most people.) The northern end runs through Shelby Park as many segments of the trestle can be walked or driven under. It was completed in 1914 by L&N to provide a spur to bypass Union Station. If you're into bridge specifics, here's an article published in the Engineering Record of August 30, 1913: "The Cumberland River Bridge of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad is approximately 3000 ft. long. including a viaduct approach at each end, one 300' and three 200' throughtruss river spans and three 135' deck truss spans, all of which have riveted connections except the pin connected 300' span . The substructure is enterely of concrete, of which there about 1700 yd. which were built in cofferdams of interlocking steel sheet piling, under an average head of about 16' of water. All foundations were carried down to bed rock to a depth of 130' below base of rail. In three of the cofferdams considerabme difficulty was experienced from encountering open conduits leading to the city waterwork pumping station, close to one end of the bridge. The concrete was mixed in a plant on each bank of the river and was carried by hauling engines to the different piers. All of the truss spans are erected on falsework built with an overhead traveling stiffleg derrick. It is expected that the erection will be completed this fall. The steel superstructure was fabricated by the American Bridge Co and erected by the Foster-Creighton-Gould Co, of Nashville, Tenn., wich has also constructed the substructure."
Smyrna, TN Train Depot & CSX #989 Here is the railroad station of the town I call home. The city of Smyrna has its roots to when a station was built here in 1851 and the town sprung up around it. (The line that ran from Nashville to Chattanooga placed a depot every 8 or so miles along the route.) This brick depot was built in 1873. The historic building had lied vacant for many years, but it is starting to see a little bit of activity. Most of the town festivals are held at the depot and along Front St. Within the last 5 years, the town has worked on revitalizing the area with landscaping and a roundabout at the intersection in front of the depot. On the day of this photo in 2012, I caught CSX #989 passing by. See the historical marker here: seemidtn.com/gallery3/index.php?album=historical-markers/...
CSX 5318 Crosses the Nickajack Lake Causeway Nickajack Lake is formed by Nickajack Dam on the Tennessee River in Marion County, TN. This causeway carries one set of tracks as well as highway TN156. The tracks are part of the CSX mainline and every train from Chattanooga to either Nashville or Huntsville passes through here.
The Children's Holocaust Memorial - Whitwell, TN The small southern town of Whitwell made national headlines when a small school project grew into a major tribute to tolerance and a remembrance for the millions who died in Nazi concentration camps. Whitwell is a small town in Marion County, TN. After the coal mines closed, the area became quite poor. What happened next may help change the perception of what rural life in the south is all about. Without any indication of what was to come, it started simply enough in 1998 in a Whitwell Middle School History class discussing World War II. The teacher discussed how six million Jews were slaughtered in the Nazi camps and a student asked how big Six Million is. In a town of just a little over one thousand people, it's hard to imagine just how big six million really is. One student doing research discovered that people from Norway wore paper clips as a symbol of resistance against the Nazis. The teacher thought it would be an interesting exercise to see if they could gather a few paper clips as a small sampling of how big six million could be. The students began a letter writing campaign asking various people to donate paper clips to the project. After a few thousand had come in, some reporters came to visit the school to see what was going on. Those reporters told about the school's project and told the story nationally. A couple of years after they had started, over 29 Million paper clips had been sent to the school. The school began to ponder what they should do with all of the paper clips. A couple of Jewish reporters who stayed in contact with the school searched Germany and found a vintage rail car which had been used to transport Jewish captives to the camps. The railcar was transported by boat to Baltimore and CSX delivered the car to Chattanooga in 2001. Many students and townspeople came together to make the memorial site a long-lasting tribute. 11 million of the paper clips were placed inside the rail car, remembering not only the Jews but all of the other groups that were also killed in the Nazi camps. This memorial was dedicated on Nov. 9, 2001. A documentary was filmed about the project, a full length movie titled "Paper Clips." I highly recommend everyone interested in this memorial should see that film.
Cowan, TN Passenger Depot (2013) The Cowan Depot is wood frame and built in 1904 for the NC&StL railway. When in use, it was originally on the other side of the still-in-use-by-CSX tracks but moved further away to its current location in 1976. It's built in a railroad Gothic style architecture and has been repainted to the original green and yellow colors. The building is in the process of renovation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Every year, the town has a Summer Weekend festival called Cowan Depot Days with the goal of raising money to further restore the station. Cowan is located on the historic line that runs from Nashville to Chattanooga and is perhaps best known by railfans as the last stop before ascending Cumberland Mountain and the picturesque but almost inaccessible Cumberland Mountain Tunnel entrance. CSX keeps pusher cars on hand to help trains make the incline to the top. Steam Locomotive #1 has been the highlight of the Cowan Railroad Museum for many years. It's a Columbia Type 2-4-2. It was built by Porter in 1920 as a tenderless Tank style locomotive and converted with a small homemade tender and had the saddle tank removed. The cab used to contain a small coal bunker. The Engine was functional around Charleston, SC until 1964 when it was sold to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Then, was sold to the Cowan museum in 1979. To see my other photos from the Depot Museum, look here: www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/cowanrailroadm...
Train Bridge, Bicentennial Park, Nashville A CSX train engine crosses over the bridge which is part of the entrance to Bicentennial Mall State Park in Nashville, TN. In the background, people sit in the ampitheater to enjoy a sunny day. This picture is taken from Capitol Hill on the north side of the state capitol
