BNSF in Childress County, TX From this spot along highway US287, I can see a long way and on this day I encountered this train in multiple places.
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 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.
Bahia Honda Bridge Showing Gap From Wikipedia: The Bahia Honda Rail Bridge is a derelict railroad bridge in the lower Florida Keys connecting Bahia Honda Key with Spanish Harbor Key. It was originally part of the Overseas Railway, but the state of Florida purchased it from the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) after the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and converted it for automobile use as part of the Overseas Highway in 1938. After a replacement Bahia Honda Bridge was opened in 1972, two spans of the old bridge were removed for the safety of boat traffic and to prevent pedestrian access to unsafe parts of the bridge. Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahia_Honda_Rail_Bridge Other notes: Originally constructed: 1912 Railroad tracks were on the bottom level. This area was too narrow for two lanes of cars, so the upper level was built for cars. Photo taken from the newer 1972 Bridge Visitors to Bahia Honda State Park can walk along a short segment of the upper auto part which is maintained. Most of the Overseas bridges are arches, but the Bahia Honda channel is deeper, so it is a Parker or Pratt Through Truss bridge. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of "Overseas Highway and Railway Bridges"
Bahia Honda Bridge Showing Disrepair From Wikipedia: The Bahia Honda Rail Bridge is a derelict railroad bridge in the lower Florida Keys connecting Bahia Honda Key with Spanish Harbor Key. It was originally part of the Overseas Railway, but the state of Florida purchased it from the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) after the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and converted it for automobile use as part of the Overseas Highway in 1938. After a replacement Bahia Honda Bridge was opened in 1972, two spans of the old bridge were removed for the safety of boat traffic and to prevent pedestrian access to unsafe parts of the bridge. Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahia_Honda_Rail_Bridge Other notes: Originally constructed: 1912 Railroad tracks were on the bottom level. This area was too narrow for two lanes of cars, so the upper level was built for cars. Photo taken from the newer 1972 Bridge Visitors to Bahia Honda State Park can walk along a short segment of the upper auto part which is maintained. Most of the Overseas bridges are arches, but the Bahia Honda channel is deeper, so it is a Parker or Pratt Through Truss bridge. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of "Overseas Highway and Railway Bridges"
Bahia Honda Bridge - Florida Keys From Wikipedia: The Bahia Honda Rail Bridge is a derelict railroad bridge in the lower Florida Keys connecting Bahia Honda Key with Spanish Harbor Key. It was originally part of the Overseas Railway, but the state of Florida purchased it from the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) after the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and converted it for automobile use as part of the Overseas Highway in 1938. After a replacement Bahia Honda Bridge was opened in 1972, two spans of the old bridge were removed for the safety of boat traffic and to prevent pedestrian access to unsafe parts of the bridge. Read more: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahia_Honda_Rail_Bridge Other notes: Originally constructed: 1912 Railroad tracks were on the bottom level. This area was too narrow for two lanes of cars, so the upper level was built for cars. Photo taken from the newer 1972 Bridge Visitors to Bahia Honda State Park can walk along a short segment of the upper auto part which is maintained. Most of the Overseas bridges are arches, but the Bahia Honda channel is deeper, so it is a Parker or Pratt Through Truss bridge. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of "Overseas Highway and Railway Bridges"
Union Station and 2023 Broadway Viaduct Replacement In the Summer of 2023, the downtown Nashville Broadway Bridge which crossed the gulch train tracks was completely rebuilt by TDOT. From my office, I had a great view and followed their progress. I don't think they ever replaced the piers of the tiny strip which remained, but only replaced the entire deck. Of all the days I watched, This was the day with the largest amount of the bridge removed, which lets us see more of Union Station. The entire time, the tracks remained live. Here's the same view from a year prior. flic.kr/p/2nzRrEd I suppose I need a completed bridge view next summer.
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.
Lookout Mountain Incline Railway - Meeting at the Middle The incline shares tracks most of the way, but the tracks split in the middle so the two cars can pass each other. Below the midpoint, there are two rails. Above the midpoint, there are three rails - if there were only two, the cables in the middle would rub each other. At the middle, there are four rails so the two can pass. In the middle, there is a small platform for a track switch in case there's ever a problem. From Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lookout_Mountain_Incline_Railway The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is a 4 ft. 8+1⁄2 in. standard gauge inclined plane funicular railway leading to the top of Lookout Mountain from the historic St. Elmo neighborhood of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Passengers are transported from St. Elmo's Station at the base, to Point Park at the mountain summit, which overlooks the city and the Tennessee River. It is just a short drive to three of Chattanooga's main tourist attractions, Ruby Falls, Cavern Castle, and Rock City. The railway is approximately one mile in length (single-track except for a short two-track passing loop at the midway point, allowing operation of two cars at one time). It has a maximum grade of 72.7%, making it one of the world's steepest passenger railways. It obtained Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark status in 1991. The cable system for the cars was made by the Otis Elevator Company. History: The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway (Incline No. 2) was opened on November 16, 1895, by the Chattanooga Incline and Lula Lake Railway and functions as a major mode of transportation to the top of the mountain. It was the second of two inclines constructed on Lookout Mountain; the first was the Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain Railway (Incline No. 1), which operated from 1886 to 1895 and dismantled in 1900. Service was disrupted twice by fires that destroyed the powerhouse, upper station and cars stored there overnight (the first fire occurring on December 13, 1896, and the second on March 24, 1919). Both fires put the railway temporarily out of service, substitute service being provided by the Chattanooga Railway and Light Company's Lookout Mountain route. The railway was sold in the 1940s to Southern Coach Lines and is now operated by the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority, the area's public transit agency. The Incline Railway is a well-known and beloved Chattanooga landmark; the railway has been depicted in numerous regional and national publications, including being on TV. The railway is one of the main tourist attractions in the Chattanooga area, totaling over 100,000 visits annually. The top station features an observation deck and a gift shop.
Andalusia, AL Depot This depot was originally built by L&N. Today, it is used by the short-line Alabama & Florida Railway. There is a second L&N depot in town which is today used as the Three Notch Museum.
Abandoned Railroad Overpass - South Pittsburg, TN Perhaps most people who visit South Pittsburg Municipal Park don't pay attention to this structure, but it's not obvious what it is at first glance. One set of train tracks crossed over the top of the structure while other tracks went through the tunnel. All the tracks are now gone, so there's not much evidence of railroad activity which used to be here. The only remaining evidence I can see is bridge piers which cross the mouth of Battle Creek right where it meets the Tennessee River. Those tracks would have gone over this structure, then run north to parallel the Tennessee River. One of these lines belonged to Sequatchie Valley Railroad (SQVR) and you can read more about them here: www.historicsouthpittsburgtn.org/SequatchieValleyRailroad... Portions of this line still run from Jasper, TN to Bridgeport, AL through a relocated spot in South Pittsburg with a new name of Sequatchie Valley Switching Company (SQSC). The other line belonged to Southern Railway as they attempted a line from Chattanooga to Stevenson, AL. With a lack of funds, this project was abandoned in 1909.
Autumn on Brotherton Mountain I'm not sure if there's actually a Brotherton Mountain, but this view was seen along Brotherton Mountain Road which runs between Cookeville and Monterey in Putnam County, TN. The train tracks are operational but not used often. The line was originally created by Tennessee Central in a failed effort to connect Nashville to Knoxville, but they never got too far past Monterey. The tracks currently belong to Nashville & Eastern Railroad (NERR), a short line owned by RJ Corman.
Union Station and Nashville's Gulch en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_(Nashville)
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&...
Site of former Roundhouse - Tracy City, TN I can't find proof of this, but I think this site marking the spot of a former Roundhouse was built in 2021. If nothing else, the Old Roundhouse Park where this is located was dedicated in the summer of 2021. It's adjacent to the older Tracy City Mini-park which is downtown and faces highway US41. The park also features a couple of railroad worker statues and a wooden playground train.
Bartlett, TN L&N train station I don't have much info on this depot, but the owners have remembered the past by placing a caboose out back. Today the building is used as a Mexican Restaurant. On the other side of the tracks where I am standing, there is a small historic park.
L&N Danville Lift Bridge This bridge was built in 1931 and is the successor to two other railroad bridges built at this site. With this bridge, L&N tracks were able to cross the Tennessee River connecting Houston and Benton counties near the town of Danville. With the creation of the TVA dam and Kentucky Lake, the bridge had to be raised in 1941. The tracks also had to be raised above water level and the approaches are easily visible on both sides. The view was taken while riding on the Danville\Big Sandy\TN147 Ferry and the western approach uses the old railbed. When L&N abandoned the line, the lift portion and the structures on the Benton County side were removed. The lift was placed on a barge, floated up the Tennessee River to Bridgeport, AL and assembled there. See it here: flic.kr/p/9Wkhpr Here's a sentence not written too often: Today, this bridge is a private residence. At the far left of the picture, you can see the red roof of a house. Then, you might see the small brick structure on the second segment. I believe this is a tiny house placed on that bridge segment. Next, they added a party deck on top. Finally, they added a final open air metal segment below the tracks, which seems to be an ideal fishing spot.
Eva Station Railroad Trail In 1867, NCStL railroad built a bridge to connect the towns of Eva to Johnsonville across the Tennessee River. After the construction of Kentucky Dam (which caused this section of the Tennessee River to also be Kentucky Lake), the water level was higher and wider. The rail line was then owned by L&N and in 1945 they abandoned this bridge and built a new bridge by New Johnsonville to parallel the US70 bridge. Today, this park is an area known as Eva Beach and is under the oversight of Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park. A short interpretive path has been created along the old railroad bed. The path features an old mail post, signal lights, and ends with a segment or railroad bridge. From this spot, several portions of the old bridge are visible where earthworks were built to raise the track. I also recommend the scenic overlook at NBF park to view the entire area of the river and see multiple segments.
Three Memphis Bridges at Sunrise Three bridges cross the Mississippi River near each other in Memphis. The closest bridge is the Harahan Bridge which was completed in 1916; it carries two train tracks, plus an original auto lane is now for pedestrians. The middle bridge is the oldest; the Frisco bridge opened in 1892 with one train track. The furthest is the Memphis and Arkansas Bridge, completed in 1949 for auto traffic, then retrofitted for Interstate 55. This photo was taken from Tom Lee Park.
Laurel & Hardy Florist Mural - Harlem, GA Oliver Hardy was from Harlem, GA and is commemorated all around town, In this view, the mural faces the train tracks in town. The mural is also landscaped since this building belongs to a florist. This can be found where highway US221 crosses the tracks in the middle of town.
Mercury & Chase #484 You can ride this excursion train at the North Alabama Railroad Museum in Chase, AL, a small suburb on the north side of Huntsville. The diesel locomotive seen here is an ALCO S-2 built in 1949 for Lackawanna Railroad. It has been repainted in the design of the original Mercury & Chase which operated here. In the background is the old Chase Nursery Company office building. At one time, Chase Nursery was the largest plant nursery in the southeast. The building was just recently purchased by the museum.
Abandoned L&N Depot - Clanton, AL
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.
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, 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.
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.
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
Train Tracks of Cumberland Gap, TN The town of Cumberland Gap, TN is named for the historic gap in the mountains which early settlers used to cross. The Gap is located where the mountain in the background slopes down toward the left. This Norfolk Southern train line is still in use, but gets very limited traffic. While I am standing in Tennessee for this photo, the Virginia state line is about 1000 feet in front of me. Trains could not incline their way into the gap, so a train tunnel was build under the gap. This tunnel starts about 100 feet into Virginia and the other side is in Kentucky.
Alvin, TX Santa Fe depot
Maplesville, AL train depot The train station in Maplesville was built by Southern Railway. Today it is used as a museum and Senior center.
Southern 910007 Flat Car - Chase, AL This vintage flat car which has been equipped with a platform is part of the rolling stock for the North Alabama Railroad Museum in Chase, AL.
M&C 8652 - Chase, AL Mercury & Chase (M&C) is the excursion railroad for the North Alabama Railroad Museum in the small town of Chase. 8652 is an ALCo RSD-1 built for the U.S. Army in 1945.
B&O Caboose 1971 - Greencastle, IN I don't really know the story why this caboose is parked here, but it's been here for a little while. It's located where highway US231 crosses the tracks on the north side of Greencastle, IN. Update: here's the story: "Vic’s father, J. J. (John Joseph) Hunter was a conductor on the B&O Railroad living in Garret, Indiana and his conductor's uniform is preserved and on display, complete with hat and satchel. ... The show stealing piece in Vic's railroad collection is actually kept off site. If you have ever traveled into Greencastle from the north end of town you will see an iconic blue caboose with "J.J. Hunter" emblazoned in gold letters on the side. This caboose belonged to Vic's father and now enjoys it's retirement years alongside the tracks on the Monon railway corridor." ...on a siding just opposite what used to be the "Monon Grill". www.cedarridgehome.com/home/airy-knob-farm-of-greencastle...
Railroad Lift Bridge over C&O Canal - Williamsport, MD In 1923, this Girder and truss lift bridge was built by Western Maryland Railway to connect to Potomac Edison Company. It crosses the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the National Historic Park in Williamsport, MD. Trains no longer cross here, but the bridge is still functional for demonstrations. www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/item/md0741/ At this link, the Historic American Engineering Record gives the significance: The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Lift Bridge is significant as a rare surviving example of a short-span railroad vertical lift bridge, for its unusual design elements to allow unimpeded passage of canal boats pulled by animals treading the canal’s towpath, and for the economy of its design. It is the only such structure built across the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal.
Knoxville Train Tracks Before you think that I am aimlessly walking down train tracks when I ought not, this is taken from the spot where the Second Creek Greenway crosses the tracks. The bridge seen here crosses Cumberland Ave. Half a mile behind me, the Norfolk Southern tracks cross the Tennessee River
Summerville, GA Passenger Depot The Passenger train station in Summerville, GA was built by Central of Georgia Railroad in 1918. Today, the depot is a museum for the Chattoga County Historical Society.
Decatur, AL Passenger Depot (Pedestrian bridge view) From Wikipedia: The Southern Railway Depot is a historic building in Decatur, Alabama. The depot was built in 1904–05 along the Southern Railway line. Decatur had become a transportation hub of North Alabama by the 1870s, with its connections to the Tennessee River, the east-west Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad (later operated by the Memphis and Charleston Railroad and the Southern Railway), and the north-south Louisville and Nashville Railroad. It functioned as a passenger station until 1979, when Amtrak cancelled its Floridian service. The station is built of brick painted white, with quoins on the corners. The building has a rectangular central section with narrower wings stretching along the tracks. The central section has a hipped roof, while the wings have gable roofs; both have deep eaves with decorative brackets. The main entrance is covered by a porte-cochère with arched openings. The depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
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
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
Collierville, TN Train Station The train station in Collierville, TN was originally built by Southern Railway for the town of LaGrange, TN. Then, in the 1940's it was moved to Collierville. In 1976, Southern realized there would be no more passenger service and the depot was given to the city and moved to its present location. Now it is on the town square and off of the quite active NS main line. now is open as a train museum, which is under the oversight of the Memphis Transportation Museum. There are still some tracks that lead up to this station where the museum has some rolling stock on display. You can read more about the museum here: www.commercialappeal.com/entertainment/museum-on-a-roll
Union Station (View from Demonbreun Viaduct) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_(Nashville) The depot was built in 1900 in a castle-like late-Victorian Romanesque Revival style. The clock on the tower was one of the earliest digital clocks, but is now a traditional clock. Atop the tower used to be a 3D statue of the Roman god Mercury, but was knocked off in a windstorm in the 50s. In the mid-90s, a flat Mercury was put in its place. That one was knocked off in the 98 tornado, but was replaced again. The station became vacant in 1979 after train service was discontinued. It opened as a luxury hotel in March of 1990, and is now a Marriott hotel. An architecturally significant train shed used to be located right next to the station, but it's deteriorating condition, plus lack of any conceivable use led to it being demolished a few years ago, which caused Union Station to lose its status as a National Historic Landmark.
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.
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.
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. (Barely visible) 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. The piers used to support two tracks but only one remains today. 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. 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 where this picture is located. It was built in the 1980s and replaced a small truss bridge. If you look closely, the thin bridge close to the water is for a sewer line.
Cheatham County Bicentennial Trail Bridge (Road View) This view is from Chapmansboro Rd. from where it crosses Sycamore Creek. This bridge was originally built in 1901 by the Tennessee Central Railway as they extended their rail line from Nashville west to Clarksville. Around 1990, the tracks west of Ashland City were abandoned and soon many people wanted to convert the old rail-bed and this bridge to a pedestrian trail. With a partnership between the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the Cheatham County Parks Department, the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail was built and it utilized the old bridge. (The trail parallels the Cumberland River but actually crosses Sycamore Creek.) The iron Parker through truss bridge with a length of 550 ft. was built by American Bridge Co. For other views of this bridge: www.flickr.com/search/?sort=relevance&text=cumberland... For the full story: www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringfeatures/trailmonth/a... or: www.cumberlandrivertrail.org/history.htm
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.
The end of the line At one time, these tracks kept on going but now they stop here. This is part of the Tennessee Central spur line that went to Carthage. Only part of that line is used and the remaining miles are unneeded. At this location is the new South Carthage home of the vintage Carthage Junction depot that will become a park. Across the street, the old rail bed is a completed project of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
Abandoned Tennessee Central Trestle over Marks Creek This abandoned railroad trestle crosses Mark's Creek in Cheatham County. This bridge was originally built in 1901 by the Tennessee Central Railway as they extended their rail line from Nashville west to Clarksville. Around 1990, the tracks west of Ashland City were abandoned. While there have been nearly 25 years for the trees to grow through the tracks, the real obstacle is the trestle just stops about 10 feet to the right of the photo. Here, the tracks used to cross Chapmansboro Rd. and then the rail-bed becomes what is now the Rails-to-Trails Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/abandoned-tn-in-nature/ 12 Abandoned Places In Tennessee That Nature Is Reclaiming
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
Cheatham County Bicentennial Trail Bridge This bridge was originally built in 1901 by the Tennessee Central Railway as they extended their rail line from Nashville west to Clarksville. Around 1990, the tracks west of Ashland City were abandoned and soon many people wanted to convert the old rail-bed and this bridge to a pedestrian trail. With a partnership between the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the Cheatham County Parks Department, the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail was built and it utilized the old bridge. (The trail parallels the Cumberland River but actually crosses Sycamore Creek.) The iron Parker through truss bridge with a length of 550 ft. was built by American Bridge Co. Order this as a Post Card! Order this as a Poster! For other views of this bridge: www.flickr.com/search/?sort=relevance&text=cumberland... For the full story: www.railstotrails.org/news/recurringfeatures/trailmonth/a... or: www.cumberlandrivertrail.org/history.htm Thanks everybody, this photo has made Explore peaking at #60! Hello to anyone who found this here: www.homesnacks.net/41-photos-of-tennessee-that-will-make-... 41 Photos of Tennessee That Will Make You Want to Move There or here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/unknown-tennessee/ 14 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About The State Of Tennessee or here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/tn-scenery/ These 15 Mind-Blowing Sceneries Totally Define Tennessee
Norfolk Southern Tennessee River Bridge - Knoxville Located in downtown Knoxville, this railroad bridge now used by Norfolk Southern has elements dating back to the Civil War, but has been rebuilt several times. The stone piers and approaches are the oldest element of the bridge, dating back to the 1850s. Wooden spans were completed in 1867. In 1903, wooden spans were replaced with a steel trestle. It underwent a major rebuild in 1940. A tugboat hit one of the piers in 1993 and that pier was fortified. The center span of the bridge is a Pratt through truss and the other segments are Warren deck trusses. The original builder of the bridge was Knoxville & Charleston Railroad which chartered in 1852. In the 1870s, they became the Knoxville & Augusta Railway. In 1890, they were bought out by East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway. Then, in 1894 they were bought out by Southern Railway.
Norfolk Southern Tennessee River Bridge - Knoxville Located in downtown Knoxville, this railroad bridge now used by Norfolk Southern has elements dating back to the Civil War, but has been rebuilt several times. The stone piers and approaches are the oldest element of the bridge, dating back to the 1850s. Wooden spans were completed in 1867. In 1903, wooden spans were replaced with a steel trestle. It underwent a major rebuild in 1940. A tugboat hit one of the piers in 1993 and that pier was fortified. The center span of the bridge is a Pratt through truss and the other segments are Warren deck trusses. The original builder of the bridge was Knoxville & Charleston Railroad which chartered in 1852. In the 1870s, they became the Knoxville & Augusta Railway. In 1890, they were bought out by East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway. Then, in 1894 they were bought out by Southern Railway. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/romantic-tn/ 10 Romantic Tennessee Destinations That’ll Get Your Blood Pumpin’ 7) Walk Old City
Baxter, TN Replica Train Station Baxter is a small town in Putnam County and is named after the founder of Tennessee Central railroad Jere Baxter. The old TC tracks go through the middle of town. The city built a replica train depot to be used as a visitors center and museum.
Tracks of the Ocoee River Flume If you've ever driven along US64 where it parallels the Ocoee River, you might look across the river on the other side of the bluff and see a wooden trough way up high. Constructed in 1912, the main part of the flume carries water from Ocoee Dam #2 to the Powerhouse about five miles away. Atop the flume are tracks to help get the TVA employees from one side to the other, but it was also useful for carrying when sections of the flume had to be rebuilt. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Ocoee structure is the only flume line in the United States used to produce power. This photo was taken from the dam near where Ocoee rafters get on the water. For the story: www.knoxnews.com/business/flume-repairs-under-way For some video: youtu.be/PjZkDJRA05g
Riverfront Railroad Tracks in Downtown Knoxville Today, these tracks are used by the Three Rivers Rambler excursion train. Boarding is just a few hundred feet from here and parking is in the lot across the street from this sidewalk where I'm taking this picture.
Photo from the Hiwasee Loop rail line If you've never heard of the Hiwasee loop, it is a location where the tracks loop around a mountain and then crosses over itself to gain elevation in a short space. Here's more from Wikipedia: This route runs eastward along the Hiwassee River to Farner, TN, then south along the Tennessee side of the North Carolina state line, through Ducktown, then the twin towns of Copperhill, TN and McCaysville, GA, then through Epworth before meeting the existing line at Blue Ridge. In order to meet the construction deadline, engineers designed a double switchback, which required that railcars be brought up or down four at a time to and from the river elevation to make the turn out of or into the valley. Extremely inefficient and time-consuming, it was replaced by what is known as the Hiwassee Loop, taking trains nearly twice around Bald Mountain, with the train passing over its own tracks on a wooden trestle. This gave the route the "Hook and Eye Line" nickname, with the "hook" being another switchback in Georgia, and the eye being the loop. (Both were later bypassed before ceasing original operations.) This route was originally part of the Atlanta, Knoxville and Northern Railway. In 1902, they were bought out by Lousiville & Nashville for a complete route from Atlanta to Cincinnati via Knoxville. The route was eventually bypassed by the line that now serves CSX and runs through Etowah. Located seemingly in the middle of nowhere, this spot is virtually inaccessable by any means other than by train. Luckily you can get here by train! Since 2004 Tennessee Valley Railroad has operated the Hiwasee River Rail excursion train. Taking a photo from the train isn't quite the easiest thing to do, so this is the best I can offer until they offer a specialty train that lest us get off at this spot. Here, I am looking out the window as we head over the trestle.
Photo from the Hiwasee Loop rail line If you've never heard of the Hiwasee loop, it is a location where the tracks loop around a mountain and then crosses over itself to gain elevation in a short space. Here's more from Wikipedia: This route runs eastward along the Hiwassee River to Farner, TN, then south along the Tennessee side of the North Carolina state line, through Ducktown, then the twin towns of Copperhill, TN and McCaysville, GA, then through Epworth before meeting the existing line at Blue Ridge. In order to meet the construction deadline, engineers designed a double switchback, which required that railcars be brought up or down four at a time to and from the river elevation to make the turn out of or into the valley. Extremely inefficient and time-consuming, it was replaced by what is known as the Hiwassee Loop, taking trains nearly twice around Bald Mountain, with the train passing over its own tracks on a wooden trestle. This gave the route the "Hook and Eye Line" nickname, with the "hook" being another switchback in Georgia, and the eye being the loop. (Both were later bypassed before ceasing original operations.) This route was originally part of the Atlanta, Knoxville and Northern Railway. In 1902, they were bought out by Lousiville & Nashville for a complete route from Atlanta to Cincinnati via Knoxville. The route was eventually bypassed by the line that now serves CSX and runs through Etowah. Located seemingly in the middle of nowhere, this spot is virtually inaccessable by any means other than by train. Luckily you can get here by train! Since 2004 Tennessee Valley Railroad has operated the Hiwasee River Rail excursion train. Taking a photo from the train isn't quite the easiest thing to do, so this is the best I can offer until they offer a specialty train that lest us get off at this spot. Here, I am looking out the window as we head under the trestle.
Frankfort Railroad Tunnel The 518 foot Franklin Tunnel was built by the Lexington & Frankfort Railroad in 1849. Most everything on the east side of the old part of town is up an old hill, including Main Street which is above the tunnel. However, the tracks follow the river out of town. (The old Kentucky State Arsenal is up there, too and can barely be seen through the trees.) The tunnel today is part of the RJ Corman line as two trains a day pass through here. Many older tunnels get bigger over time and this one is no exception. RJ Corman acquired the line in 2004 and raised the tunnel in 2007 from a height of 16' to 20.5'.
Southern #630 comes around the bend - 2013 Railfest Railfest is the annual celebration at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, TN. This year as part of the celebration, they offered Southern Railway 2-8-0 #630 as an excursion round trip to Cleveland, TN. Once the locomotive made it back to the Chattanooga station, it had to be repositioned from one end of the train to the other, which it is seen here doing along their wye. This locomotive was built in 1904 by the American Locomotive Company Richmond Works. It was restored to operation at TVRM in 2011 and is now part of Norfolk Southern's 21st Century Steam program. You can see quite a thorough collection of photos of #630, the Missionary Ridge Local with Southern FP7 #6133, and other rolling stock on the grounds. This gallery is on my website here: seemidtn.com/gallery3/index.php?album=chattanooga/railfes... Also, I took video and put it on youtube: Just the steam train departure seen here: youtu.be/QVBCATNnTQI That, and more footage of the steam train: youtu.be/85iljPK1TfY All the steam footage, plus the Missionary Ridge local: youtu.be/AhCCpvO41iM Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/unlimited-tn-cities/ Everyone In Tennessee Must Visit These Bigger Cities For Their Unlimited Options
The Last Remaining NC&StL Roundhouse This long abandoned roundhouse is located at the end of the Bruceton Yard, which is now used by CSX. NC&StL originally built a wooden roundhouse here but it burned down a few years later. Then, this Roundhouse of brick and concrete with eight stalls was built in 1925. Bruceton is a town in eastern part of Carroll County, TN
Monterey Depot Museum The Depot in Monterey, TN is a replica station which opened in Feb. 2012. The rail line here was originally part of the Tennessee Central and today they coordinate with the Tennessee Central museum in Nashville, with the furthest excursion train they run coming this far. The museum not only features rail artifacts but also the history of the people of the nearby Upper Cumberland region. www.montereydepot.com/
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.
Monterey Depot Museum at Dusk The Depot in Monterey, TN is a replica station which opened in Feb. 2012. The rail line here was originally part of the Tennessee Central and today they coordinate with the Tennessee Central museum in Nashville, with the furthest excursion train they run coming this far. The museum not only features rail artifacts but also the history of the people of the nearby Upper Cumberland region. www.montereydepot.com/
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."
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...
Tennessee River Railroad Bridge (South view) - Chattanooga, TN This bridge was built in 1920 and reused piers from an earlier bridge. The bridge was built by Cincinnati Southern Railway, which was owned by the city of Cincinnati. I believe the city still owns this bridge, and over they years they have leased its use to Southern and today Norfolk Southern. The main span is a lift bridge, and has been that way since 1920, but was a swing bridge in a previous time. The bridge is barely downstream from Chickamauga Dam, and while it still can lift, it doesn't happen too often anymore. It is possible to see the bridge from either side of the Tennessee River. On the north side, you can see it while driving along TVA Access Road, although there's nowhere to park. On the south side, there is parking for the end of the Tennessee Riverwalk behind the Chattanooga State Community College
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.
The Old Railroad Bridge View #1 Tracks to Nowhere - Florence, AL The Old Railroad Bridge dates back over 140 years as an important crossing of the Tennessee River between Florence and Sheffield in The Shoals area of Alabama. Back in 1840, the first bridge at this location opened. It significantly damaged by tornadoes and storms all through the 1850's and eventually that bridge was destroyed during the Civil War. In 1870, the Memphis & Charlston Railroad decide to build another bridge at this spot. Over the next 120 years, there is quite a lengthy history about who got to use the bridge and changes to the bridges configuration. I'll hit some of the highlights, but below I'll link to a thorough history. Originally, there was not a method for tall ships to go through, so a drawbridge was installed in 1872 along the northern end. A new drawbridge was installed in 1906. In 1948, the drawbridge was replaced with a turn span was installed. (When the bridge was open to tall ship, this span pivoted or rotated counter-clockwise and had stone piers to rest upon.) In 1962, this segment was changed again to a lift bridge, raising to 350 feet of clearence over the water. In 1988, all railroads abandoned the bridge and the lift section was completely removed. This bridge not only carried railroads on the top, but also had a lower deck for vehicular traffic. This closed in 1939 with the opening of the O'Neal Bridge. Other railroads that used this bridge were Virginia & Georgia; Nashville, Florence & Sheffield; L&N; Southern; Around 1903, a streetcar service alsu used the rails to get passengers from one side to the other and it lasted until 1933. The complete history is here: www.oldrailroadbridge.org/index.php?option=com_content&am... In 1990, a preservation society began in an effort to restore the bridge. The old railroad bed leading to the upper portion of the bridge now has a large gate in front of it, so you can look across it, but go no further. Down below, the access area was cleaned up and the wood that had been rotting for over 50 years was replaced. Today, this lower deck is a pedestrian bridge where you can walk about 1500 feet to where the segment is missing, and then you have to turn around. Here are all 9 photos in my set www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/1870railroadbr... Finally, the Library of Congress has some photos of this bridge dating back to 1976 www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Photograph:%20al1320&f...
The Old Railroad Bridge View #3 Tracks to Nowhere - Florence, AL The Old Railroad Bridge dates back over 140 years as an important crossing of the Tennessee River between Florence and Sheffield in The Shoals area of Alabama. Back in 1840, the first bridge at this location opened. It significantly damaged by tornadoes and storms all through the 1850's and eventually that bridge was destroyed during the Civil War. In 1870, the Memphis & Charlston Railroad decide to build another bridge at this spot. Over the next 120 years, there is quite a lengthy history about who got to use the bridge and changes to the bridges configuration. I'll hit some of the highlights, but below I'll link to a thorough history. Originally, there was not a method for tall ships to go through, so a drawbridge was installed in 1872 along the northern end. A new drawbridge was installed in 1906. In 1948, the drawbridge was replaced with a turn span was installed. (When the bridge was open to tall ship, this span pivoted or rotated counter-clockwise and had stone piers to rest upon.) In 1962, this segment was changed again to a lift bridge, raising to 350 feet of clearence over the water. In 1988, all railroads abandoned the bridge and the lift section was completely removed. This bridge not only carried railroads on the top, but also had a lower deck for vehicular traffic. This closed in 1939 with the opening of the O'Neal Bridge. Other railroads that used this bridge were Virginia & Georgia; Nashville, Florence & Sheffield; L&N; Southern; Around 1903, a streetcar service alsu used the rails to get passengers from one side to the other and it lasted until 1933. The complete history is here: www.oldrailroadbridge.org/index.php?option=com_content&am... In 1990, a preservation society began in an effort to restore the bridge. The old railroad bed leading to the upper portion of the bridge now has a large gate in front of it, so you can look across it, but go no further. Down below, the access area was cleaned up and the wood that had been rotting for over 50 years was replaced. Today, this lower deck is a pedestrian bridge where you can walk about 1500 feet to where the segment is missing, and then you have to turn around. Here are all 9 photos in my set www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/1870railroadbr... Finally, the Library of Congress has some photos of this bridge dating back to 1976 www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Photograph:%20al1320&f...
The Old Railroad Bridge View #5 Gate to Block the tracks - Florence, AL The Old Railroad Bridge dates back over 140 years as an important crossing of the Tennessee River between Florence and Sheffield in The Shoals area of Alabama. Back in 1840, the first bridge at this location opened. It significantly damaged by tornadoes and storms all through the 1850's and eventually that bridge was destroyed during the Civil War. In 1870, the Memphis & Charlston Railroad decide to build another bridge at this spot. Over the next 120 years, there is quite a lengthy history about who got to use the bridge and changes to the bridges configuration. I'll hit some of the highlights, but below I'll link to a thorough history. Originally, there was not a method for tall ships to go through, so a drawbridge was installed in 1872 along the northern end. A new drawbridge was installed in 1906. In 1948, the drawbridge was replaced with a turn span was installed. (When the bridge was open to tall ship, this span pivoted or rotated counter-clockwise and had stone piers to rest upon.) In 1962, this segment was changed again to a lift bridge, raising to 350 feet of clearence over the water. In 1988, all railroads abandoned the bridge and the lift section was completely removed. This bridge not only carried railroads on the top, but also had a lower deck for vehicular traffic. This closed in 1939 with the opening of the O'Neal Bridge. Other railroads that used this bridge were Virginia & Georgia; Nashville, Florence & Sheffield; L&N; Southern; Around 1903, a streetcar service alsu used the rails to get passengers from one side to the other and it lasted until 1933. The complete history is here: www.oldrailroadbridge.org/index.php?option=com_content&am... In 1990, a preservation society began in an effort to restore the bridge. The old railroad bed leading to the upper portion of the bridge now has a large gate in front of it, so you can look across it, but go no further. Down below, the access area was cleaned up and the wood that had been rotting for over 50 years was replaced. Today, this lower deck is a pedestrian bridge where you can walk about 1500 feet to where the segment is missing, and then you have to turn around. Here are all 9 photos in my set www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/1870railroadbr... Finally, the Library of Congress has some photos of this bridge dating back to 1976 www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Photograph:%20al1320&f...
In Tennessee, even the caboose is orange! In Nashville, Illinois Central 9380 has been restored with vivid color. This caboose is on display at the Tennessee Central Railway Museum and accompanies all of their excursion trains. It might just be the most popular train car there!
Abingdon, VA Passenger Depot Built by Norfolk & Western in 1910. The building now houses the county Historical Society. It looks like there's almost a swiss look to the building. Next door is the old freight depot.
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
Falls of the Ohio Park and Bridge The Falls at the "Falls of the Ohio" were a long series of rapids caused by rock outcroppings which caused the river elevation to drop 26 feet over a couple of miles. This made the Ohio rather unmanagable for river traffic. In 1830 a lock and dam was built in the area so that river traffic could navigate the river. Over the years, the lock and dam have gone through modernizations and improvements. As a result, the falls don't fall any more as they are mostly underwater. Instead, there is now calm waters and an area that can be enjoyed as a state park. Large areas of rock bed are exposed and extensive fossil research is done. It's also a great place for viewing various wildlife. Also in the picture is the Falls of the Ohio River Bridge, with downtown Louisville as a backdrop. The bridge was originally built in 1870 to be used by Louisville & Nashville and Jefferson, Madison & Indianapolis Railroad. In 1919, the bridge had to be reconstructed and reopened in 1920. It is wide enough for two tracks but only one is in use today. Today, the bridge is owned by Louisville and Indiana Railroad. The largest span is on the KY side, which is 644 feet long and is a lift bridge. the enitre bridge is 5218 ft. long
Lynnville, TN Depot Museum & Locomotive Lynnville is a small town in Giles County where L&N operated a Passenger depot. That depot was torn down when passenger service stopped in town. However, a few decades later, a new replica was built to be operated as a museum. The highlighted locomotive at the museum is a 1927 Prairie type 2-6-2 Baldwin Steam Locomotive. It hauled freight for the St. Louis & O'Fallon railroad at first and was retired after 37 years in use. in 1997, the museum acquired it. Other trains cars at the museum include a 1923 Pullman Passenger Coach (which inside has a sub-museum honoring nearby Milky Way Farms), a 1950 wood deck flat car, and a 1971 caboose. To see all of the Lynnville Depot Museum pictures, Click 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.
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
Norfolk Southern Caboose Most cabooses I see these days are displayed for heritage purposes, such as at train depot museums. It had been a while since I had seen one on live tracks. Seen in Radford, VA.
Southern Terminal - Knoxville This view was taken from the 2006 Gay St. Viaduct. There are 11 tracks here at its widest point. Southern Railway was formed in the 1890s at the merging of two railroad companies. In 1902, Southern hired architect Frank Pierce Milburn to design new train stations at several of their major terminals. Two years later, the Southern Terminal opened in Knoxville. Many warehouses and factories surrounded this area because of its important shipping routes. The station looks today much the same as it did in 1904, except a large clock tower was removed in 1945 wen deemed structurally unsafe. The last passenger train came through in 1970. Today, the building is on the National Register of Historic Places as the integral part of The Southern Terminal and Warehouse District, an area which is today known as Old City. This passenger station and the freight depot next door are designed in a similar style with Classical Revival influence. Most notable is the corbel-stepped gabled roof.
Stevenson, AL Train Depot (version B) This is an alternate view of this depot, take from the other side. I had to walk around a fence to get here. One of the older and busier train stations in the area, this historic depot was built in 1872 and has active train tracks on either side. Originally, a one story depot was constructed here in 1853 when tracks first came into town. When that building burned, it was replaced by this brick one in 1872. During the Civil War, Stevenson was a hub of activity. Troops skirmished here and the town changed sides several times, although it was mostly under Union control. Troops occupied the town and a large refugee camp sprang up between here and Ft. Harker a quarter mile away. Tens of thousands of soldiers, horses, wagons, prisoners of war, refugees, wounded and others passed through the city during the summer and fall of 1863 around the time of the Battles of Chattanooga and Chickamauga. Harpers Weekly noting the juncture of East-West and North-South rail lines here called Steveson one of the seven most important cities of the South. After the war, the Dept and the brick hotel built next door, also between the tracks continued as the center of life in Stevenson. Trains stopped here at mealtimes and passengers are in the hotel dining rooms. Other passengers spent the night here. It was said that the hotel is so close to the tracks that the trains opened the hotel windows and pulled the covers off the beds. The Depot and Hotel were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. However, the depot still needed to be saved. A group of citizens save the depot from deconstruction during the 1976 bicentennial when the last railroad office closed. In June of 1982, a community museum opened here after renovation.
Stevenson, AL Train Depot from the front An old enging and an L&N Caboose are out in front of the Depot, the old hotel is seen in the back. One of the older and busier train stations in the area, this historic depot was built in 1872 and has active train tracks on either side. Originally, a one story depot was constructed here in 1853 when tracks first came into town. When that building burned, it was replaced by this brick one in 1872. During the Civil War, Stevenson was a hub of activity. Troops skirmished here and the town changed sides several times, although it was mostly under Union control. Troops occupied the town and a large refugee camp sprang up between here and Ft. Harker a quarter mile away. Tens of thousands of soldiers, horses, wagons, prisoners of war, refugees, wounded and others passed through the city during the summer and fall of 1863 around the time of the Battles of Chattanooga and Chickamauga. Harpers Weekly noting the juncture of East-West and North-South rail lines here called Steveson one of the seven most important cities of the South. After the war, the Dept and the brick hotel built next door, also between the tracks continued as the center of life in Stevenson. Trains stopped here at mealtimes and passenegrs are in the hotel dining rooms. Other passengers spent the night here. It was said that the hotel is so close to the tracks that the trains opened the hotel windows and pulled the covers off the beds. The Depot and Hotel were added to teh National Register of Historic Places in 1974. However, the depot still needed to be saved. A group of citizens save the depot from deconstruction during the 1976 bicentennial when the last railroad office closed. In June of 1982, a community museum opened here after renovation.
Palmyra Railroad Tunnel Palmyra is a very small town southwest of Clarksville, TN. I believe it to be about 800-1000 ft. long. The old Train Tracks cross the Cumberland River in Clarksville and as it heads east is parallels the river for a while. However, near Palmyra, there is a large bluff overlooking the river and a tunnel needed to be blasted through it. There is even a cemetery above this tunnel. Today, the tracks are used by RJ Corman. They were originally built by the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad (M.C. & L.) which eventually became part of L&N. The tracks probably flooded in the 2010 flood. in the Great Flood of 1937, the tracks were 5 feet underwater. When looking up how old the tunnel is, I found a news article from 1859 where a railroad employee died working on the tunnel. In 1928, a boulder landed on the tracks and L&N employees blasted it, which caused a large rock to fall from 25 feet above onto them. To get to this spot, take highway 149 to Jarman Hollow Rd. and go towards the river. You will pass down a short residential street and then the road makes a couple of sharp turns until it gets to the tracks. Years ago, there must have been a ferry to cross the river at this street, but it looks like you shouldn't drive any further past the tracks. I had to U-turn on the tracks, which meant it was a good thing a train didn't come while I was here.
Tracks at Thompson Station I went to visit Thompson Station, TN to see the depot, and as soon as I got out of the car, I heard the warning that a train was coming. I soon went to get in position to view the train coming head on from the safety of around the bend, but that train never came. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/best-raise-family/ Here Are The 10 Best Cities In Tennessee To Raise A Family
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&...
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
Last Train to Here The Clarksville in the Monkees song was the Clarksville in Tennessee. The last train to Clarksville was in 1968, a couple of years after the song was a hit. L&N built this train depot in 1901 but continuous service ceased in 1966. From 1970 to 95, the station remained unused until the Montgomery County Historical Society restored it. An engine (seen) and caboose are outside. A small indoor museum is open on Tue, Thur and Sat from 9am to 1pm, as well as a Farmer's Market. And the song's writer's really didn't have this depot in mind when they wrote it, opting for a generic city title, but we can pretend, can't we?
Dickson, TN Depot Originally a L&N Station
Long train bridge from an angle I was driving around looking for a good view of this bridge, and about the best thing I could find was a spot on "old highway 50" that passes under the bridge. Check out hurren_dale's photos: www.flickr.com/photos/94635635@N00/2317450844/ www.flickr.com/photos/94635635@N00/2317451810/
Old train trestle Just outside of Centerville, TN. Seen from TN Highway 50
old wooden train bridge Hiding behind the trees. Seen along Highway 100 south of Centerville, TN Also, check out hurren_dale's closer photos of this: www.flickr.com/photos/94635635@N00/3000831197/ www.flickr.com/photos/94635635@N00/3000824391/in/set-7215... www.flickr.com/photos/94635635@N00/3001655034/in/set-7215...
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.
Lebanon, TN Train freight depot Tennessee Central
Murfreesboro, TN Depot Built in 1887
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
Monongahela Incline in Pittsburgh, Pa and built in 1870, is the oldest operational funicular in the US.
Nashville Train Bridge with Train 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. Hello to anyone who found this photo here: onegreatadventureblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/just-another-r...
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!)
Rotating Train Bridge - Nashville There are 14 bridges over the Cumberland River in Nashville. (Long-time Locals: Can you name them?) Of the 14, this one might be the one you are least familiar with. On the south side of the river, it is near the Ted Rhodes gold course and TSU. The north side is in Bordeaux. This is one of those train bridges that can rotate out of the way in case a tall boat is coming through, and if you look closely, it is open now. I can't find any info on this bridge, but I am guessing it is currently out of service if it is in the permanent open position. Close to the top center, you can see a control station, and a staircase that goes down the left side of it.
Tired of Walking - DC Subway You can do a lot of walking in Washington DC. My wife and I went from our hotel, to the capitol (to get tour tickets) then to the smithsonian, then back to the capitol, and then back to the smithsonian, and then we were tired. we bought all-day subway passes and rode to faraway suburbs (partially to rest and to be off of our feet) The Red Line approaches. Hello to anyone who found this here: www.drumchannel.com/news/NewsDetails/12809.aspx Proposed Mass Transit Fare Hikes Have New Yorker Organizing One-Day Grass Roots Boycott or here: godlessliberalhomo.blogspot.com/2009/01/tell-obama-congre...
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
Duquesne incline cars about to pass, Pittsburgh, Pa The Duquesne incline cars are about to pass, like they have done several times a day for over a hundred years. This picture was taken from Point State Park just in front of the fountain. Hello to anyone who found this photo here: artnoose.livejournal.com/176911.html
Looking up the Duquesne Incline, Pittsburgh Looking up the track of the duquesne incline on Mt. Washington near downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Hello to anyone who found this photo from here: itp.nyu.edu/alumniblender/2008/10/20/my-favorite-24-thing... or here: www.jonnygoldstein.com/2008/10/20/my-favorite-24-things-a...
