Smoky Mountain Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Smoky Mountain Railroad was a short standard gauge
rail line that ran from Knoxville, Tennessee
to Sevierville, Tennessee
from 1910 until 1962.
The railroad started out as the Knoxville, Sevierville and Eastern Railway Co., incorporated on July 15, 1907 with a capital stock of $500,000. Construction began in earnest in 1909 and a major portion of the road was opened between Vestal and Sevierville on December 20, 1909, bringing the line's total length to 27.8 miles. The line connected with the Southern Railway
at Knoxville. Rail route at
The railroad changed ownership numerous times over years, as the line was never particularly profitable and struggled to stay afloat with as few as 300 carloads of freight being shipped out of Sevierville annually.
World War II
brought about the only notable period of profitability for the railroad, as the Tennessee Valley Authority
initiated construction of Douglas Dam
on the French Broad River
a few miles north of Sevierville. A branch line
was constructed from Sevierville to the dam site, and the Smoky Mountain Railroad hauled in most of the equipment and materials needed to construct the dam.
Once the dam was complete the railroad once again began to struggle and by 1946 the line was losing money. The stockholders of the railroad applied for abandonment in 1947, however the Interstate Commerce Commission
denied the request. The railroad continued to operate until 1962 when the ICC finally approved a request for abandonment.
Several of the Smoky Mountain Railroad's former locomotives are still in existence. In 1961 steam locomotives #107, a 2-8-0
; and #206, a 2-6-0
; were sold to "Rebel Railroad", a narrow gauge
tourist train line built at nearby Pigeon Forge
for static display. Rebel Railroad changed ownership over the years and is today part of the Dollywood
theme park. #107 is still displayed at the entrance to Dollywood, however #206 was sold to the "Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel" in Chattanooga, Tennessee
in the early 1970s.
4-6-2
#110, originally built for the Little River Railroad
, is now at Coldwater, MI operating on a tourist railroad.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
rail line that ran from Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
to Sevierville, Tennessee
Sevierville, Tennessee
Sevierville is a city in Sevier County, Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States. Its population was 11,757 at the 2000 United States Census; in 2004 the estimated population was 14,101. Sevierville is the county seat of Sevier County, Tennessee....
from 1910 until 1962.
The railroad started out as the Knoxville, Sevierville and Eastern Railway Co., incorporated on July 15, 1907 with a capital stock of $500,000. Construction began in earnest in 1909 and a major portion of the road was opened between Vestal and Sevierville on December 20, 1909, bringing the line's total length to 27.8 miles. The line connected with the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
at Knoxville. Rail route at
The railroad changed ownership numerous times over years, as the line was never particularly profitable and struggled to stay afloat with as few as 300 carloads of freight being shipped out of Sevierville annually.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
brought about the only notable period of profitability for the railroad, as the Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
initiated construction of Douglas Dam
Douglas Dam
Douglas Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the French Broad River in Sevier County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The dam is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority , which built the dam in record time in the early 1940s to meet emergency energy demands at the height of World War II...
on the French Broad River
French Broad River
The French Broad River flows from near the village of Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into the state of Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville is the beginning of the Tennessee River....
a few miles north of Sevierville. A branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
was constructed from Sevierville to the dam site, and the Smoky Mountain Railroad hauled in most of the equipment and materials needed to construct the dam.
Once the dam was complete the railroad once again began to struggle and by 1946 the line was losing money. The stockholders of the railroad applied for abandonment in 1947, however the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
denied the request. The railroad continued to operate until 1962 when the ICC finally approved a request for abandonment.
2-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
; and #206, a 2-6-0
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
; were sold to "Rebel Railroad", a narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
tourist train line built at nearby Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee, located in the southeastern United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 5,875....
for static display. Rebel Railroad changed ownership over the years and is today part of the Dollywood
Dollywood
Dollywood is a theme park owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood has 3,000 people on its payroll, making it the largest employer in that community....
theme park. #107 is still displayed at the entrance to Dollywood, however #206 was sold to the "Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel" in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
in the early 1970s.
4-6-2
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
#110, originally built for the Little River Railroad
Little River Railroad (Tennessee)
The Little River Railroad is a historic class III railroad that operated between Maryville and Elkmont, Tennessee during the period 1901 to 1939.-History:...
, is now at Coldwater, MI operating on a tourist railroad.