I am thinking about modeling the Southern Line from Knoxville to Bristol VA. Did the Southern have a turntable and shops in Knoxville or Bristal. Where can I find a turntable for this division at? What passenger cars rolled on this line?

-- Greg (Southern4501@hotmail.com), November 01, 2003

Answers

Greg

In Knoxville there are several areas of modeling interest, 1-the Southern Passenger station and yard,a downtown storage yard with 2-3 stationed switchers and three station platforms. The station saw four passenger trains up until Amtrak (the Pelican 41 & 42 New Orleans to Washington(New York) via Bristol; the Birmingham Special 17 & 18 Birmingham to Washington(New York) via Bristol;the Tennesseean 45 & 46 Memphis to washington via Bristol and the Carolina Special Cininnati to Ashville NC 21 &22 and a section between Columbia, SC via the Ashville line. The track plan off of the double track mainline into and out of the station was about six tracks. The Bristol main line is a single line from Bristol, VA to Morristown, TN. At Morristown the line is joined by the line from Ashville, NC and runs double track to the Knoxville station area. This line heading southwest is single line to Chattanooga, TN. On the Westside of the Southern station the Chattanooga line is joined by the Knoxville freight by-pass which also connects with the line from Ohio and passes thru the now closed Coster shops (closed late 90s). 2-The Coaster shops was a large facility working in conjunction with the downtown yard as a classification yard for local work in the area, and as a large heavy car-repair facility.

3-Knoxville's John C. Sevier classification and hump yard. A major facility that has double tracks leading into it from the North (Ohio line and downtown by-pass)and from the East Morristown and on to Bristol, VA. the East end of the Knoxville to Bristol mainline.

While I haven't seen it Iam sure there are or where turntables at both Coaster and Sevier. Also the Southern interchanged and had a crossing with the L&N (CSX now)about 8 miles west of the Southern station.

That's what I know about the west end of the line. If I can help drop me an e-mail

-- Timothy (ctim2@aol.com), November 04, 2003.

Greg

Check the most recent issue of Trains magazine. It has a map of the Bristol, TN/VA area including engine servicing facilities of both Southern and Norfolk and Western.

Ray

-- Ray Brown (bbrown21@columbus.rr.com), February 21, 2004.

The Knoxvile & Bristol Railway did not start in Knoxville and it never reached Bristol. Established in 1890 by Morristown businesmen,the 39.58 mile track was between Corryton in Knox County, Tennessee and traveled east to Morristown, Tennessee. The K&B had two locomotives, three passenger coaches, three box cars, and four flat cars. No 126 and 141 ran daily; 9 and 10 daily except Sunday; and 109 and 110 Sundays only. Telegraph offices were at Knoxville, Corryton, Rutledge, Tate Station (Bean Station),and Morristown. Southern Railway purchased the Knoxville & Bristol in 1902 as a possible shortcut between the main line Southern at Morristown (Washington and New Orleans) and the Cumberland Gap Southern area on the Kentucky border. The Holston River, which downstream is the Tennessee River, offered a feat of engineering. A high, light steel trestle 460 feet long with a 684 foot trestle approaches took the Knoxvile & Bristol creeping into Morristown. There were 55 other trestles which washed out in 1928 and cut the railway in two. The Knoxville & Bristol was abandoned. As executive editor of the Morristown Citizen Tribune, we interview a man who was embarrassed on the passenger train traveling down the Holston River approaching the community of Noeton. He pulled out a sandwich but quickly hid it when the conducted yelled, "No-eat-in." The K&B trestle became the first highway bridge across the Holston and today has been replaced by the four-lane Olin Marshall Bridge carrying US Highway 25E traffic between Asheville, NC and Lexington, Ky.

-- Pete Prince, Knoxville (Smokybooks@aol.com), March 17, 2004.