Knoxville, Sevierville & Eastern Ry. • Knoxville & Carolina R.R. • Tennessee & North Carolina Ry.
Feature Page #2:
1956 Inspection Report
Unfortunately, the surviving records of the Smoky Mountain Railroad and its predecesor companies contain very few
operational details. One notable exception, however, was the following jewel: Mr. B. H. Davis' 1956 safety inspection report to the State of
Tennessee's Public Service Commission. Its facsimile is faithfully reproduced here, complete with run-on sentences and misspellings (denoted by [sic]).
Requested by the "Slow & Easy's" longtime Knoxville agent, Mrs. Dona Whaley, veteran engineer Mr. Jack Foster, and other concerned employees, this
inspection documented just some of the effects of Midwest Steel Corporation's ownership of the line. From 1940 until 1957, executives of the West Virginia-based Midwest Steel greedily pocketed any and all profits derived from the railroad. The near-total lack of capital reinvestment by out-of-town owners prevented much-needed maintenance of the "Slow & Easy's" equipment and infrastructure. Such long-term neglect ultimately resulted in dangerous bridge and track conditions and expedited the line's demise.
TENNESSEE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE
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July 21, 1956 |
Knoxville, Tennessee |
Mr. W.B. Pemberton
Chief, Railroad
Division
Tennessee Public Service Commission
Cordell Hull
Building
Nashville 3, Tennessee |
Subject: Smoky Mountain Railway
[sic]
Mr. J. E. Temple, Receiver
Sevierville,
Tennessee | |
Dear Mr. Pemberton:
Upon request of
Mrs. J. L. Whaley, Freight Agent, Knoxville, Tennessee; Mr. Jack
Foster, Engineman, Knoxville, Tennessee; employees of the Smoky
Mountain Railway [sic], the following survey was conducted as to
safety on July 21, 1956.
The Smoky Mountain Railway [sic]
operates between Knoxville and Sevierville, Tennessee daily with the
exception of Saturday and Sunday carrying express to Sevierville,
Tennessee and freight cargo from Sevierville, Tennessee to Knoxville
for other destinations, at present I am told that this railway is in
receivership, (Mr. J. E. Temple, Receiver).
No. 1 - These
trains operate on what is known as turn around bases [sic] Number
151 Eastbound is scheduled to leave Knoxville, Tennessee at 6:05
a.m. and arrive in Sevierville, Tennessee at 9:00 a.m.; Number 152
Westbound is scheduled to leave Sevierville, Tennessee at 12:00 noon
arriving at Knoxville, Tennessee at 3:00 p.m.; the crew consists of
Mr. A. P. Linbarger [sic], Conductor Mr. Jack Foster, Engineman and
Mr. John Compton, Fireman; there are 29 miles of track each way; a
section crew consisting of two men maintain this track.
No. 2
- These trains are not equipped with caboose or coach, however, a
small boxcar is provided for carrying of express and other
material.
No. 3 - The Smoky Mountain Railway [sic] operates
over the Southern Railway Lines for approximately 3 miles entering
upon the Southern Lines at what is known as the River Track ending
at Vestal Junction; the Smoky Mountain Railway [sic] does not carry
markers.
No. 4 - After leaving Southern Railway and entering
upon the property of the Smoky Mountain Railway, you enter a
wilderness, bushes, briers, weeds, vines have grown waist high,
switches are covered with vines and weeds, scale track switch
completely covered and has no lock but must be spiked
down.
No. 5 - I am listing crossing that enginemen or firemen
cannot see apporaching traffic and no crossing or warning signs are
erected at these crossings, they are not flagged over.
Crossings |
Kincaid Crossing
Moore #1
Moore
#2
Moore #3
Moore #4
Brown Mt. #1
Brown Mt.
#2
Alley #1
Alley #2 |
Dick Lane [sic] (road under
construction)
Houser Crossing
Tipton
Station
Huckleberry
Klondike #1
Klondike #2
Sayne
Crossing
Chaplewood
|
Whittenbarger
Bentris #1
Bentris
#2
Williams Crossing
Berry
Gibson #1
Gibson
#2
Gibson #3
Schoolhouse crossing
and a number of
private crossings | |
The crossing named Schoolhouse is used by school
buses days per week.
No. 6 - Crossings known as Shucks [sic]
Gap on the Chapman highway is not equipped with stop signs this is a
very much used crossing, this is the highway leading to the Great
Smoky Mountains, also crossing on Chapman highway entering
Sevierville has no stop sign, it has been the practice herebefore
for trainmen to flag these crossings, in particular the Shucks [sic]
Gap and the one entering Sevierville.
No. 7 - 1/4 mile east
of Sevierville at what is known as the run around track, Mr. Wade
McMahan, delaer [sic] in cord wood, Sevierville, Tennessee, has
stacked cord wood within 3"of the engine and car clearance, a few
days back this engine's grab iron was damaged by this tack of wood,
I was unable to see Mr. McMahan while in Sevierville.
No. 8 -
Houser trestle: Concrete abutment has broken with a large slab
fallen out where bridge beam connects, ties are rotted out, ties are
strewn along the entire track covered in most instances by vines and
weeds. |
Sincerely,
/ Signed /
B. H.
Davis, Railroad Inspector
Knoxville Division
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