RIDING THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS RAILROAD By Jack M. Turner
RIDING THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS RAILROAD By Jack M. Turner
One of the great
tourist train operations in the southern United States stands about two
hours north of Atlanta along the edge of the Smoky Mountains. On
a clear and cool morning in early August 2014 we made our way to Bryson
City, North Carolina for a day aboard the Great Smoky Mountains
Railroad (GSMR). The small town was alive with activity, much of
it related to the pending departure of two daily tourist trains, one
east to Dillsboro, the other west to the Nantahala Gorge. The train to the
gorge would depart first and we found a good crowd stretching from the
depot ticket window to the street waiting to pick up boarding
passes. The line moved quickly and in no time flat we boarded
open air coach “Nantahala”, the second of 11 passenger cars trailing a
pair of engines and two cabooses on the westbound run. Seating
aboard our car consisted of pairs of seats facing the windows with a
convenient cup holder/shelf protruding from the wall below the
window. There was ample room to move about for photography and we
would be free to wander among the open air and air conditioned coaches
during the trip. Two interesting pieces of rolling stock were
included in the train consist, flat end tavern-observation car 3331,
which formerly served Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Coast Line (SCL),
and Amtrak, and dining car 8015, a veteran of the Seaboard Air Line,
SCL, and Amtrak.
Our GSMR train prepares to depart Bryson City for the Nantahala Gorge
The trailing unit wears a different paint scheme
The Bryson depot is served by trains to Nantahala Gorge and Dillsboro
Departing Bryson
City promptly at 10:30am, we enjoyed the sound of the engine’s horn
blowing for the many crossings along the western edge of town as well
as the warning bells and flashing lights at each street crossing.
The jointed rails made the distinctive clickety-clack sound largely
absent on today’s welded rail main lines and the presence of numerous
curves would provide good views of either end of the train.
Moments after departure we crossed the Tuckasegee River at milepost
64.9, less than a mile from the depot. The scene turned
completely rural within 20 minutes with forested terrain, pasture
lands, and a stereotypical red barn in full view. US Highways 19
and 74 soon paralleled the railway for a while and by 11:00am the
railway was perched on a shelf above the Tuckasegee River.
Passing the Dillsboro train as it prepares to pull into the Bryson City station
Crossing the Tuckasegee River at Bryson City
Rounding a curve through a wooded area
Following US 19/74 through a small settlement
Passing through terrain covered with kudzu
Many curves along the route provide views of the rear of the GSMR train
Passage through
a rock cut signaled the approximate summit of our uphill climb and
within a few minutes massive Fontana Lake came into view between
mileposts 72 and 73. At milepost 74.8 the railway crossed
the lake on a steel truss bridge and vistas in both directions revealed
beautiful mountains beyond Fontana Lake. The inviting waters of
Fontana Lake were home to numerous houseboats and only the pleasure of
riding a train kept me from wishing I were floating on the pristine
waters. Near milepost 75 the community of Almond passed our
window at 11:13am.
Houseboats are visible in many parts of massive Fontana Lake
Fontana Lake is framed by the Smoky Mountains
The train follows the shore of Fontana Lake for several miles
Passengers enjoy the trek along Fontana Lake
During transit
of the captivating mountain and lake scenery our cheerful car hostess
Ashley delivered lunch baskets containing chopped barbecue sandwiches,
chips, and lemonade. As the lakefront gave way to woodlands along
the Nantahala River we feasted on our lunches while enjoying the
passing scenery. We paused at the popular Nantahala Outdoor
Center to detrain passengers holding tickets for whitewater
rafting. About 5 minutes later the train resumed westward for six
miles to Wesser where the engines ran around the train. After a
15 minute stop we headed eastward back to the outdoor center where
passengers had an hour to enjoy along the whitewater rapids used as a
venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Lunch served at our seats
A clearing in front of a home allows a clear view of the head end of our train.
Running along the Nantahala River
Rafters along the Nantahala River near Wesser
The return trip
departed at 2:10pm and soon Ashley served slices of apple pie and iced
tea to our seats. We were happy that our car had ceiling fans to
offset rising afternoon temperatures as we viewed the shimmering waters
of Fontana Lake. The train’s passage through a wooded area just
outside Bryson City evoked memories of a motorcar trip between
Dillsboro and Murphy several years earlier when a friend’s cap flew off
and landed beside the track. The agile little motorcar was able
to stop and allow the hat to be retrieved, something that would not be
possible on a full sized train. A few minutes later we reached
the end of our journey at 3:15pm in Bryson City, satisfied by a scenic
rail trip along the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Interior of tavern-observation-lounge car 3331 which formerly served ACL, SCL, and Amtrak
The Great Smoky
Mountains Railroad can be reached easily by taking Amtrak’s Crescent to
Atlanta and renting a car for the 2 1/2 hour drive to Bryson
City. Amtrak stops in Toccoa and Gainesville, Georgia are about
30 minutes closer to Bryson City, however, rental car availability may
be limited. During our trip, we made overnight stops in four
other interesting communities, each within two hours of the GSMR.
Our first stop was in Cornelia, GA, where the busy Norfolk Southern
line may be safely viewed from the restored train station
platform. Trackside signals give a heads up when a train is
approaching on the double track line and it is easy to predict the
arrival of Amtrak’s northbound Crescent since it stops in Gainesville,
just a few miles down the line. A popular eatery, Fenders Diner,
filled with 1950s and 60s memorabilia, is located within walking
distance of the depot.
The restored train station in Cornelia, GA is a great place to watch passing Norfolk Southern freights and Amtrak’s Crescent
Various vantage points allow excellent
train watching at Cornelia as the station platform has several benches
and a hill across the track is accessed by a pedestrian
crosswalk. Signals provide a heads up when trains are approaching
on this double track line.
The northbound Crescent sails through Cornelia on an early August 2014 evening
Helen, GA, a
popular alpine themed village whose shops resemble German and Austrian
establishments, is a “must see” stop that includes activities such as
tubing on the Chattahoochee River and putt-putt golf at two
courses. The Hampton Inn hotel is located a block off the main
street in Helen and backs up to the peaceful Chattahoochee River
providing a restful and scenic place to spend a couple of nights.
The Hampton Inn is Helen’s finest hotel and is located on a quiet street one block from downtown Helen shops and restaurants
Shops and eating establishments in Helen reflect a Bavarian alpine style
Tubing on the Chattahoochee River is a favorite activity in Helen
Cherokee, NC,
located about 20 minutes from Bryson City, is the gateway to Great
Smoky Mountains National Park and has many activities and displays
related to the Cherokee tribe. Another gem in the region and a
great place to stay in conjunction with a trip on the Great Smoky
Mountains Railroad is Cashiers, NC located in the Sapphire Valley just
over an hour southeast of Bryson City. The region surrounding
Cashiers and neighboring Highlands is known as “The Land of Waterfalls”
and the region will not disappoint. Dozens of beautiful
waterfalls are located within a half-hour drive of both towns and most
are easily accessible with minimal hiking. The area is known for
its nice shops and a variety of dining establishments. A side
trip to the Biltmore House in Asheville can easily be made from
Cashiers. The Hampton Inn near Cashiers is the place to stay with
its attractive structure, spacious rooms, indoor pool, and mountain
vistas from guest room windows.
Lower Cullasaja Falls along US 64 between Highlands and Franklin, NC
Upper Cullasaja Falls just east of the lower falls
Dry Falls, also along US 64, is visible
from a viewing platform near the highway and from a walkway that allows
views from both sides of the falls as well as from beneath the waterfall
A path passes beneath Dry Falls
Driving behind Bridal Veil Falls near Highlands
Cashiers Sliding Rock, located off NC 107 south of Cashiers, NC
Silver Run Falls, a short hike off NC 107
Whitewater Falls, noted as the highest waterfall in the eastern United States, south of Sapphire and Cashiers, NC
Hampton Inn, Cashiers/Sapphire Valley, NC
The stone fireplace is a notable feature of the Hampton Inn, Cashiers/Sapphire Valley
Any combination
of the above stopovers will provide memorable experiences in
conjunction with a ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.
Summer and autumn visits are especially enjoyable with pleasant weather
and longer days to enjoy the sights.
