Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Copperhill Excursion 6/1/2024

We arose at the Quality Inn in Ocoee and went to Ruby Diner's in Benton at their new location, after which we drove to Delano and found the train.

Copperhill Train Ride History

The railroad over which Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum trains travel on its Hiwassee River Rail Adventures was formerly part of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad’s Atlanta Division stretching between Etowah, Tennessee and Marietta, Georgia. When the line was first finished in 1890, it consisted of multiple switchbacks in the tracks in order to gain elevation while crossing the high mountains. The switchbacks proved inefficient and before long the railroad was looking for an alternative. They soon decided to loop the tracks around Bald Mountain, creating one of only three points in the United States where railroad tracks loop over themselves to gain elevation in limited space.

This loop in the tracks, completed in 1898, coupled with a double “S” curve near Jasper, Georgia gave the old line its nickname of the Hook and Eye Line. The “S” curves made up the hook and the loop made the eye.

In the first decade of the Twentieth Century, the L&N obtained a new, more efficient, right-of-way that passed to the west of the Hook and Eye. With the completion of the new line, the Hook and Eye became the old line. Traffic continued to move on the old line due to the mining operations in Copperhill but when that business ceased in 2001, the railroad (now CSX Transportation) abandoned that portion of the tracks. In 2002, the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association, a non-profit organization, purchased the tracks for preservation and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum became the sole operator of historic passenger trains on the old Hook and Eye Line.

Passengers enjoy views of the Hiwassee River immediately alongside the train for much of the trip as well as waterfalls, wildlife, mountains and the ruins of historic settlements.

Our Ride

We were checked off the manifest and boarded coach 3.

This coach had a model train that ran around the perimeter of the ceiling. We went outside to photograph the motive power and some of the train.

Tennessee Valley GP38-2 5109, ex. Norfolk Southern 5109, nee Southern 5109, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1974.

Tennessee Valley GP38-2 5109, ex. GMTX 2004, exx. BNSF 2179, exxx. Conrail 7854, nee Penn Central 7854 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1970.

Southeastern Railway Museum 56-seat lightweight coach 662, nee Central of Georgia 662, built by American Car and Foundry in 1947. As the third in its class, it was designed for the iconic "Nancy Hanks II" passenger service that connected Atlanta and Savannah. It journeyed alongside its counterparts, coaches 390, 661, and 907 – all cherished pieces in the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum collection. After years of dedicated service under both the Central of Georgia Railroad and its successor, the Southern Railway, the 662 was generously donated to the Southeastern Railway Museum in 1980. Today, it graces the tracks as part of the Hiwassee River Rail Adventure trains, thanks to a lease from the Southeastern Railway Museum.

Louisville and Nashville Railroad 60-seat lightweight coach 3101, built by American Car & Foundry in 1946. This coach was utilized on their top-tier train, The Hummingbird, which operated between Cincinnati, Ohio and New Orleans. The coach later became a part of the collection of Friends of the 261, located in the Twin Cities region, before being sold to the Hardin Southern Railroad in Kentucky. TVRM acquired the car in 2006, and it was subsequently restored to its original L&N design. Currently, the coach is operational on the Hiwassee River Railroad and bears markers to honor the memory of Parnick William (P.W.) Jones, a longstanding Hiwassee River Railroad car host and L&N Track Foreman. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad 3101 operates on Delano-based excursions such as the Hiwassee Loop and the Copperhill Special.

We had an on-time departure and Elizabeth was on new rails.

Hiwassee River.

The model train continued its loops around our coach.

Rounding a curve along our route.

Hiwassee River.

The front and rear of our train viewed while rounding another curve.

Followed by a third.

The Appalachian Powerhouse for this system is located 12 miles downstream or 8.3 miles across the mountain pass. An aquaduct with an 18-foot diameter tunnel system supplies water for the two turbines at the powerhouse. Water is gravity-fed from the Appalachian Dam at 1,270 feet above sea level to around 1,145 feet above sea level at the powerhouse, a drop of 125 feet. The generating capacity is 93,600 kilowatts.

The Patty Bridge across the Hiwassee River.

Two more views of the powerhouse.

The Hiwassee River through the trees.

Curves are always advantageous for photography.

This was a short train so it was easy to photograph both ends on the bends.

The railroad was replacing rail ties.

We crossed this small bridge.

Heading deeper into the forest.

Track equipment at Farner.

Farner, Tennessee.

Nearing the Hiwassee Loop.

Curving near the loop.

Looking down at the Hiwassee River.

The train went underneath the trestle that we would cross in a few minutes. The Hiwassee Loop is a continuous section that handles the 180 feet more quickly and easily than the switchbacks, which were replaced in 1898. It is one of seven loops in North America, namely the two spiral tunnels in Canada, Tehachapi Loop, Williams Loop, Georgetown Loop and El Lazo in Mexico, all of which I have ridden.

The track below the Hiwassee Loop.

We were nearing the bridge.

At the top of the Loop, which completes it.

A look down as we complete the Hiwassee Loop.

Stone Milepost 364.

A very quick glimpse was seen of the Appalachian Dam through the trees.

Rolling by the siding in Ducktown.

A railroad box in Ducktown.

The rear of our train.

The front of the train.

Crossing a trestle.

The front of the train.

The Ocoee River.

Stone Milepost 381.

The rear and front of our train on another curve.

Entering the yard at Copperhill.

Rolling through the town.

The iron ore slag dump.

A Tennessee Valley locomotive, which we would explore later.

The motive power ran around the train.

Tennessee Valley GP38-2 2005. We then arrived at their station area and detrained.

There were several options for lunch in Copperhill and a binder of menus had been distributed on the train, so we walked over to the Copperhead Grill where Elizabeth had a grilled cheese BLT sandwich and I had a plain hamburger. Afterwards, we walked over to the state line.

The state line between Georgia and Tennessee, which passes through buildings and the cash registers of the Copperhead Grill were in Georgia, although the rest of the restaurant was in Tennessee!

The author standing in two states.

Elizabeth standing in two states.

Tennessee and Georgia state line display box. We walked back to the train and along it to photograph and capture the consist.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's collection features a distinctive car, the Missouri Pacific Railroad 873 built by the American Car and Foundry in 1948, also referred to as a Grill Car. Unlike the other cars in the collection, this one stands out due to its unique design and historical significance. Later, it was purchased by the Detroit & Mackinac Railroad to serve in their executive office train. This Grill Car underwent a restoration process and was returned to service in 2009. To maintain aesthetic harmony, it has been painted to match coach 3101. The pair operate together on the Hiwassee River Railroad, which departs from Delano.

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum' Great Northern Vista Dome/Coach 9410 built by Budd Company in 1955 and was initially designed for service on the Great Northern’s illustrious train, the Empire Builder. The train was christened after James J. Hill, also known as the Empire Builder, who held the position of chief executive at the Great Northern since 1901. This vista dome/coach car possesses a remarkable seating capacity, accommodating 46 passengers across both levels. As the Burlington Northern Railroad was established in 1970, the car was re-designated as BN 4611, which was followed by yet another renumbering as Amtrak 9471 with the inception of Amtrak in May 1971. In January 1984, the car received its current designation when it was revamped to source its power from head end power, thereby becoming Amtrak 9410.

Following its retirement from Amtrak in 1995, this car changed hands between various private owners, even having a short tenure on the Alaska Railroad. Between 2008 and 2012, this car was in operation at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, where it received the name "Emerson". Subsequently, it was sold to Mid-America Railcar Leasing and was leased to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in 2012. After TVRM’s lease ended in 2014, the car was repainted with Wabash lettering and renamed "Jackson Square" for service on journeys with the Norfolk & Western 611. The car was later leased by Iowa Pacific Holdings for a brief stint on the Grenada Railway in Mississippi, after which it was returned. In 2018, while in service with the Orlando & Northwestern Railway in Tavares, Florida, the car was purchased by TVRM and transported to Delano, where it can be seen on all our tours into the picturesque Hiwassee River Gorge.

Tennessee Valley observation car "Algonquin Park" nee Canadian Pacific "Algonquin Park" built by Budd Company in 1954. This series of cars took inspiration from the rich Canadian national and provincial park system for their names. Specifically, the Algonquin Park car pays homage to the native Algonquin Indian tribe. In terms of accommodations, these cars are generously furnished with three private bedrooms, a cozy lounge area, a captivating observation area and the signature upper dome area. Both the observation and dome spaces have been ingeniously designed to provide breathtaking panoramic views of the diverse landscapes that unfurl as the train progresses on its journey.

In its heyday, this impressive rail car was a staple on The Canadian, the famed transcontinental train route. It navigated the steep grades of the Kicking Horse and Rogers Pass with grace. In 1978, the car was transferred to VIA Rail, post which it transitioned into private ownership. Currently, the car is on a lease to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

Tennessee Valley 2004.

Tennessee Valley 5109.

The train at rest. We then walked to the yard.

Tennessee Valley GP38-2 2005, ex. BNSF 2180, exx. Burlington Northern 2180, exxx. Conrail 7855, nee Penn Central 7855, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1970. This and 2004 were consecutively built, have sequential serial numbers and have always been sold to new owners together for their current 54 years of service.

As we were walking past Dollar General, a gentleman saw my camera and asked to take a picture of his Brahma chicken, which is the world's most expensive chicken.

We reboarded the train and the model train in our coach had stopped running.