Knoxville Area Model Railroaders Forums - Hiwassee Train Ride Photos

I want to share some of the L&N Bald Mountain Loop 'Hiwassee' train excursion a number of your fellow club members took part in recently.

Photo 1: This ride started by gathering at the old L&N Depot in Etowah, TN. Some folks arrived in time to tour the interesting museum. Unfortunately my wife and I did not except for a quick look and to view the scale model of the ‘Loop’ generally known as the eye of the old ‘hook and eye’ trackage. The excursion train does not have track rights to the station so we were all herded onto busses for the short ride to the spur off the Knoxville to Chattanooga mainline. This ‘spur’ is the track to Copperhill, GA and points south.

Photo 2: This is a map of the loop around Bald Mountain and note the inserted numbers that are reference locations to some of the following photos.

Photo 3: The two of us rode in the silver corrugated sided car situated at the rear of the train. In this case the rear is to reference the last car on the outbound trip up to the loop. This was the most plush car with cloth seats compared to the leather seats of the other coaches. However, all cars were well maintained and as near to a new condition as I could imagine.

Photo 4: I can’t resist exploring and did find an open vestibule window at mid-train. This is a shot of the lead engine outbound to the loop. There were a few old remnants of years gone by such as an old telegraph/phone pole wedged between the track and the river.

Photo 5: We just passed under the trestle carrying the upper part of the looping track. [map reference 5]

Photo 6: We’re still climbing the loop and I snapped this shot of the lower part of the loop trackage we had just rode over. [map reference 6]

Photo 7: We have topped the loop and are crossing over the trestle and leaving behind our spin around Bald Mountain. [map reference 7]

Photo 8: This is a shot of the trailing engine as the rear section of the train crossed the trestle. [map reference 8]

Photo 9: Objects in the mirror ARE closer than they appear!

Photo 10: This summarizes my wife’s impression of the ride.