Steam & Excursion > ET&WNC Tweetsie equipment June 1944 - Hallock

Ralph Hallock visited Johnson City TN in June of 1944 as a high school graduation present. He rode and photographed a couple of different ET&WNC narrow gauge trains as well as capturing the equipment you see here.  I wished I'd asked him more about this trip when he was still with us as it appears he was there for more than a single day.  And surprisingly, there are a few more color pictures  of this trip than b&w's, a switch from most shoots back then. https://coloradorailroadmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/photo/875E2430-AE1D-4627-B482-924810662678.    Does anyone know if any if this or any other original  Tweetsie equipment survived?

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Tweetsie treasures!
Bob

Comparing the color images to the b&w's at the museum, it appears that Ralph actually may have made two trip to Tweetsie country, though he never indicated that in our conversations.  It was long ago and maybe they just blended together in his memory.   Sometimes there are more questions than answers but at least we have the images.

That RPO is a gem.   

Great histioric scenes,  Wartime color is a rarity into itself.
Truly appreciate your posting.
ALLEN
 

Great stuff.  Got to love a narrow gauge RPO. 

That's a pretty impressive steel-sheathed RPO, particularly for the Linville River.  Lucius Beebe devotes several pages of Mixed Train Daily to the ET&WNC and mentions ". . .Linnville (sic) River branch, whose abandonment caused such grief in the Grandfather Mountain country, . . .".  The Linville River extended about twelve miles beyond the east end of the ET&WNC and appears to have been operated jointly with, but not owned by, the Tweetsie.  By the time I first got to the ET&WNC in 1967 there was no trace of the narrow gauge part, but it was still worth visiting.

Gordon



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/20 04:31 by gbmott.

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Engine number 12 is at Tweetsie Railroad, near Boone, North Carolina.  I believe there is a passenger car or two from the ET&WNC there too.

During World War II the ET&WNC operated narrow gauge commuter trains to Elizabethon for industry workers.  IIRC they used former Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn coaches.  One of those cars may have gone to Tweetsie.

Jim