CSX Clinchfield Line

That made the 6 O'clock news here in Roanoke! What a shame!!!

Wow!  I was raised in Kingsport Tenn.  I wonder what the Tenn. Eastman plant will do to get their tank cars and covered hoppers delivered.  They have couple of yards on their property and a lot of rolling stock it will be interesting to see what happens.

CSX will be operating a local down to Erwin, Tenn to serve local industries So I suspect Tenn. Eastman will be served by this local from what I have heard. 

Definitely sad news.  I find it hard to understand why the hasty move after what seems to be a year or two of bad coal...forgetting the 100+ year prior...  I guess when Natural gas climbs in price we are in trouble as all the coal bridges will be burned.  

NS has an old line that runs between Portsmouth and Cincinnati. It was shut down back in the 80's. I'm close with a group that tried to lease it several times from NS to start a Short Line Railroad, as there was several industrial sites along this 100+ mile path, and it was welded rail. The roadbed is still pristine today, but the business are gone. the Ford Plant shut down, as well as, the quarries that loaded out by rail switched to 100% trucking. The grain business in Winchester, Ohio was large enough, they had a small yard and their own diesel switcher to move the unloaded cars reloading and staging loaded grain hoppers, for NS to pick up off the main line.

The Bid Sandy Division, has a refinery in Catlettsburg, and a power plant in Louisa, Ky. Paintsville there is a yard, and in Shelbiana another larger yard, where crew change is made. I think all trains south to Erwin Tenn from there, is through runs other than mine pick ups. I was told that they are going to move around as many folks as they can, offer early retirement pks to some of the older employees, but a lot of folks with "no job", is looming close.

I lost my job at the old Ashland Oil Louisville Refinery back in 1983, and I thought then working for an energy producing company, that my future was secure. I was lucky like some of the railroad folks will be, and that was I got a transfer to the Ashland, Ky area, thus saving 14 yrs seniority. That was my lottery in life, I was able to stay with the company I started with, until I reached retirement age, and got a wife and 4 kids through college. Some of these poor railroaders won't see that, and where in the **ll are they going to find a replacement for those dollars lost, it sure as **ll won't be one of the box stores, and that don't even cover the retirement, and medical coverage areas.

I hope the "Good Lord will Bless" all of the folks from top to botton, and if layed off, they can find equal job opportunities to they can keep on, keeping on!....Brandy!   

It' certainly all over the front page paper this mourning.

This is the front page of the Johnson City paper today

After 135 years, Erwin's iconic rail yard reaches the

          "End of the line"

Not a nice way to wake up.

Larry

Erwin, TN

So,,,,,I assume that they will NOT be operating the "Santa Special" this year?

Since CSX is giving it up maybe they use Steam to pull the Santa Train.  Tenn. Valley RR could run 630 or 4501 up to the Clinchfield  Line where they connect between Kingsport and Gate City VA.

  Talked with a buddy who runs the Big Sandy and he told me last night that there will be no more Russell crews running to Shelby,but Shelby crews will run coal trains only to Russell. All manifest will stop.

 And the Pea Vine Brandy shutdown in the mid 90's due to the horrendous ice storm we had here. Delmas Conely made an offer to buy the Pea Vine shortly after the NS closed it but the NS wouldn't take him up on the offer.

 A short line operates the southern end of it right now.The NS still maintains it to emergency level usage . But they also keep the brush and weeds clear because of the fiber optic lines that run to Cincinnati that's owned by telecommunication companies.

 CSX at Russell has been taking quiet a few punches lately with the up-coming loss of the trash trains that run 1-2 times a day to the landfill out the old Lexington Division,and now this loss of the Big Sandy Division traffic.

You don't REALLY believe that CSX management will allow any sort of steam locomotive on their lines, do you?????

Just looked up the Clinchfield on Wikipedia, and it was noted as the last major railroad built east of the Mississippi R., beginning operation in 1924. Being a mid-westerner, the Clinchfield, other then having a rather intriguing name, remained an unplumbed mystery. Wonder if it's demise is not similar to the Milwaukee Road's Pacific Extension, just one railroad too many? Hate to see any shrinkage of the US railroad structure (and attendant job loss), but the twists and turns of the economy and commodity demand will always be with us.  I ponder the wonderful railroad system that covered all of northern WI and U.P. MI, most of which has been eliminated, as demand for timber, pulp wood as well as iron and copper ores, diminished.

Simple people will always come up with simple, uninformed answers, when confronted with a changing world.

That Evil Obama...how dare he singlehandedly develop the entire fracking industry from the ground up, just so he could rob 300 people of their jobs! When he did it did he also personally go to every one of their houses, beat their dogs, twist the cat's tail, and eat their entire household supply of Oreo cookies?

THE BASTID!! I'm never voting for him again!!!!

Jeff C

I couldn't believe how fast they did this, and how quick and hard a blow it was for the town.

My folks grew up not too far from there, and dad remembers seeing all the CRR steam engines lined up at Erwin for scrapping in the late 50s and early 60s. Several Challengers were lined up there at one point...

There is a shortline operating the line out to Winchester. It's the Cincinnati East Terminal.

You are correct on that Collin, as I was thinking about the CSX Lexington Division that shut down in 86.

I believe that traffic stopped on the Pea Vine from Portsmouth to Cinn 2003/04. Then they ran to Peebles to acquire cut cross ties, then back to Cincy yards.

When our group was making a stab with money backing, as well as, someone to hire and train maint and operations folks, we acquired the Hudamockie Plant(Old Ford Plant) for a customer, as well as Hanson Quarries, near Peebles, Oh. They are just east of where the main line is cut into, but that fix, would take all of about a half day to secure for traffic. One thing for sure, that is a good cooridor  that a person could  develop into a great business success. The main thing I saw was the 5 local counties were more interested in having meetings, than developing a working structure.

Rail work stops at the Old Ford Hudamocki Plant now, then back west with loads.  

Rail Fan are you sure they are still making the trek to Winchester, we had heard that they stopped the grain trains last year.

When our group was basically going door to door to build a possible customer base the young gentleman that owned and operated the grain operation at Winchester didn't have much for the railroad nor doing business with anyone else that wanted to do so.

We were in the middle of the 2 short lines that wanted to lease the whole line, and develop the rail business back again. 1st it was Morristown and Erie, then our group 3 years after the 1st, then 3 years later the Cincinnati East Terminal finally secured it last year sometime.

I'm glad someone finally got it done, and made a few more jobs.

There was a young man (Jaw Tooth) that did you tube videos of the Pea Vine Operation until what it is today.

Yes your are right, they are still working to Winchester per Jaw Tooth, just saw one of his videos, he did in June of 2015.....That's great to know!........   

Hot Water

So,,,,,I assume that they will NOT be operating the "Santa Special" this year?

Nope, the paper said it's good to go and will run. At least for now

Larry

ERWIN.

PS It will eventually end up more than 300 unemployed here anyway. Some will at least be able to move, Of course that sucks.

That's why my Dad moves all of us to South Florida in 1955. Rail road couldn't keep you working then.

That Evil...how dare he single highhandedly develop the entire fracking industry from the ground up, just so he could rob 300 people of their jobs! When he did it did he also personally go to every one of their houses, beat their dogs, twist the cat's tail, and eat their entire household supply of Oreo cookies?

so funny IMHO

Larry

The Cincinnati East Terminal is fighting for the traffic, and last I heard is a new flour mill over in Harrison is looking to have grain shipped from Winchester via The Cincinnati East Terminal, Indiana and Ohio, Norfolk Southern, and Central Railway of Indiana. They were going to go after the quarry in Pebbles; however with J.R. Jergoson buying a quarry up on the Indiana and Ohio in Willimington, Ohio, and then buying the transloader down in Cincinnati the stone that would have been run to this is instead coming from Willimington, Ohio. To get back to the Clinchfield. It sounds so familiar to what happened to the B&O across southern Ohio.

 Just read the same on trains mag the Santa train will run

I am wondering what will happen to all the CSX Lines through upstate SC...they are busy..many with new CTC installed..and they all funnel into the Clinchfield in Spartanburg.

P-51 your picture brings back memories.  My parents and I use to ride over to Erwin, from Kingsport, and pic-nick at the trout hatchery.  I still remember riding by the yard and seeing the old steamers waiting to be salvaged.  I wish I could remember seeing steam on the Clinchfield I must have been 5 or 6 when they changed over.

For any that may be interested.

Well today's front page says

"It was a shocking day"

Another cruel coincidence a ceremony yesterday  honoring the donor of the property for the 8 million dollar overpass project that was just finished. The overpass was Erwin's crown moment in a decades long fight to ease traffic delays and safety issues caused by the rail yard on highway 107 coming into town

Local officials are already discussing sending a delegation to Jacksonville CSX's headquarters to begin discussions on the process of buying the 175 acre CSX rail yard for industrial and commercial development.

Larry

Erwin, TN

OK

I got to pass this on to you guys and gals.

In today's paper the elected officials cited the value of the 1 mile stretch of rail access and said we still have a long relationship with CSX, and our fate is still in their hands.

The board also discussed the potential for using the rail line and the counties rich heritage to enhance tourism, including the possibility of securing the former Clinchfield Railroad's "Old No.1" locomotive for passenger excursions along the former Clinchfield route through the mountains.

I think that  might be a real stretch but sure would be neat getting old number 1 back here in  Erwin

Larry

Its sad how local towns are always in a rush to erase their heritage and prevent any chance things could turn around.

I bet the Clinchfield will be around but similar to the S-Line from Raleigh to Fairfax.

Hi Mike

I certainly hope I didn't give you the opinion that the town is trying to do that.

Our little area is surrounded by rail road themes. Everything from stores to banks to streets.

The local elected officials and residents have a very good attitude about our railroad heritage.

I sure hope it stays that way.

Larry