I was just curious. What ever happened to that little steamer from the Doe River Gorge (Tennessee) Christian camp that was going to be restored and used to pull trains along the section of the ET&WNC the camp had opened back up.

Last time I looked they were pulling trains with a small industrial switcher and the last thing I read several years ago was that the steam engine was being restored at the shops of the East Tennessee Railroad and had possibly been moved to the Tweetsie shops.

I THINK that is the same engine that has since ended up in Grapevine, Texas; for a planned narrow gauge operation.

There's 2 steam engines here. One of them, Rachel, was in operation at the Gorge from 2000 to 2003. That's the one that ended up in Texas.

I believe the question pertains to the original steam engine that operated at DRG in the 60s and 70s for Hillbilly World when the track was re-installed. That was a Vulcan O-4-0T that was converted to a 2-4-2. That one was undergoing restoration a while back. Here's a page on an ET&WNC site that mentions the current project http://www.johnsonsdepot.com/crumley/tour18.htm. Apparently they are having to put a new boiler on it. I'll see if I can get anyone to comment who has more info.
Kevin

more information from Ken Riddle, who is working on the project and helping the DRG crew. Posted with permission.

For anyone not familiar, the Doe River Gorge is a Christian youth camp that runs trains on the former 3ft gauge ET&WNC (original "Tweetsie") line near Hampton, TN. The line is very scenic with 4% grades, rock walls, tunnels, and bridges--sort of the east coast version of the Durango & Silverton Highline. After the ET&WNC abandoned the line in 1950, about 2 miles of track was put back down through the gorge in the late 60s for Hillbilly World--which didn't last long. The Doe River Gorge camp eventually acquired the property, and started running trains for their youth camp in the late 90s, and are slowly rehabilitating the railroad. They open the camp to the public several days throughout the year and for the ET&WNC Historical Society convention in June. If you ever get out there, it's very impressive with what they have done.
Kevin



from Ken...
We haven't forgotten about it, we just bagged Rachel.

We used her for a few years, then had to get the diesel going. We have
currently been occupying our time with trackwork. There were three places
on the upper end that were just about washed into the river. We have all
that taken care of and are putting in new ties and tamping up the upper
half. We are all the way to the trestles now and may possibly get across
the first one this next year.

For the first time in many years, the line is open from the camp to the
trestle. We have just taken motorcars all the way up, but we should get the
train on up there in the next year or so. The narrow gauge convention is
coming to town fall after next, and we will take the train all the way by
then.

There are some steam options available that we may or may not pursue. They
are great and nobody loves them more than me, but they also bring on lots of
expense and take a lot of time to fool with.

We WILL get the Vulcan done at some point. Maybe later, maybe sooner, but
we will get it done. It is a big job.

Right now we want the infrastructure safe and suitable for train operation.
If you will come see us you will see what progress we have made in the last
few months!

Ken

Views of the Tweetsie and Doe River Gorge (including a shot of the deck truss bridge at the end of track) on this video from the 2009 ET&WNC convention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1IaO2CAAEU

As I recall, the 2-4-2 was on display at the youth camp until the current railroad restoration effort really got going. It was moved to the ET engine house and the boiler was removed for evaluation. The boiler was not original and was a very strangely designed affair. I think it was a great idea to replace it. After they got it apart Ken talked someone into letting them lease Rachel after the closing of Opryland. At that time work stopped on the 2-4-2. It was two or three years they ran Rachel, during which time I was able to get down their and help some with train service.

After the lease was up it was hoped that Gaylord entertainment would donate Rachel to the camp, but a change in executives at Gaylord apparently nixed that and a nice operable locomotive went to static display. I think they had already found the diesel and were working on it and were able to get it finished for the following summer.

There are two bridges on the current line. The first is the deck truss, then the track immediately goes into a tunnel (#3 I'm thinking) then immediately onto a through truss on which the rails end. There is a third extant bridge further up the gorge that is used for a local road. not sure just how far the youth camp owns the old right-of-way. The two bridges are an impressive distance above the river.

How is the restoration going on the Vulcain Steam Engine at the Tweetsie Railroad Shops

No further progress on the Vulcan as far as I know.

Currently we have a few volunteers who maintain the track for the train (8-ton Plymouth + 2 ex-D&RG box cars that were cut down by 6 Flags Atlanta), & also maintain the equipment. This year's projects: 1) one end of one of the passenger cars is having the ends of the two center sills replaced, and 2) we just removed many tons of a rock fall blocking the track at the Pardee Point train stop where there is an overhanging rock (which does not have as much rock overhanging the track as it used to!). This is a mountain railroad with 2%+ grades, and every other year there seems to be a large rock-fall to remove! Fallen trees also often make appearances!

Large sums of money would be needed to improve the speeder-only track from Pardee Point to the bridge. Likewise, if a heavier locomotive were obtained (steam or otherwise), additional ties would have to be installed on lower end for the train. Since it is basically a volunteer operation done to help the camp's mission, (and the speeders see daily use for carrying campers up the gorge, with weekend use of the train for visitors) there is little extra money for such projects. Of course, if anyone wishes to donate large sums of money or 3' gauge equipment, it would certainly be put to good use, as we have lots of good ideas - just no money to put them in action!!!

Volunteers are always welcome!

I see. Plus do you plan on using those 2 Green Coachs you have for operational use in the future or are they display only pecies plus what is the history behind those two green coachs. The Doe River Gorge website has no information about those two green coachs

Matt3985 wrote: "do you plan on using those 2 Green Coachs you have for operational use in the future or are they display only?"

I know of no green coaches at the gorge (unless you mean #3 & #4 below). There are five green standard gauge boxcars converted into campcars (ex-CSX, ex-L&N, I believe) that were given to the gorge and are in use as housing for campers. Our "passenger cars" are basically open flat cars with seats (converted from ex-D&RG boxcars).

There are also a number of ex-D&RG cars left behind by the previous theme parks that are static: 1) two flat cars rebuilt as boxcars & used for storage, & housing of summer staff (in this case the prototype was a Bachmann G-gauge boxcar!!!); 2) two flatcars with seats, tables, and canopy for use as dining area for the Snack Bar; 3) one flat car converted to an external combine appearance (again, Bachmann G-gauge prototype!), but built as a snack bar inside and anchored to the ground by many utility lines/pipes/conduits; 4) one flat car converted to a baggage car outline (based on a Bachmann G-gauge coach dimensions!) with no windows/doors on either end or on one side, but the other side has two doors for men's & women's bathrooms, it is also anchored by utility lines and not moveable.

I hope that answers your question, but if you know of two 3' gauge passenger cars, we would love to have them!

Well you answer one of my questions. I did not know that #3 Combine & #4 Baggage car was actually an outline flatcar to look like a Baggage car and Combine Car? Shame that they are bolted into place. They would look better behind the Vulcan Steamer once it return.

Yes, as I said, in #3 & #4, both are ex-D&RG flat cars (I think - or cut down gondolas or boxcars) that had superstructures built on them to resemble a combine & baggage car, and the "prototypes" were Bachmann G-gauge cars! In fact, the original "prototypes" now operate in the serving area of the kitchen in the lodge on elevated track (of course, as an ET&WNC train!!)!

Oh, and the reason there is no information on the website about them is that they are not historical, but non-moving recreations (of G-gauge cars, at that!!).

Oh I see plus one more question. If the Vulcan Steam engine is going to return to the Doe River Gorge one day then how come its not mentioned on the website. Yes I know the progress is slow but cant they say they have another steamer under restoration to operate in the Gorge sometime in the future???

The Vulcan is not owned by the Doe River Gorge camp. Any progress on it depends on the owner. The Gorge is still looking for a bigger locomotive than our 8-ton Plymouth, but finances are a big problem!

Oh I see. Plus do you have plans on ever crossing the river to tunnel #4 at one point in the future