I agree. I've been there many times, but only while passing through (which is how most people see the town unless they have 'kin folk' there). People might stop and get out for a quick photo, but tourist draw? nope, not likely.

Erwin is not as far off the beaten path as it once was. They built a new interstate through there...it is actually very close to Asheville. The Erwin depot was already a part of a nice restoration effort. The haunted Pizza Hut is really cool.

Poor old Mary's hanging was part of a railroad story...they used a railroad wreck crane to do the deed. I wonder if the CC&O wrecker survived somewhere?

Moving the #1 out of the B&O Museum would allow some other piece of equipment to be displayed. They only have so much room.

T7

I just rode up to Erwin on my motorcycle on Sunday. I took NC 197 (a really twisty road) north from 19E near Burnsville, NC. 197 follows the CSX trackage on and off for much of the route; there were lots of good train watching spots back in the mountains.

Too bad there weren't any Clinchfield 4-6-6-4's on coal drags to see though...

One spot is, IMHO, well and nicely integrated in to B&O's roundhouse display. It is the only in-Cab experience in the roundhouse (and is extremely popular with small kids ... I've spent at least three hours in it over the years). It is accessed as part for a raised walk way that takes you through or past several period and similar pieces.

In an ideal world, I guess it would be a Ma&Pa locomotive in it's place, but as you come off the walkway, you've been nicely educated about early and mid-20th century southern small road railroading, including Jim Crowe. That said, a reasonable sub would be C&O 377.

Bob

I agree, I really like where she sits! As long as she stays in Baltimore i'll be happy.

Bob -

Excellent choice! The 377 also has ties to Indiana:

Built by Baldwin in 1902 for the Cincinnati, Richmond & Muncie Railroad as their #108.

Railroad name changed in 1903 to the Cincinnati, Chicago & Louisville. In 1910, the line became the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company of Indiana and at that time, the engine was renumbered as C&O of I #1108. In 1915, it was given back its original number 108. The engine was "leased" to the Chesapeake & Ohio in 1922 becoming C&O #108 and then in 1925 it was renumbered as C&O #377. The C&O of Indiana was formally merged into the Chesapeake & Ohio in 1934.

Although no photographs or records exist to confirm it, it is very likely that 377 (108) operated into and out of North Judson during its career on the CR&M, the CC&L and the C&O. It was not until later in its C&O career, that the railroad moved it east with sister 4-6-0 #378 to provide motive power for a line with light bridges that could accomodate nothing heavier.

There is a case for the B&O Museum to deaccession the 377. It has three other Ten-Wheelers in its collection (including Clinchfield #1), and even other C&O locomotives. And of course, the 377 never did actually serve the Baltimore & Ohio. Although that will probably never happen, HVRM would seem to offer a good home.

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

I was born and raised in Erwin. I am a third generation railroader on the now former Clinchfield. If Erwin could build a place equally as nice to house the One Spot, I would love to see it come home. If it is gonna be a big bird's nest, I would rather see it stay in Baltimore. I have visited her twice and plan to again. One Spot is in a great spot!!

I was looking through the booklet about Clinchfield #1 by H. Reid, published by Richmond VA NRHS, and found some intersting information:

- Clinchfield #1 was used in the evacuation of the Johnstown Flood when it operated as Chicago, St. Louis & Pittsburgh Railroad Co. 423.
- After the success of Clinchfield #1, early in the programTom Moore looked at getting a Reading T-1 (2102?) or NKP 759.
- There is mention of another Clinchfield engine being used eslewhere in stationary boiler service that was not a suitable candidate for the excursion program. What engine might this have been?

Wesley

My understanding is that the only other Clinchfield locomotive still around is a 4-6-0 at Jackson, TN...

Somewhat OT, but in the same general vein-

I've read in more than one place that in the early 40's when the Clinchfield needed new motive power, they tried to order new 2-8-8-2's. The War Production Board supposedly over-ruled them and copies of D&H 4-6-6-4's were supplied instead. While the 4-6-6-4's were apparently very good engines, I can't imagine they were very well-suited for the Clinchfield's operations, hauling coal drags at ~35 MPH maximum through the mountains.

Does anyone know any more details on this story? Any details on the 2-8-8-2's the Clinchfield tried to order?

In the booklet about #1, Reid refers to "a Clinchfield 2-8-2, still in use as a stationary boiler for an Alcoa, TN factory. Rehabilitation in this case was improbable as well as impossible." Any clue as to the identity of this engine from the description provided here? The booklet was published in 1972.

Wesley

A quick library return to Ron Ziel's 1964 classic, "Twilight of Steam Locomotives", takes us to the Clinchfield, where acres of articulated locomotives stand in lines, awaiting conversion to scrap.

Yep. Too bad not one of them got saved. IIRC, the photo is from a scrapyard in Florida, which would seem to mean these locomotives were towed south through my hometown on the old ACL mainline in SC when I was a kid. Man, I wish I had seen that.

Lee -

If I recall correctly, the other Clinchfield Ten-Wheeler was number 99.

Les

Wesley -

Wonder exactly what made the Clinchfield Mike "impossible" and "improbable" to rehabilitate? Mr. Reid is no longer with us, so I guess we won't ever know.

Les