The CSX Clinchfield Route in the 21st Century

"The Clinchfield is a unique segment of CSX for all the reasons cited in this book. It has a wide following, even today, among the railfan community, almost 25 years after its demise." —C. K. Marsh, Jr., author of Clinchfield in Color.

CSX's Clinchfield Railroad follows one of the most scenic routes in the country and runs through the most rugged mountain barriers in the eastern United States. More than 3,000 laborers built the Clinchfield, using construction standards unheard of at the time. The railroad was finished in 1915 when George Carter, the driving force who put it all together, hammered in the last spike. Because of its enduring innovative construction, engineers have yet to enlarge its tunnels or strengthen its bridges.

In its heyday, the Clinchfield was not well known outside its territory, but its history, including its genesis and challenging assembly, has fascinated railfans for years. Jerry Taylor and Ray Poteat take us on a mile-by-mile trip through the tunnels and over the bridges of the Clinchfield's route in their fascinating portrayal of this railroad's current operations.

Jerry Taylor, author of Conrail Commodities and A Sampling of Penn Central: Southern Region on Display (IUP, 2000), was an operating official of several railroads. He lives in Brookville, Indiana.

Ray Poteat is a retired railroader. During his career, which spanned 43 years, he worked in every station and depot on the Clinchfield Railroad. He lives in Forest City, North Carolina.