Old Line Railroad
47mi of Track
The Old Line Railroad is a 47-mile stretch of rail line that was once part of a railroad built in 1890 to connect Knoxville, Tennessee to Atlanta, Georgia.
Contact
Etowah, TN
More Information
Upon its completion in 1890, the Old Line Railroad passed through many owners, eventually becoming part of the CSX system. It remained in service until 2001, when CSX announced plans to abandon the line. In 2002, thanks to a loan from Glenn Springs Holding, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Oxy Petroleum, the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association purchased the line. In 2003 Tennessee Valley Authority repaired a 13-mile segment of the line in order to gain access to Appalachia Powerhouse, thereby opening up a segment of the line for limited passenger train service. The following year a temporary freight project made it possible to rehabilitate the rest of the line. Today, through a partnership with Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and the City of Etowah, the entire line is now open for passenger train excursions. In 2007 a 19-mile section of the line, between the historic District of Reliance and Farner, Tennessee was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Partners:
Old Line Railroad Coalition, Glenn Springs Holding, Inc., Oxy Petroleum, Southeast Tennessee Development District, Southeast Tennessee Development Association, Appalachian Regional Commission, USDA Rural Development, Tennessee Historical Commission, Tennessee State Parks, McMinn County, Polk County, City of Etowah, Tennessee Valley Authority, Etowah Chamber of Commerce, and Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.
What People Are Saying
Road trip
Linda, NC.
This was a very beautiful drive. It had a lot of overlooks and the trees were very beautiful. We also rode over to Joyce Kilmer Forest. This was a very […]Unbelievable beauty
dbauman, TN
Incredible drive through the Cherokee National Forest. Lots of hiking, waterfalls and mountain streams. Areas of the skyway are rather curvy, so beware. Some like to speed through this area […]Gorgeous views
Mike, AL.
We were surprised at how beautiful this route is. Sadly, our trip was cut short from annual undergrowth burning. We will definitely come back this way.Awesome road and view
Illinois
Nice smooth road that’s a lot of fun with beautiful sights. There’s plenty of pull offs for photos and small hikes and it makes a really nice scenic drive.
Beautiful
Bruce, MS.
We were in town to view the fall foliage. We hit it just right. This drive is magnificent. Several viewing sights along the way. Take advantage of all if possible.See For Yourself
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Places to stay near here
FIND COMFORT NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE
The Tennessee Overhill region covers several areas that are full of wonderful places to stay. No matter where you end up, you can rest easy knowing days full of fun and adventure await!
