East Tennessee & Western North Carolina

The East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad at one time operated both standard and 3 foot gauge trackage between Johnson City, Tennessee, and Cranberry, North Carolina. The narrow gauge operation was abandoned in October of 1950, but the standard gauge portion -- between Johnson City and Elizabethton -- operated as the ET&WNC until 1983. For many years, until the mid-1960s, the road operated a pair of Richmond-built 2-8-0 steamers; later it swapped the Southern Railway its two kettles for two ALCO RS road units. The Southern placed the two steamers into excursion service. Since 1983, the line has been known as the East Tennessee Railway, owned and operation by the Genesee & Wyoming shortline operator.