Railroading in Cookeville TN

[ssmith1627]

Guys, any thoughts on Cookeville ?   

From the track charts, it looks like the tracks between Monterey and Crab Orchard have been pulled up.   Is that right ?   I think the Nashville & Eastern operates only as far as Monterey so those would be the trains I'd see going through Cookeville.     I also know there's a depot museum there.

How do these short lines operate ?  No signals at all ?   All dark territory ? 

Moving soon.   Goody's is no more.  My last day there was last Friday, after 12 years.   Very happy to have found a new job and not be on the unemployment line.   But have to move away from family in Knoxville 100 miles west.

Thanks for any feedback you can offer.  I can't give up this hobby cold turkey !

Steve

[ssmith1627]

I've seen those loco's from the interstate but I wasn't sure if you could get down there.  Worth exploring for sure !

I worked in transportation for Goody's -- on the international side.   I'll be doing something similar in Cookeville and making about the same money.   There are a lot of people in worse situations than that so I really have no complaints at all.    Just sad to see Goody's end up this way.   I still can't quite believe it.

Steve

[TM3358]

They put some new track down in monteray tn to moteray sand and sand products  diff querrys

[Backyard]

  ...I'm sorry Goodies turn baddies...sound's like you hooked up with Averitt...whatever, Good Luck & Welcome to Cookeville!

The topo map shows line abandoned from Monterey to Crab Orchard however the rails still lay in most places from Monterey to Crossville.  The removed sections of rail are at places where property owners were told they could have their property back, but the State of Tennessee still owns rights-of-ways through most of the line.  It was estimated that it would cost $20m to re-open the line, however I have heard a reduced estimate of $10m.

Similar actions occurred after 1965 when the Crawford Branch from Monterey to Wilder was abandoned...the good 'ole L&N promptly removed practically every trace of the CB, including bridges & bulldozing the grade...there were homes built on the grade, however they were condemed when the new line was built.

The same thing would have happened to the entire Tennessee Central in 1982 had the State of TN not gone to court to stop the El from scrapping the line, stating that the ROW was owned by the state.  The Tri-County Rail Authority was formed & the Nashville & Eastern RR was developed to operate the line.  The TC was bought from Nashville to Monterey for $3.5m from the Seaboard System.

The NERR operates daily serving industries from Nashville to Carthage, with non-scheduled runs to Cookeville & Monterey several times a week.

The Tennessee Central Heritage, Rails & Trails Authority has developed plans to operate a new hiking trail from Cookeville to Monterey(so far).

The plans are firm, the TCH Authority is now applying to become a self governed body to the Putnam County Commission, however they have to convince the PCC that they will act responsibly with funding, also applying for 501c status.

The NERR received a loan from the Federal Government("Free Money To Pay Your Bills!") for $5m.  This was used to re-build the route from Algood to Monterey & north about three miles to the Putnam County Line.  The sand mine has been equipped to load sand cars...


50 2400 cubic feet hoppers were bid out(state law) & National Steel Car won the bid...


There are several customers in Cookeville, a propane gas dealer(in the middle of town), a scrap yard, etc, but to view a train you would have to call NERR in Lebanon, TN for information(I'd go over there in person first).

On the excursion side, several Nashville to Monterey runs happen, the next one is in May.  They run a vista-dome car & seats sell for $110.  Other prices are $65, $45 for coach seating.

The grade from Algood is well rebuilt using 155lb(per yard) ribbon rail from none other than the old Pennsylvania Railroad.  The 14 mile line has 7 miles of this rail in severe grade & curvature locations.  The rest of the 7 miles is in 110lb ribbon rail & sectional rail.  The entire 14 mile line uses new treated crossties.  The 3 mile line to the sand mine was constructed using new ties & ballast.  There are no signals west of Lebanon, it's all Track Warrant territory.  Sections of the Algood to Monterey approach 2.5% with 14? curvature.

An up close look at middle Tennessee railroad history is perfectly described by Jason Duke in Tennessee Coal Mining, Railroading & Logging In Cumberland, Fentress, Overton & Putnam Counties

Here is a link to Excursion Page of the Tennessee Central Railway Museum

[Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR]

155lb rail!  we used to have some of that up north when i worked at corman years ago, the track guys said it was so tall if they derailed their hi-rail trucks they would bottom out on the rail!  sounds like they have some pretty neat stuff to watch for this may not turn out to be such a bad move after all!!

[tq-07fan]

Good luck in Cookesville and at your new job.

Don't forget to check out the Music City Star commuter rail that runs from Nashville to Lebanon.
http://rtarelaxandride.com/commuterrail.html

I have been wanting to get down there and check it out myself but burned to many vacation days last year.

On a different subject, I always liked to work under the Sperry Rail Service car while we were sitting on 155 lb rail. It felt like you could stand up under there almost compared to the normal lay on your back and drag yourself under.