Railfan Weekend

[JCagle]

Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, NC will be holding their 4th annual railfan weekend September 6th and 7th. For the first time in the history of the event the focus will be on engine 190 "The Yukon Queen". 190 will be lettered in her original USA scheme that she wore on the Whitepass and Yukon during WWII.

Saturdays events will feature a 3 mile nonstop ride aboard former EBT coach 5 while #12 will pull the regular train.  After the park closes there will be a photo runby featuring 190 and all the rolling stock including coach #5.

Sunday morning there will be a doubleheader with #12 and #190 until 12:30 before 190 returns to pulling coach #5.

Both days there will be a memorabilia room filled with items related to Tweetsie's past as well as the engines. Some of the articles were saved from the depot fire back in March. The room will also be showing films on the history of #12 and #190. There will also be two tours of the locomotive repair shop each day, and opportunities for cab rides.

For more information and ticket prices check out http://www.tweetsie.com/special_events/

EMB joined us a couple of years ago and a good time was had by all. The weekend usually allows railfan ticket holders the chance to walk around the right of way and capture photos and videos  along the loop. The son of former US Army engineer Guy Lathem (who rain #190 in Alaska during WWII) will be on hand, and there may be more special happenings in the works according to the Railfan weekend planner.

They are hoping to get the same number of attendees as last year to this years event since the economy is down as well as tourism. While I don't think there is any danger of the event going away, they would still like to have good numbers to justify their costs for the weekend such as renumbering the engines. The one ticket price is good for admission on both days, and some events are only for railfan weekend ticket holders.

You can even bring the family along and let them explore the park.

If anyone needs any additional info feel free to let me know and I can contact Tim if I don't know the answer.  I am planning on being there both days. If anyone needs area info ect I can help with that as well.

[NW_611]

Thanks for the information---I'd like to see what managed to survive from the depot. Is there any chance that they could reprint that Fred Kirby photograph? It was so unusual that I figured it deserved to survive.

I wish I had taken a shot of that thing the last time I was down there.

[JCagle]

I beleive that the photo survived the fire. A lot of the items in the museum area of the depot were out of the depot in other storage areas when the fire occured. There were some losses, but a lot of the things that were lost were archived and were reprinted. This offseason they are planning on rebuilding the depot and doing away with the temporary one they have for this season.

[NW_611]

That's wonderful news. I was down there for the Fourth of July, and that temporary structure, while adequate, isn't quite the same. The ol' ET&WNC is probably the only narrow-gauge line I get really excited about, for whatever reason.

I've been meaning to get down in the area and take that Doe River ride that some Baptist camp offers. Have you been there?

[JCagle]

Last I had heard the camp was not running regularly over at Doe River. I have never made it over there when they are running. If I remember correctly they had to send Rachel back to Oklahoma and they were running with an old diesel yard engine. I'm sure some Tim Smith or Johnny Greybeal would know all the details. I will send you a pm with their email addresses so you can get the whole scoop.