110-Year-Old Smoky Mountain Railroad Tracks Dug Up In Sevierville

"What I think now is important is the folks who remember the railroad being here. It's a nostalgic thing," says train historian Joe Holloway.

By Perri Ormont Blumberg January 15, 2020

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Attention all train buffs. Train workers in Sevierville, Tennessee have dug up history this week as they unearthed 110-year-old train tracks from the former Great Smoky Mountain Railroad while cleaning up in the downtown portion of the city.

Though the city and contractors knew of the existence of the railroad tracks prior to beginning the work (the project's bid documents included information related to preserving the train tracks), it was still a veritable delight to find this important artifact of days gone by.

"The railroad was an important component of Sevierville and being able to actually see the tracks and preserve some pieces is exciting," Bob Stahlke, Professional Services and Public Information Officer for the City of Sevierville tells Southern Living. "And to help preserve this part of our past, the downtown project includes replica railroad tracks that will be placed downtown on Bruce Street close to where the original tracks were located."

Indeed, many in Sevierville are fascinated by the history of this legendary railroad, including, Joe Holloway, who has studied the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad since the 1970s. “My father always pointed it out to us as we drove toward the mountains. There were still relics, remnants of it visible,” Holloway told local news station, WVLT. “So it was important then, but what I think now is important is the folks who remember the railroad being here. It’s a nostalgic thing.”

If you can't get enough of all things related to train travel, check out These Vintage American Train Car Home You Can Book on Airbnb and start planning for next autumn with The 15 Best Train Rides for Spotting Fall Foliage in the South.

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Do you love vintage trains and visiting old train stations whenever you can? If you ask us, there's just nothing like grabbing the window seat, staring out of the window, and watching America pass you by like the whirr of your brain tumbling onto a blank canvas.