Chattanooga Railroad Series: The Hiwassee River Rail Adventure

One rail adventure not far from Chattanooga is the scenic route from the stately depot at Etowah, Tn., along the Hiwassee River.

This line was once part of the Louisville and Nashville (L&N) Railroad’s Atlanta Division that extended from Etowah to Marietta, Ga. The line was completed in 1890 despite many mountain and hill obstacles. It had multiple switchbacks, including the famous loop around Bald Mountain. The track wound around the mountain so that the train ended up going below a 62-foot trestle that it had just crossed.

This is one of only three points in the United States where railroad tracks loop over themselves in a mountainous confined space. The loop was completed in 1898.

Since this line also had a double “S” curve near Jasper, Ga., it was given the nickname of the Hook and Eye Line. The “S” curves made up the hook and the loop the eye.

It was not long before the L&N acquired a more suitable right of way to the west of the Hook and Eye. However, the old line continued to operate to serve the mining operation at Copperhill, Tn. But the line closed in 2001 when the mining shut down.

The next year, the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association stepped in to purchase the tracks. An arrangement was worked out for the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum to operate on the line.

The TVRM has frequent excursions along the Hiwassee River and often goes the full route to Copperhill, passing through Turtletown and Ducktown. When it does, it sometimes arrives in Copperhill about the same time as the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad comes in from the other direction.

The headquarters for the operation is the wonderful old train station at Etowah that has been carefully maintained. It features an intricate staircase, depot sign, ticket window, bench sitting area and many museum items.

Passengers board buses at the depot for a short ride to the train boarding area for the excursion into the Cherokee National Forest. L&N still uses the rails by the depot for its freight operation. The excursion includes a crossing of the Hiwassee River at the quaint community of Reliance, Tn.