A book on Chattanooga's intriguing railroad history is being published by Chattanoogan.com.
Railroads In and Around Chattanooga is due to be off the presses around the first of October.
The book by Chattanoogan.com publisher John Wilson, with many photos by Chattanoogan.com photographer Wes Schultz, will have 69 chapters and 568 pages.
It will include 1,546 photos and maps telling the story of Chattanooga and the railroad from the rainy day in December 1849 when the first Western and Atlantic train came into town from around Missionary Ridge to the current effort to use some of the old tracks for a new light rail system.
Chattanooga in the 1890s had 10 railway outlets with 66 passenger trains arriving and departing daily. But by the early 1970s, the passenger service had ended and many of the train stations were beginning to be torn down, including the historic Car Shed and Union Station across from the Read House.
It's not so often today that you get a glimpse of a train in Chattanooga, but many of the old tracks remain. Many railroad crossing signs and switches are still in place, though many of the lines went inactive many years ago.
This is the story of the Western and Atlantic - the first to arrive - and the Nashville and Chattanooga that arrived from a shelf of land at Lookout Mountain in 1854. It tells of a succession of other lines, including the Belt Line and Chattanooga Traction Company. In word and photos new and old, it tells of the railroad from the coke ovens at Chickamauga, Ga., to the coal mining community of Durham on the top of Lookout.
The book also includes interesting features and photos on area railroad towns, ranging from Cole City, Stevenson, Bridgeport and Orme, to Kennesaw, Adairsville. Cave Springs and Rome, to Etowah, Sweetwater, Niota and Madisonville.
Some of the most intriguing chapters are of the first full examination of the planned Stevenson Extension that was suddenly halted during the Panic of 1907. Many ghostly remnants of this line remain, including many large culverts, a tunnel at Cummings Gap, stone piers in the Sequatchie River and Battle Creek, and an isolated overpass at South Pittsburg.
There are photos of many area depots, a number of which are no longer standing. The routes of the individual railroads are shown in detail as they appear on the 1920 Shutting map of Chattanooga. Recent photos trace what’s left of the once-vibrant old rail lines – with many surprising discoveries.
The book is being published by College Press, of Collegedale.
It will be in the same softcover, 11 1/2 x 8 format as the book on the Stokes photo collection.
Pre-orders of the new railroad book are now being taken. To reserve a copy of the book that will be mailed to you when it comes off the presses, send $45 (includes tax, postage and handling) to
Chattanoogan.com
@John Wilson
129 Walnut St. Unit 416
Chattanooga, Tn., 37403
Make out checks to Chattanoogan.com.
Please let us know if you plan to pick up one or more copies later. This will help us in determining how many copies to print.
The price will be $40, which includes tax.
Please let us know by emailing to news@chattanoogan.com. Include your name and phone number and the number of copies you want to purchase.