CHATTANOOGA SOUTHERN RAILWAY, 1891
Initially the Chattanooga Southern Railway (CS) was intended entirely to provide freight service for iron ore, coal, and lumber out of the region between Chattanooga and Gadsden, Alabama, but after a few years added passenger service. In 1895 the company reorganized as the Chattanooga Southern Railroad (also CS), which C.E. James reorganized again in 1911 as the Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia Railway (TAG). Southern Railway purchased the railway in 1971 and integrated it and its assets.
Cenchant
At first called Durham Junction, the depot at this schedule stop and coupon station stood at the Nickajack Road crossing, four miles northwest of Chickamauga. The original name derived from its being at the junction for the CRC with the Chickamauga and Durham Railroad. A community grew up around the busy depot, but it now exists mostly as a geographic place-name.
The post office of Cenchat operated from 1902 until 1909.
Eagle Cliff
A mile-and-a-quarter down the line toward Chattanooga stood this schedule stop in the community for which it was named. The community was named for the eponymous cliff on Lookout Mountain which served as a home for eagles; the community now goes by the name Valley View, but its central street is called Eagle Cliff Drive.
The post office of Eagle Cliff operated from 1860 until 1904.
Moonsboro
A half mile further stood this schedule stop, named for the community here which now goes simply by the name Moons. Chattanooga Valley High and Elementary Schools are here today.
Flintstone
Another half mile down stood this schedule stop, the most important in this part of the upper Chattanooga Valley. The residential part of the community is now concentrated adjacent to Chattanooga Valley Road.
The post office of Flintstone was established in 1891.
Rock Creek
This schedule stop stood three-quarters-of-a-mile down from Flintstone, probably at the crossing of Rock Creek Road.
Woodburn
This signal stop was one-third of a mile south of the Tennessee stateline.
For more information, see the entry for this station under Mountain Division in the section on the Union Railway of Chattanooga.
Endline
The first station in Hamilton County, Tennessee, the small depot at this schedule stop stood north of West 57th Street halfway between Tennessee Avenue and St. Elmo Avenue. A big tree now stands there. At some point TAG changed the name of this station to St. Elmo.
The post office of Endline operated from 1897 until 1900, when it was moved to St. Elmo.
Thurman’s Station
This schedule stop primarily served the junction of this railway with the Belt Line.
For more information, see the entry for this station in the Mountain Division of the section on the Union Railway of Chattanooga.
Alton Park
CS used the Belt Line’s depot but called their schedule stop Alton Park. After the Belt Line went under, CS took full control of operations at both the depot and the yards, the latter of which it expanded greatly, Alton Park became the sole name.
For more information, see the entry for Oak Hill in the Mountain Division under the section on the Union Railway of Chattanooga.
Cravens
For information on this station, see the section on the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad.
Chattanooga
CS initially ended its trips to Chattanooga at Georgia Avenue Depot originally constructed for the Union Railway, but soon switched to using Union Depot, as did TAG.
For more information, see the entry for Chattanooga under the Western and Atlantic Railroad.
Chuck Hamilton
<natty4bumpo@gmail.com>