ETSU is celebrating ‘Less Traveled Railroads”
Published 8:19 am Friday, February 24, 2023
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The free-admission George L. Carter Railroad Museum, located in the Campus Center Building of East Tennessee State University, will revisit railroads less traveled during this month’s “Heritage Day” program.
The event is Saturday, Feb. 25, between 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
“Short line railroading was often a source of civic pride and helped develop today’s continued interest in historical railroading,” said Geoff Stunkard, the coordinator of the museum’s monthly Heritage Days program. “These local operations would be referred to as ‘our train’ by a region’s residents. This is still nostalgia here in East Tennessee where the Tweetsie narrow gauge once ran into the mountains and several lines were built that became part of larger systems. This event always demonstrates in model form how some short lines appeared and functioned.”
The Carter Railroad Museum, open on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., includes model railroad layouts, a special children’s activity room and ongoing programs. There is no admission fee, but donations are welcome.
Look for a flashing railroad-crossing signal at the back entrance to the Campus Center Building. Visitors should enter ETSU’s campus from State of Franklin Road onto Jack Vest Drive and continue east toward 176 Ross Drive, adjacent to the flashing railroad crossing sign.
