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		"Drive-By" Date: 2006
One of the favorite events at the annual ET&WNC Historical Society convention is the Saturday after-hours visit to Tweetsie Railroad. Number 12 is fired up and gives the group several laps around the mountain with numerous photo opportunies for "drive-bys" in which close up views of the historical engine accelerating to accommodate the grades. This photo was taken on June 17, 2006 at the Convention.

	.	Johnny Graybeal Date: 2006
Tweetsie historian and noted author Johnny Graybeal  takes a break inside the Tweetsie Locomotive Shop while giving a tour.   The Tweetsie maintenance crew does regular repair work for other tourist-related railroads as the abilities to repair and maintain vintage narrow gauge rail equipment is a vanishing skill. Check out Johnny's Along the ET&WNC volumes documenting the history of the railroad.

	.	Number 12 Ready to Load Date: 2006
At the Tweetsie station, Number 12 is preparing to load attendees at the Historical Society annual convention. Below railfans of all ages await the call to board Tweetsie

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Fans of all Ages Date: 2006

	.	Awaiting Number 12 Date: 2006
Above the group awaits the run-by arrival of Number 12 and more great photo opportunities. Below some serious photographic equpment is used to optimize close-up shots.

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Photos and Tall Tales Date: 2006

	.	Leaving Town Date: 2006
Here Number 12 smokes up the summer sky leaving the station.

		John Waite & Chris Ford Date: 2006
Above, Blue Ridge Stemwinder author and preeminent historian John Waite is with Chris Ford, expert cartographer of the ET&WNC Railroad, at the Tweetsie Railroad Museum in Blowing Rock. A Missouri native, John Waite founded the ET&WNC Historical Society in the early 1980s, and has been a driving force in keeping the history of this narrow gauge railway alive. Chris Ford of Memphis has meticulously researched aerial photos and map sources to create the detailed sectional maps found in the Stemwinder book. Other online resources are available from Chris at the website linked here.

	.	"Little Tweetsie" Date: 2006
A smash hit at the convention was John Barden's unveiling of "The Kimberly" a passenger coach modeled after the "Azalea" of ET&WNC fame. Shown below are views of The Kimberly and the new Combine 15. The detail and workmanship is absolutely incredible. John gives the following account of creating Little Tweetsie and the coaches: Little Tweetsie runs on 7.5 gauge track which is 7.5 inches from inside rail to inside rail. I will be at the convention this year with my newly completed Combine 15. The thing about this project was that I had a piece of old broken stain glass off of the original combine and after removing about 25 layer's of paint came this beautiful lime green color. Well, I cut what I had and was able to make the oval window in my combine. Look at the pictures and see how bright it was. I also had some old siding that I had off the old combine that I planed down which had a killer wood grain pattern and I was able to use it as all the molding inside my combine. I wanted some of the original combine 15 in mine. I also did the same thing with Little Tweetsie, so part of ET&WNC No. 12 is on Little Tweetsie.

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"The Kimberly" Date: 2006

		"Combine 15" Date: 2007
		"Combine 15" Date: 2007
	.	The Kimberly & Combine 15 Date: 2007
		John & Kim Aboard Little Tweetsie Date: 2007

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RailFan Weekend September 2006

Railfan Ad Date: 2006

			Tim Smith Date: 2006
Tim Smith holds the 9 number plate, saved from the scrap pile by Steve Staten and George Alison up to the plate on the 12. Notice the difference in sizes of the two Baldwin plates.

		Booger Returns... Date: 2006
In this Ken Riddle photo, the ghosts of Tweetsie mysteriously appear again. Notice all the orbs hazing up what otherwise would be a clear view.

		Tweetsie Braintrust Date: 2006
The Tweetsie Brain Trust relaxes on the porch. Norma Myers, Ken Riddle, John Barden, Johnny Graybeal and Chris Robbins share some stories at Rail Fan Weekend on September 9, 2006. Below is a poem Mr. Cy Crumley always gave to folks who would come visit him. It was written by Cy Warman.
WILL THE LIGHTS BE WHITE? Oft when I feel my engine swerve As o'er strange rails we fare- I strain my eye around the curve, For what awaits me there. When swift and free she carries me Through yards unknown at night, I look along the line to see That all the lights are white. The blue light marks the crippled car, The green light signals slow, The red one is a danger sign, THe white one "Let her go!" Again the open fields we roam, And when the night is fair I look up in the starry dome And ponder what's up there. For who can speak for those who dwell Behind the curving sky, No man, but Christ, has lived to tell Just what it means to die. Swift toward life's terminal I trend The run seems short tonight. But God stands at journey's end. I know the lights are white.