Previous Page Click on each photo to see a larger view. Next Page
		Paul Fletcher Date: 1940 View Paul's Uniform
Fireman Paul Fletcher, 1940.  Paul was a great guy.  His dad, Nat Fletcher, was the agent at Newland and also had worked at Linville, Pineola, and Hampton.  His brother Herman was a brakeman for a long time. Paul was the fireman and conductor at Tweetsie Railroad Theme Park for many years after he retired.  His conductor's uniform is on display in the Avery County Museum in Newland.

		Bemberg Rayon Plant Date: 1930s
Postcard from the American Bemberg Plant (opened in 1926) which along with the Glanzstoff rayon plant in Elizabethton, Tennessee were major customers of the Tweetsie for decades. Shown below is a later view of the Glanzstoff plant (opened in 1928) after it was known as North American Rayon. Note the small brick Bemberg - (later Port Rayon) ET&WNC train depot shown across from the plant in the photo below. Postcards courtesy of Bob L. Cox.

		North American Rayon Plant Date: 1940s
		Aerial View Date: 1940's
		Aerial View 2 Date: 1940's
		Bemberg Date: 1940's

		Shell Creek Date: 1940's
Here is Engine number 9 at Shell Creek during World War II.  The 9 was bought to take over the passenger train when the first number 8 would not pull the new, heavier train. World War II brought new business to Tweetsie and revenues were solid. This picture was made of one of the "labor trains" that ran from Cranberry to Bemberg three times a day to bring workers to the rayon plants.  The rayon plants were vital facilities during the war years producing parachutes. The trains ran actually six times a day, around the clock, with the shifts.  They were put on in early 1942 and taken off after V-J day.  Gasoline and tires were rationed, so riding the train to work was very popular. Mr. Crumley had a regular job as passenger train conductor on the day shift trains.

		Hampton Date: 1943
Engine 12, June 8, 1943 with a war-time freight train.  She is stopped right on what is now the entrance road to Doe River Gorge Camp at Hampton.

 

		War-Time Freight Date: 1943
Same place, same time as photo above.  June 8 1943, access road to Doe River Gorge Camp.  Big John Lewis, Engineer, Chester Ford, Fireman, Fred "Casey" Jones, Brakeman.

 

 

		Valley Forge Date: 1940's
Number 9 brings the labor train across the Valley Forge trestle during World War II.  This bridge is right where the Valley Forge bridge on 19-E is today.

		Elizabethton Date: 1940s
Engineer Fred "Where's the Camera" Helton and fireman TIghteye Simerly back the 12 through Elizabethton during the labor train days.  Watch where you are going, Fred! …And when you get a second get Andy to fix that leaky rivet on the tender!