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I heard a interesting rumor today. I heard that there is someone thinking about running a excursion on the NS S line to Asheville. But better then that, they were thinking about the Clinchfield. But before you get excited it is just a rumor. Especially one that involves CSX, as that probably won't come true. But none the less I thought you might have some interest into this. I heard about it while I was railfaning with a few friends today
SilverStar092 Member # 2652
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Is that the Saluda line? I thought it was mothballed. Is anything running that way? Or is this the line east to Hickory? They've run excursions that way before. There was an Amtrak excursion on the Clinchfield a few years ago...we rode it...Superliner consist.
amtrak92 Member # 14343
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What I have heard would be the Old Fort Loops line, which is the S Line as my friend called it. I bet it would be scenic on the Clinchfield
notelvis Member # 3071
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I believe this time this may be just a rumor....though I would not mind being proven wrong.
The last couple of years the North Carolina Transportation Museum has operated an excursion on the Norfolk Southern from Spencer (Salisbury) to Asheville. It generally has been the last weekend in October. I had the opportunity to ride the Asheville excursion last year.
HOWEVER - In October 2011 the museum WILL NOT be running the train to Asheville. Instead the excursion will go to Roanoke, VA on Saturday and to Toccoa, GA on Sunday. Tickets actually go on sale for these trips this week.
An excursion via Saluda would not be possible. While the tracks are still in place, NS has 'isolated' the line by taking up a couple of rails and piling a mound of gravel over the right of way on either end of the out-of-service portion. Doing this enabled the railroad to cut the power to the signals.
Those superliner excursions on the Clinchfield were sponsored by the Watauga Valley NRHS Chapter out of Kingsport, TN down to Marion, NC. Watauga Valley has actually partnered with the North Carolina Museum on the October excursions out of Spencer by helping round up the premium varnish for the train. This is because CSX in recent years has absolutely shut them down from operating anything on the old Clinchfield.
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