Frank Clodfelter Photographs
(1952-1980)

P1982.01

"Climbing the Blue Ridge Mountains between Old Fort and Ridgecrest" (Neg 163), 
Frank Clodfelter Photographs (1952-1980), D.H. Ramsey Library, Special Collections, UNC Asheville 28804

In the foreground is High Fill and the tracks below are at Dendron. The train circles over itself at this point to gain elevation. Photograph is framed with dogwood trees.

Pisgah National Forest in background.

Pisgah National Forest in background. Photo made near Andrews Geyser.

Scene shows High Fill with tracks below at Dendron, N.C.

Southern Railway donated to North Carolina 54 acres, to preserve the shops, turntable, round hose, backshop, etc.

Scene between mileposts 117 and 118 as train was enroute upgrade between Old Fort and Ridgecrest, N.C.

Bloom is at peak about June 22-26 of each year depending on weather conditions.

Biltmore station was changed to Asheville station when the old Asheville station was demolished.

Note light green of spring foliage.

During the horse and buggy days Franklin served meals for 25 cents each for state coach travelers from the East Tennessee and western North Carolina narrow gauge railroad who traveled twelve miles to view Linville Falls. Beulah Mae Franklin, mother of Frank Clodfelter, was born here.

Thomas Wolfe rode this train to and from Asheville to new York during steam days when the train was powered by Mountain type green and gold-trimmed locomotives. Frank Clodfelter was the regular assigned engineer on this train for many years.

The locomotive was a Southern Crescent E-8 painted green and trimmed in gold. This color scheme for steam and diesel engines is the nation’s longest living specially painted passenger locomotives. It started in 1926 on Southern Railway’s Pacific type engines - Ps-4 No. 1401 is preserved in Washington at the Smithsonian. Frank Clodfelter was the engineer on this train - the Kentucky Derby Special.

The twelve-mile trip over the Blue Ridge Mountains from Old Fort to the Eastern Continental Divide at Ridgecrest, N.C. is one of the most spectacular train trips in the United States.

On this occassion the engine was used on a passenger excursion train in from Salisbury, N.C. to Asheville, N.C. with Frank Clodfelter as engineer.

Excursion passenger train that ran from Asheville to Salisbury, N.C. The engine is an ex-Canadian Pacific locomotive leased by Southern for steam specials.

Historic Spencer Shops was a gift to the state of North Carolina by the Southern Railway System.

The train is running between Asheville, N.C. and Spencer, N.C. The rails cross Mill Creek eleven times between Old Fort and Ridgecrest and run through seven tunnels. Maximum grade on this line is 2.2%

The train once ran between Asheville and Salisbury, N.C. with Frank Clodfelter as engineer.

This tunnel is the first after leaving Old Fort. Photographed from the west end of the tunnel. This is one of seven tunnels between Old Fort and Ridgecrest.

Photographed looking west from top of Burgin tunnel as tracks approach Swannanoa tunnel near Ridgecrest, N.C. Maximum grade between Old Fort and Ridgecrest is 2.2%.

Road is framed with fallen blight killed chestnut tree, rhododendron and azaleas.

Engineer Frank Clodfelter, who took the picture, is awaiting a "highball" from conductor Jim Wingo.

Note engineer is sitting on left side which is common on some diesel engines. Usually the engineer sits on the right side.

The station, like many others have been demolished. Note train order board in clear position.

This was a passenger train excursion with an ex-Canadian Pacific engine leased by the Southern Railway System.

This is one of seven tunnels between Old Fort & Ridgcrest, N.C. on the Carolina Division of the Southern Railway System.

Note giant 15-foot arrowhead, said to be the world’s largest when installed.

Rear of train showing beyond steel bridge.

Negatives 

(Aug. 8)

"Scene is on High Fill between Ridgecrest and Old Fort, N.C. Note train below approaching Dendron, N.C., as it circles under High Fill which is has just traversed on a descending grade. Ruling grade between Old Fort and Ridgecrest is 2.2 %. Pisgah National Forest background."

"Frank is the author of the book Fogg and Steam by Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder, Colorado."

"This is engineer's view on curve when tracks cannot be seen [on] account of long boiler ahead ... fireman must look ahead on his side in this instance for obstructions."

(Oct. 14)

(Oct. 29)

"The new shanty at right was too modern so men put up old shanty out of scrap material to get out of rain and for winter use with coal stove inside with front open."

"Southern Railway leased this engine for passenger train excursions over system."

Flager build the Florida East Coast Railway from Jacksonville to Key West, Fla.

"The train is en-route from Asheville to Hayne, S.C. The train is approaching the crest of the hill to go down the tree-mile Saluda Mountain to Melrose at the foot of the hill. Saluda Mountain is the steepest mail line grade, standard gauge (four foot eight and one half inches between rails) in the United States. Usually spoken of as 4.7% grade, the grade actually reaches 5.3% for 300 feet.

"Southern leased this engine for passenger train excursions over the system. In steam days engineers were permitted on Southern to decorate their engines and at one time carried the names of engineers on the sides of their engines."

"Engine in lead is SD45, build by EMD, with Frank Clodfelter as engineer. Unit 3115 is Southern (1967) EM SD45, 3600 horse-power, 394,114 total weight, 62-15 gear ratio, 4000 gallon fuel capacity."