Publication Date
10-1-2020
Abstract
JOHNSON CITY – The George L. Carter Railroad Museum at East Tennessee State University will hold its Super South themed Heritage Day on the final day of the month, Oct. 31.
Special trains headed to Florida and other vacation destinations displayed advertisements such as “Come to the Sunshine” to lure travelers in the northern areas of New York, Chicago and Detroit where the cold winds of winter would drive thousands of passengers to travel South. Beyond the passenger operations, these lines were notable for moving vast amounts of produce – oranges, watermelons, peaches and more – to northern metropolitan regions. Timber, paper, carbon, and more also came from the area.
Though the South was rural in many aspects, it played a mighty role in supplying the nation with products, including imports arriving in New Orleans, Tampa, Savannah and other sea-based cities. From a heritage aspect, lines were named for the region, such as Seaboard Air Line, Atlantic Coast Line, the Southern Railway and maintained a fierce sense of pride in their operation and region.
“One aspect of this region’s railroads were the colorful paint schemes. The train itself was part of the celebration,” says Geoff Stunkard, Heritage Days coordinator. “Today, many of these same mainlines are occupied by CSX, Amtrak, and Norfolk Southern, but there are still colorful regional lines like the Florida East Coast carrying on the tradition. We expect to have a mix of old and new on this Heritage Day.”
Located in the Campus Center Building, the Carter Railroad Museum is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and presents Heritage Days programs on the last Saturday of each month. For October, the massive HO scale display will have the most activity as this G-gauge logging railroad offers a detailed look of how that business was done. The museum will have a limited number of special trick-or-treat gifts for children attending the Super South Heritage Day.
There is no admission fee to the museum, but donations are welcome. The Mountain Empire Model Railroaders club and the George L. Carter Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society serve as hosts during the museum’s operating hours, and will have personal equipment for display on the museum’s massive 24x44-foot HO scale model. The newest addition to the museum is dedicated to the long-defunct but well-remembered Tweetsie line, the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad, a regional Super South line for many local fans.
In addition to the displays, there is also a children’s activity room, growing research library, and an oral history archive is being established as part of the museum's programs. For more information, visit www.etsu.edu/railroad.
The Carter Railroad Museum is open to the public and follows COVID-19 health and safety guidelines issued by the CDC and ETSU. Masks and social distancing are required in the museum and temperature checks are conducted at the door.
The museum can be identified by 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 RR crossing sign.
For more information about Heritage Day, contact Dr. Fred Alsop at 423-439-6838 or alsopf@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.
Document Type
News Article
