- Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is a heritage railroad in
North Carolina with a depot in Bryson City. The railroad operates over the western leg of the "Murphy Branch ", a former branch line of the Southern Railway.The railroad has an operational
steam locomotive ,2-8-0 Consolidation #1702; another steam locomotive, #722 is currently being restored for operational service. There are also 4 diesel-electric locomotives,GP9 #711, #777, #1751 and #1755.The route of the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad passes through fertile valleys, through a tunnel and across river gorges in the
Great Smoky Mountains of WesternNorth Carolina . In addition to running tourist excursions year-round, the railroad also moves freight on its own tracks betweenDillsboro and Andrews. GSMR interchanges withNorfolk Southern Railway in Sylva nearJackson Paper Company . In 2003, the railroad ran 963 excursions.The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is owned by
American Heritage Railways , which is the parent company of theDurango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad .The Dillsboro leg of the excursion has been closed, with cars and equipment moved to Byrson City.
Towns and attractions served
* Dillsboro
* Bryson City
* Andrews
* TheNantahala Outdoor Center Popular culture
The famous train wreck scene in the 1993
Warner Brothers blockbuster movie "The Fugitive" starringHarrison Ford andTommy Lee Jones was filmed in Dillsboro along the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. The wreckage set can still be viewed on outbound train excursions from Dillsboro.The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad was also used in the filming of 1996 Warner Brothers comedy "
My Fellow Americans " starringJack Lemmon andJames Garner when they stumble on to a charter train full of UNC-Chapel Hill fans headed for the NCAA Final Four.Train scenes in the 1998
DreamWorks SKG film "Forces of Nature " starringBen Affleck andSandra Bullock were also filmed on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.ee also
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List of heritage railroads in the United States External links
* [http://www.gsmr.com/ Great Smoky Mountains Railroad website]
* [http://www.raileventsinc.com/ American Heritage Railways website]
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