TALLULAH FALLS RAILROAD
Books
A History of Railroading in Western North Carolina
by Cary Franklin Poole (1995)
Six page overview of the TFRR that includes several classic photos of locomotives and trains in action. One unique photo I've never seen elsewhere shows a Georgia Power 0-4-0 tank engine with a pair of side dump cars being loaded with fill material for one of the dam projects by a steam shovel. See an excerpt here.
Georgia Short Line Railroad Album
by Albert M. Langley, Jr. (2005)
A four page section covers photos of the TFRR, including a nice view of the engine shop in Cornelia and images of rare annual passes for free rides on the line, both a 1910 TFRR pass and an 1891 pass for immediate-predecessor, the Blue Ridge & Atlantic Railroad. The rest of the book covers the TFRR's many cousins around the state, showing short trains steaming through tall grass on their way to small towns and villages in that pastoral era between the turn of the century and the beginning of World War II.
Images of America: Tallulah Falls
by Margaret Calhoon and Lynn Speno (1998)
The title refers to the town rather than the railroad, but much is revealed since the histories of both are so intertwined. A 12 page chapter is directly devoted to the TFRR, mostly covering photos also published in Brian Boyd's book. Additional photos showing some aspect of the railroad are sprinkled throughout the rest of the book, which is a gold mine of photographs that provide an insight into the homesteads and economic activities of rugged Appalachia, as well as the grand hotels and Georgia Power dams unique to Tallulah Falls.
Logging Railroads of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains: Vol. 2
by Thomas Fetters (2007)
While the book is not exclusively focused on the Tallulah Falls Railroad, there are some amazing photos and maps here that I have not seen anywhere else. Most exceptional is the collection of photos related to the construction of the hydro dams by Georgia Power, including several shots of the narrow gauge "Burton Railway", a line that met the TFRR just north of Wiley and crossed over Gibson Gap to reach the Burton Dam construction site. Another rarity is a map of the narrow gauge logging road operated by Andrew Gennett that met the TFRR at Otto, North Carolina. Another essential volume in your Tallulah Falls Railroad collection!
Memories of a Mountain Shortline: The Story of the Tallulah Falls Railroad
edited by Kaye Carver and Myra Queen (1976)
A Foxfire project that captured additional photographs, drawings and oral histories with employees of the TFRR and members of the communities served by the line. Lots of rich operational and cultural details captured in the histories. Includes some rare details about the original Athens-to-Lula section of the Northeast Railroad of Georgia. An essential element in the library of a fan of the TFRR!
Mixed Train Daily: A Book of Short-Line Railroads
by Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg (1953)
The granddaddy of books on short lines devotes a couple pages to the TFRR, though the authors famously switched the endpoints of the line, putting Cornelia in North Carolina and Franklin in Georgia.
Tallulah Falls Railroad: A Photographic Remembrance
by Brian Boyd (2003)
A treasure trove of photographs and information about the railroad. A must-have for anyone with an interest in the TFRR. The second edition is especially plentiful, with more photos, more rosters, and more details about the line.
Movies
I'd Climb the Highest Mountain (1950)
This film is now available on DVD from Classic Reels and Broadcast Co. in Dahlonega, Georgia, for only $12.00! The opening credits deliver color footage of the massive trestle at Tallulah Falls. It is worth the price of admission to hear the steam whistle blow as the train pulls into the station at Demorest as the story gets started. VHS copies also show up on ebay from time to time.
The Great Locomotive Chase (1956)
All of the outdoor railroad shots for this Disney classic were made on the Tallulah Falls RR.
Museums
Located in the Southern Railway depot in Cornelia is a collection of railroad artifacts that is managed by local civic organization Friends of the Depot and supported by the City of Cornelia and Habersham County. They also manage the upkeep of the caboose X-5, which is one of only two surviving pieces of rolling stock from the railroad. This caboose is parked on the south leg of the wye formed between the TFRR and the Southern's Crescent mainline.
Dess Oliver and the students of Rabun Gap Nacoochee School have built a wonderful museum to house the many artifacts donated to Mr. Oliver over the years. This museum is a treasure trove of surviving equipment, maps, photographs and other remains of the TFRR. Click here for photos of this great little museum from The Travel Trolley blog.
Online
- About North Georgia: Trestles of North Georgia
- AbandonRailroads.com: TFRR page
- Edwards Studios Galleries: Rabun County Historical Photos
- Mike Woodfin Flickr page: Photo of derelict #201 Gas-Electric mail car
- Mike Woodfin Flickr page: Clayton Tribune article on #201 renovation
- Miss Sweetie's Page: Cornelia Historic Train Depot - art and local history
- New Georgia Encyclopedia: TF Railway and Depot Historical Marker entry
- New Georgia Encyclopedia: Tallulah Falls and Gorge entry
- RailGa.com: TFRR page
- Wikipedia: TFRR page
- York House Inn: History of the York House
It is my dream to see a central repository for any and all information about the TFRR, including historical photos, current photos of artifacts/locations, postcards, track plans, maps, ticket stubs, invoices and anything else that illustrates how and where the railroad operated within the context of the communities served.
GARDEN RAILROADING
This is hardly a comprehensive catalog of what is available in the world of garden railroading, only a listing of those elements that have been especially helpful to me.
Magazines
Garden Railways Magazine
First and foremost, this publication has provided more education and inspiration than any other source. In addition to subscribing, I was able to find much of the back catalog of issues on ebay at very reasonable prices, allowing a sudden immersion in a wide variety of techniques and ideas.
Books
Garden Railroading: Getting Started in the Hobby
by Kent Johnson (2002)
An overview of the basics provided through excerpts and articles from Garden Railways Magazine.
Gorgeous Garden Railways
by Marc Horovitz and Pat Hayward (2006)
A compilation of great and beautiful railroads, also from the pages of Garden Railways. This one is less about "how" and more about inspiration.
Practical Garden Railways
by Peter Jones (2006)
A very personal ramble through the hobby with the late, great Peter Jones, whose columns in Garden Railways always encouraged us not to be intimidated by fear of achieving something less than perfection, that the joy of making something is always its own reward. Lots of British and European work showcased.
Online
www.mylargescale.com
The forums here are a treasure trove of great information from a community of folks willing to share what has worked and what has not.
The Large Scale Trains Page by George Schreyer
I have found answers to dozens of questions about this hobby in Mr. Schreyer's Large Scale Trains Technical Tips pages, especially when trying to sort out the vast differences in scale and rolling stock compatibility that do not exist in the smaller scales of model railroading.
