Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
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| Reporting mark | GSM |
|---|---|
| Locale | Western North Carolina |
| Dates of operation | 1988–present |
| Predecessor | Southern Railway |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 53 miles (85 kilometres) |
| Headquarters | Bryson City, North Carolina |
| Website | www.gsmr.com |
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (reporting mark GSM) is a freight and heritage railroad in Western North Carolina.
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (formerly Railway) owns 53 miles (85 kilometres) of the Murphy Branch, a former branch line of the Southern Railway between Dillsboro and Andrews. The line was completed to Dillsboro in 1883 and reached Andrews in 1890. GSMR, which began operations in 1988, uses a route which passes through "fertile valleys, a tunnel, and across river gorges" in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina. Several miles of the line near Andrews are currently out of service; excursions currently utilize the line between Bryson City and Nantahala (22 miles (35 km) in length), and the line between Bryson City and Dillsboro (16 miles (26 km) in length).
In addition to running tourist excursions year-round, the railroad has also moved freight via an interchange with the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad in Sylva near Jackson Paper Manufacturing. GSMR runs nearly 1,000 excursions each year.
The railroad has seven diesel locomotives, GP9's #711, #777, #1751, & #1755, GP30's #2467 & 536, and U18B #1901. #1901 and #536 were used in the filming of The Fugitive, and are non-operational (having been wrecked in the film); tourists can view the scene of the wreck while passing by on the Tuckasegee/ Dillsboro excursion.
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Wikipedia