State

Early Mountain Railroads The construction of roads in western Caro¬ lina was a terrific undertaking. There were two approaches — one from the south and the other from the east. By WILLIAM A. ALLIIAiN'DS IN the days before the iron horse had conquered the cloud-capped heights of Western North Caro¬ lina, it was a region cut off from the outside world and reached only after long and difficult stagecoach journeys. The great wealth of natural resources and the remark¬ able scenic grandeur of these high¬ lands was little known to the peo¬ ple, outside of a small area. Today a vast system of highways has made almost every part of these mountains accessible to motorist, but it was the railroads that first opened up this region and put it on the beaten pathway. In the early 1870’s, south of the Blue Ridge, the Spartanburg and Asheville Railroad was being pro¬ jected up through the mountains, under the leadership of Col. R. Y. McAdden. president of the road. At about the same period Col. A. B. Andrews was pushing the construction of the Western North Carolina Railroad from the east into the mountainous area of the state. First Train in 1878 It was on July 4. 1878. a little over a century after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, that the first train penetrated into western North Carolina from the south, over the Spartanburg and Asheville road. Steaming up through the valleys and around the curves, it puffed its way into the mountains. From Melrose it climbed steadily and, within a space of three miles, ascended to a heighth of 885 feet. At the top of the grade it reached 2,096 feet above sea level, near the present town of Saluda. Having successfully completed the road to the top of the high plateau, the engineers later ex¬ tended it to Hendersonville. For a number of years this point served as the mountain terminus. Pas¬ sengers going to Asheville, traveled the remaining distance by stage¬ coach. It was not until 1886 that 6 the tracks were finally extended to the mountain metropolis. The rolling stock of this road consisted of an engine of the Mogul type with 16 by 24 inch cylinders, and wheels 4 feet and 8 inches in diameter. It was known as the "R. Y. McAdden,” and was named for the president of the railroad. The other engine in use at that time was of the ordinary type with 16 by 24 inch cylinders, and wheels 5 feet in diameter. It was the “W. H. Inman," named for one of the directors of the road. The train was made up of a combination passenger, mail and baggage car, and a first class passenger car. It also hauled three freight cars, except during unfavorable weather. The engine was equipped with vacuum brakes and the rest of the train was operated with hand brakes. A Great Achievement The successful completion of a road through that rugged and Col. Л. B. Andrews, who was largely responsible for the de¬ velopment of railroading in the mountain area. mountainous section of country was regarded as an outstanding achievement in railroad building. The greatest single difficulty that confronted the builders was the construction of the unusually steep Saluda grade. It is said to be a greater climb than is to be found on the roads across the Rockies, and is still known today as the steepest standard-gauge, main-line railroad grade in the United States (according to facts published by Railroad Magazine). The Saluda hill is 2.7 miles long with a 4.70 per cent grade at the steepest point. The difficult task of projecting a rail-line through this area was accomplished by Capt. Charles W. Pearson, a veteran of the Confed¬ erate Army, after the project had come to a halt among the foothills south of the Blue Ridge. The road followed the survey of what was regarded as the only possible pass across the mountains in that sec¬ tion and it is still looked upon as an unusual job of engineering. According to information found in old newspaper files, almost a hun¬ dred lives were lost before this grade was finally completed. Some Bad Runaways Records state that no lives have ever been lost in the passenger train service on the Saluda grade, but during the early days of rail¬ roading in this area, before the installation of modern equipment, runaways often occurred in the freight service at this point. In 1880, a work train, consisting of an engine and two flat cars, got out of control and came thundering down the long hill. It wrecked at the bottom, killing thirteen Negro workmen and one white foreman. Shortly before dawn one morn¬ ing in 1894. extra No. 559, made up of sixteen cars, rushed madly down the mountain and piled up at the bottom, a tangled mass of iron, coal and timber. The engi¬ neer and fireman, a brakeman and THE STATE. NOVCMSKR 3. 1945