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Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Bryson City, NC
4.5· 8,317 Google reviews
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About Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Riding the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad traverses the Tuckasegee River corridor and the dramatic Nantahala Gorge, covering 38 miles between Dillsboro, Bryson City and Nantahala in western North Carolina. Heritage diesel power and the restored Baldwin 2‑8‑0 No. 1702 pull scenic excursions through fertile valleys, a tunnel and river gorges, while seasonal events such as the Polar Express, Great Pumpkin and Day Out With Thomas showcase the line’s year‑round appeal.
History
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad begins operation in 1988 after Malcolm and Joan MacNeill secure a lease from the North Carolina Department of Transportation just 48 hours before Norfolk Southern plans to dismantle the Murphy Branch. Service to Andrews and Murphy ends in 1995, and regular passenger runs between Nantahala and Andrews cease by 2001. In late 1999 the MacNeills sell the railroad to American Heritage Railways, which renames the line on March 9 2000 to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. A “Polar Express” holiday excursion debuts in 2004, the headquarters move from Dillsboro to Bryson City in 2007, and the line records a peak of more than 91,000 Polar Express riders in 2019. Operations pause in March 2020 because of the COVID‑19 pandemic and resume on June 4 2020, while an August 22 2017 collision between locomotive 2467 and a Georgia Military College bus injures the driver and eight passengers.
The Trains
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad runs a standard‑gauge line of 53 mi (85 km) on the former Southern Railway Murphy Branch between Dillsboro and Nantahala, North Carolina, with a 16‑mi (26 km) segment from Dillsboro to Bryson City and a 22‑mi (35 km) segment from Bryson City to Nantahala. Its diesel roster includes two EMD GP9s (Nos. 1751 and 1755), an EMD GP30 (No. 2467), two EMD GP38‑2s (Nos. 2668 and 2335) and an EMD F9A (No. 4210), while its steam fleet features the Baldwin‑built S‑160 2‑8‑0 Consolidation No. 1702, restored to service in 2016, and the Southern Railway Ks‑1 2‑8‑0 No. 722, being restored for oil‑burn operation. The railroad also operates passenger cars for themed excursions such as the Polar Express, Great Pumpkin and Day Out With Thomas.
Nearby
Riders at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in North Carolina sit within a short drive of more rail history — the Little River Rail Road and Lumber Company Museum about 24 mi off, the Dollywood Express roughly 25 mi away, and the Tallulah Falls Railway Museum about 33 mi out.
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More in North Carolina
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