Kingsport, Tennessee

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Kingsport, Tennessee: The Model City

Researched and chronicled by Scott Jessee and Sandhi Kozsuch

Kingsport TN Clinchfield Railroad Train Station

Photo: Former Kingsport Clinchfield Railroad Train Station, now a Bank and Kingsport Landmark.

Even though Kingsport history dates back to Revolutionary War times, it is still known today as a modern ‘Model City.’

Originally known as ‘Salt Lick’ and ‘King’s Port,’ Kingsport received its first charter in 1822 due to its strategic location at the confluence of two rivers.

During the Civil War era, the charter was lost. But with the construction of the Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio Railway and its related economic development by the railroad’s investors, it was rechartered in 1917 as ‘Kingsport.’

Over the coming days, we will add much more information about Kingsport and its rich Railroad, Model City, and Industrial heritage.

Below, you will be able watch Ken Marsh video’s on the history of the city and its railroads. You can also read about the Eastman Chemical plant, and about the CSX Railroad’s operations in the city. Additionally, Thomas Pittman does a wonderful job of bringing us up to date on how Kingsport remains an important CSX yard and rail operation center.

Kingsport Stats

  • Coordinates: 36°32′N 82°33′W
  • Elevation: 1,211 feet above sea level
  • Originally known as: Salt Lick
  • Founded: 1822 and rechartered in 1917
  • Population: 55,442 (2020)
  • County: Sullivan
  • First Railroad: Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio Railway (CC&O) in 1909, which eventually became the Clinchfield Railroad and CSX. Before the CC&O, the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad (3Cs) was graded through Kingsport during 1887-1889, but the 3Cs was never completed or operated. Some historians believe it is the longest stretch of railroad grade in the nation never to be completed and operated.
  • Second Railroad: The Holston River Railroad built a line that skirted Kingsport, eventually allowing access to Kingsport’s industries. The Southern Railway purchased that line and today it is operated as part of the Norfolk Southern.
  • Kingsport Highlights: Clinchfield/CSX rail yard, the old CC&O/CRR passenger station that is now a bank, Tennessee Eastman Chemical plant, the excellent design of the city which led it to become known as the Model City.

3Cs and Clinchfield Railroads

Even though the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad was the first to construct a railroad grade through Kingsport, the first railroad to be completed was the Clinchfield Railroad in 1909 (Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio Railway).

Click here for more information on the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad – 3Cs

Click here for more information on the Clinchfield Railroad

Click here for a 3Cs Railfan Guide you can use to track and explore the 3Cs grades, remnants, and track that still exist throughout Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

History of Kingsport as told by C.K. Marsh, Jr.

Here are three excellent videos with C. K. Marsh, Jr. (Ken) discussing and presenting the history of Kingsport and the role the railroads played in making it the Model City.

Eastman Chemical

Today the Eastman Chemical Company still thrives in Kingsport, generating a large percentage of the economic output of the city and region.

Eastman Chemical in Kingsport TN

Unofficially, my understanding of the railroad traffic for the plant in the past few years is:

  • 900 slots for railroad cars
  • 250-350 cars on hand each day
  • 100-250 cars depart each day
  • A good mixture of tank cars, covered hoppers, and box cars

Kingsport and the Clinchfield Railroad by Ron Flanary

Narrative and Photo by Ron Flanary

July 11, 1999: When I crouched low to capture an image (on film) of this southbound CSX coal train approaching Cherokee Street crossing in Kingsport, TN at dusk, the train traffic count of through trains here was still quite impressive—upwards of 20 some a day. The “dwarf” signal controls the mainline in-motion scales. Most coal trains were weighed elsewhere, but others would get a signal to ease across the “live” rails of the scale for weighing.

Kingsport Tennessee and CSX Train - Photo by Ron Flanary

Though the Clinchfield was never a through route for passengers (a local between Elkhorn City, KY and Spartanburg, SC was more than enough, and even that modest service ended by 1954), the city had a beautiful passenger station, as noted by the clock tower on the right. It was later repurposed as a bank. The former Penn-Dixie cement plant is on the left, and the closest structure to the camera on the right is the former freight station, later converted to office space.

Kingsport owes its very existence to the Clinchfield Railroad. The city was a planned community, with an economic base of interdependent manufacturing firms, all served by the railroad to bring in raw materials, fuel, and move finished product. While that function continues today, the economy has become more diversified. One constant: the huge Eastman Chemical complex that was, and still is, the city’s main economic engine—and still a huge rail customer for both CSX and (through trackage rights from Frisco, TN), Norfolk Southern.

3Cs Railfan Guide

Graphic: A screen capture of the Google Interactive Map you can use to track, trek, and drive the 3Cs. Clinchfield routing in black, 3Cs in red. Zoom in on the Google map in the guide to explore the 3Cs with street level accuracy.

As we explore the 3Cs and other Appalachian Railroads, we will provide Railfan Guides that allow you to explore them online, or by driving, riding, or hiking. Some of these railroads have segments that are thriving, others that are in decline, and many are abandoned. Quite a few of the abandoned roadbeds are now roads or rails-to-trails, while others require some hiking. Of course, railfan guides are never fully complete, and can always be improved, so send me your ideas, questions, and suggestions.

Click here for the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago 3Cs Railfan Guide

CSX 2023: Kingsport and Blue Ridge Subs by Thomas Pittman

Narrative and Photo by Thomas Pittman

The unquestionable hub of the modern day Clinchfield (CSX’s Kingsport and Blue Ridge Subs) is Kingsport, TN. All surviving terminal operations were relocated here from Erwin in 2015, when Erwin was closed as a terminal. Kingsport doesn’t have the locomotive and car service/repair amenities or the yard space that Erwin did, but there’s plenty of activity to observe.  A large portion of traffic that originates/terminates on the Clinchfield comes from long time Clinchfield customer Eastman Chemical, which is directly adjacent to the west of CSX’s Carter Yard trackage in Kingsport. Yard jobs work around the clock (symbolled Y122) to shuffle cars in the CSX yard and to pick up/deliver cars into Eastman’s yards. Eastman contracts out all intraplant switching with the exception of unit coal, of which CSX or NS provide their own crews to dump those loads.

CSX Kingsport TN - Photo by Thomas Pittman

Kingsport also serves as “home base” for all pool crews and is the midway crew change point for all trains traversing the Clinchfield. To the north, all Kingsport Pool crews run between Kingsport and Shelby Yard in Shelbiana, KY. CSX trains coming from/going to CSX’s ex-L&N Cumberland Valley Division via Norfolk Southern’s ex-Southern Appalachian District are handled by Loyall, KY crews. To the south, crews make trips to Bostic (NC) Yard, Duke’s Cliffside Steam Station at Brice (Mooresboro, NC), Spartanburg (SC) Yard, or on one of two locals that work south out of Kingsport.

NS still takes full advantage of their trackage rights over the Clinchfield from their connection at Frisco to the yards at Kingsport/Eastman. NS runs a nightly local between Kingsport and Frisco or Yuma (NS’s yards on their Appalachian District) to handle manifest freight and sometimes Coal. Unit Coal extras are also run on an as needed basis. NS still maintains a small office (what used to be Sheriff) at the South End of Carter Yard, and usually keeps a power set and caboose tied up on the house track when they aren’t on duty.

Thanks to Kris Hazen for help with information regarding frequency of yard work.

Kingsport Links for More Information

https://www.facebook.com/KingsportModelTrainsProject/

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

Contact Us

Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.

3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org