ET&WNC | Model Railroad Layout
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Page Contents
Johnson City Railroad Experience’s ET&WNC Model Railroad
Without a doubt, the best ET&WNC layout has been built and is on display at the Johnson City Railroad Experience in Johnson City TN. Construction on the layout originally began at its old home on the East Tennessee State University campus. The museum moved to its new larger building last year in the center of downtown Johnson City.
The additional space has allowed for an even larger layout that truly brings the ET&WNC to life.
The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina (ET&WNC) layout is the centerpiece of the Johnson City Railroad Experience, a museum formerly known as the George L. Carter Railroad Museum. This nationally recognized HOn3 scale exhibit meticulously recreates the “Tweetsie” narrow-gauge line as it appeared during its peak in the 1920s.
Layout Design and Features
Crafted by the Mountain Empire Model Railroaders, the layout follows the historic route from Johnson City to Boone, North Carolina. Its design captures the challenging Appalachian terrain that necessitated the use of 3-foot narrow-gauge tracks. Key highlights include:
- Historic Accuracy: The layout features hand-built models of original structures, such as the 1891 train station recreated by museum director Dr. Fred Alsop using archival photos and measurements.
- Key Locations: Scenic highlights include the rugged Doe River Gorge, the town of Elizabethton, and mountain stops like Shell Creek and Roan Mountain.
- Industrial Details: The model includes the Cranberry yard and iron mines, reflecting the railroad’s vital role in transporting ore and timber to Johnson City’s dual-gauge interchange.
Enhanced Immersion
Following the museum’s move to a larger facility in downtown Johnson City, the layout has been significantly expanded. It now incorporates additional sections of Johnson City and Elizabethton, featuring dual-gauge tracks where standard and narrow-gauge lines met. Visitors can observe operating steam locomotives like ET&WNC #3 (the Unaka) and #5 performing switching duties or hauling passenger cars. The exhibit is further enriched by historic photographs placed alongside their scale replicas, allowing for direct comparison between the model and the actual history of the region.
ET&WNC Sources & Resources
The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the ET&WNC Railroad. 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.
- Archives:
- Associations:
- ET&WNC Railroad Historical Society and their Facebook Page
- George L. Carter Railroad Historical Society (Johnson City Railroad Experience)
- Personal Maps & Memorabilia: Documents, maps, timetables, and track charts
- Books:
- Ferrell: ‘Tweetsie Country’
- Graybeal: ‘The Railroads of Johnson City’
- Graybeal: ‘Along the ET&WNC’ Volumes 1-6
- Poole: ‘History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’
- Scheer & Black: ‘Tweetsie: The Blue Ridge Steamwinder’
- Sulzer: ‘Ghost Railroads of Tennessee’
- Newspaper Articles: Newspapers.com
- Magazines/Online: ‘Trains‘, ‘Classic Trains‘
- Websites:
- Carolana.com
- CarterCountyHistory.com
- StateOfFranklin.net which hosts Johnson’s Depot
- SteamLocomotive.com
