Blue Ridge Railroad (1850s – South Carolina)

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Blue Ridge Railroad

During the 1830s, former Vice-President and South Carolina Senator John Calhoun was one of the key champions of creating a railroad to run from the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston to the Ohio River at Cincinnati OH. Additionally, the route included Knoxville TN and the Tennessee River. The goal was to bring trade and economic development to Charleston SC and its port. Calhoun’s efforts led to the chartering of the Blue Ridge Railroad in 1852, with construction beginning in 1854.

Click here for more information on the Atlantic Ocean to Ohio River Railroads

Rabun Gap vs. the French Broad River

The construction of the railroad was initially delayed due to a debate as to the best route over the mountains from Anderson SC to Knoxville TN. One option was through Asheville NC using the French Broad River. The second was through Rabun Gap GA, then using the Little Tennessee River to Knoxville. Rabun Gap was the final choice.

Click here for more information on the Appalachian Mountain Gaps

Construction Begins

Blue Ridge Railroad

The best of engineering and construction standards were used as work began in 1854 on an initial 195-mile segment from Anderson SC to Knoxville TN. Wooden bridges would be kept to a minimum. Instead, stone culverts, long tunnels, and large fills would be constructed to conquer the mountainous terrain with a high quality railroad that would be efficient to operate.

For the next five years, miles of roadbed were graded and thousands of feet of tunnel were blasted and chiseled. Stumphouse Tunnel was to be the longest tunnel in the world at over 5,800 feet.

Click here for a Google Interactive Map of the Blue Ridge Railroad.

The Threat of War – Construction Ends

But as tensions mounted in the months before the Civil War, construction on the railroad was halted. South Carolina was unwilling to provide additional funding to complete the railroad. Some historians believe well over half of the project had been finished, even as much as 80%.

Tallulah Falls Railroad

There were several attempts to revive the Blue Ridge Railroad after the Civil War, including one called the Black Diamond Railroad.

Eventually, the Tallulah Falls Railroad that ran from Cornelia GA to Franklin NC used segments of the Blue Ridge Railroad grade to complete their railroad in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Eventually, the Tallulah line was also abandoned.

The Blue Ridge Railroad Today

The Blue Ridge exists in several forms today:

  • A completed and operated line from Benton SC to Walhalla SC
  • Several unfinished tunnels north of Walhalla, including Stumphouse Tunnel which is now a park for exploring the tunnel and hiking the old railroad bed.
  • Roadbed, a tunnel, and numerous stone culverts in Rabun County GA

Blue Ridge Railroad Stats

  • Operated: 1859-present
  • Length: 44 miles
  • Mainline: Benton SC to Walhalla SC
  • Primary Cities: Benton, Anderson, Seneca, and Walhalla SC
  • Successors: Greenville & Columbia Railroad, Columbia & Greenville Railroad, Southern Railway
  • BRRR Today: Norfolk Southern

For More Information

More Rails Across the Appalachians information will be added to this page and website in the days ahead. Please let me know if you have any questions, see any edits that should be made, or have any content you are willing to share. Would enjoy hearing from you if you have similar interests in Appalachian Railroads, the region, or model railroading.

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