Saluda Grade

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Saluda Grade

The Saluda Grade was the steepest mainline standard-gauge railroad in the United States, providing a challenging yet vital passage through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Instead of a natural water gap, the railroad tackled a steep, man-made grade to connect the cities of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina. The most dramatic part of the climb spans just 2.7 miles between Melrose and Saluda, North Carolina, with an average gradient of 4.7% and a maximum of 5.1%. The town of Saluda sits at the crest of the grade, with an elevation of over 2,000 feet.

History and engineering

The Asheville and Spartanburg Railroad, which would later become part of the Southern Railway and ultimately Norfolk Southern, began construction in the 1870s. A lack of funding forced the company to choose a direct, steep route over a more gradual but expensive one. This challenging line was built using convict labor. When the first passenger train arrived in Saluda in 1878, it ushered in a new era of tourism for the mountain town. However, the steep grade was notoriously dangerous for trains, with a high risk of runaway cars. To mitigate the risk, the railroad implemented strict safety protocols, including the use of “helper” locomotives to push trains up the grade and a specific low-speed limit for descending trains. Runaway tracks were also installed to safely divert out-of-control trains. Despite these precautions, numerous rail workers were killed on the grade over its history. For ascending trains, the strain on couplers was so great that engineers had to split longer trains into multiple sections for the climb.

Closure

With improvements in locomotive power and the construction of more efficient routes, the difficult and costly Saluda Grade became less viable. The last freight train ran on the line in 2001, and Norfolk Southern officially closed the route. By 2003, the section of track containing the grade was severed from the rest of the rail system.

Rail Trail

In June 2025, the Saluda Grade Trails Conservancy purchased the 31.5-mile section from Norfolk Southern, with plans to turn the former railroad bed into a multi-use trail for walking, running, and biking. This new trail will preserve the historic route for public enjoyment while transforming a long-defunct piece of railway into an economic engine for local communities.

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.

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