Mount Watchout Railroad

The Mount Watchout Railroad was a 3 foot narrow gauge railroad that was built on top of Watchout Mountain connecting the Sheldon & Watchout Mountain Railroad to the Cliffside Hotel. The line ran for 3.2 miles.

History
Shortly after the completion of the Knoxville & Asheville Railroad Company in August 1905, more businessmen rolled into the new town with hopes of capitalizing on the land. A businessman named Alfred Holbrook arrived and planned to make mark on the little town of Sheldon. He bought some property on top of Watchout Mountain and began building the Watchout Mountain Inn, which was completed in October 1906.

Along with the construction of the Inn, Alfred Holbrook also had 2 railroads built to serve the Inn, a standard gauge railroad called the Sheldon & Watchout Mountain Railroad, and a 3 foot narrow gauge railroad called the Mount Watchout Railroad. The S&WM not only served the Inn, but also a mountain community. This line had a couple of switchbacks in order to climb the mountain. The Mount Watchout Railroad was only built for 2.1 miles and it ran from Sunshine Rock Station, snaking around the mountain side towards the Cliffside hotel, where the Watchout Mountain & Lola Hill Incline Railway was located.

The Mount Watchout Railroad only had 2 locomotives, an 0-4-0ST named "Baxter" built by H.K. Porter Inc. and an 0-6-2ST named "Wayne" built by the Pittsburgh Locomotive Works. Baxter was numbered 1 and Wayne was number 2.

Later in 1914, the Mt.WRR was extended an extra mile to bring the line to a place called "Natural Forge". In 1921, engine #1 "Baxter" was aiding with a maintenace train. The track gang were working on a bridge when a support beam gave out and the engine and its flatcar tumbled down the mountain, damaging number 1 in the process. Because of this, the engine was left where it was, abandoned.

Operations of the line continued engine #2 "Wayne" after the accident. In 1922, a fire broke out at the Watchout Mountain Inn, burning it to the ground. Also in that year, the Cliffside Hotel was torn down when the building inspector discovered that its foundation was too weak. With no further reason to exist, the railroad closed and so did the Sheldon & Watchout Mountain Railroad and the Watchout Mountain & Lola Hill Incline Railway (however the Watchout Mountain Incline Railway continued services), however, both saw some redemption. A few years after their demise, the Sheldon Municiple Railway & Transit Company was formed, buying up the right of ways of both the S&WM and the Mt.WRR. The original 3 foot gauge line was re-opened this time with electric trolleys. It was later shut down in the 1930s and the track was taken up. However the bridge and roadbed is still intact and is now a hiking trail.

Trivia

 * The railroad was based on the Mount Lookout Railroad in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was a 3-foot narrow gauge railroad that ran on top of Lookout Mountain from 1887 until 1899 when it was later electrified for trolleys.