Track by scenic section of Nickajack Lake and the mountains beyond
photo by Wes Schultz
Flooded and gated Nickajack Cave
photo by Wes Schultz
Train passes by scenic section at Shellmound
photo by Wes Schultz
Train passes over high trestle at Whiteside
photo by Wes Schultz
High trestle as viewed from Highway 134
photo by Wes Schultz
Steel supports for the high trestle
photo by Wes Schultz
Heavy traffic on Interstate 24 passes under the high trestle
photo by Wes Schultz
Tunnel at Whiteside was built before the Civil War
photo by Wes Schultz
Closer view of the tunnel at Whiteside
photo by Wes Schultz
Trestle over Highway 11 for Nashville train spur line to the Wauhatchie Yards
photo by Wes Schultz
Narrow overpass for the Nashville train over Highway 11 on the approach to Wauhatchie Pike
photo by Wes Schultz
Some of the most challenging terrain along the railroad that was built from Nashville to Chattanooga in the late 1840s and early 1850s was in the section that was named Whiteside, Tn.
The title honored Chattanooga's Col. James A. Whiteside, a state legislator who was a champion for rail lines to his home town from Nashville and Atlanta.
The Nashville line crossed the Tennessee River at Bridgeport, then went along the south bank of the Tennessee River toward South Pittsburg. It then passed by the old Nickajack Cave that long sheltered Native Americans as well as the early settlers. It also was visited by some famous Americans, including President James Monroe, Sam Houston, Andrew Jackson and Johnny Cash. When the Nickajack Dam replaced the leaking Hales Bar Dam, the historic cave was flooded. The new lake left one section of the railroad with a narrow stretch of high land with water on both sides.
Leaving Shellmound and the river, the railroad builders had to work their way along the side of several mountain passes. When they got to the wide chasm at Running Water Creek, there was nothing to do but build an exceedingly tall and very long trestle.
Originally, the trestle was constructed of wood. This was later replaced by steel girders. When the Interstate 24 freeway was put through this same wide pass, several concrete piers were added to buttress the tall train trestle.
The Whiteside trestle is 780 feet long and 116 feet high.
Not far past the tall trestle, a tunnel was built through a steep section near the present Tennessee Highway 134. This pre-Civil War tunnel is now buried at one end, but the other end with its handsome limestone construction can still be seen next to the relocated tracks. The railroad later dug out a hillside to bypass the narrow tunnel. There is a pulloff near the Hamilton and Marion County line where the historic tunnel can be viewed.
The Nashville train passed on through the old settlement of Hooker, Ga. Today, it crosses under Interstate 24 near the Tennessee/Georgia line. A spur that goes off to the Wauhatchie Yards has a trestle over Highway 11.
The main line goes behind the Tennessee Welcome Center, then over Highway 11 on a narrow concrete trestle as the Nashville train enters Wauhatchie. There is only room for one vehicle at a time to go through this old railroad overpass.