This photo shows a crumbling track at the closed Alton Park Extension of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad. The city is considering a greenway along this old line.
Copies of the new book on Chattanooga's intriguing railroad history are available from Shannon at Zarzour's Restaurant on Rossville Avenue.
Railroads In and Around Chattanooga is published by Chattanoogan.com.
Author John Wilson is often at Zarzour's to sign copies of the book.
Zarzour's is open for lunch (11 a.m.-3 p.m.) Monday-Friday.
The book, featuring many photos by Chattanoogan.com photographer Wes Schultz as well as many vintage photos, has 69 chapters and 568 pages.
It includes 1,546 photos and maps telling the story of Chattanooga and the railroad from the rainy day in December 1849 when the first Western and Atlantic train came into town from around Missionary Ridge to the current effort to use some of the old tracks for a new light rail system.
The book, priced at $40, is published by College Press, of Collegedale.
It is in the same softcover, 11 1/2 x 8 format as the book on the Stokes photo collection.
Orders of the new railroad book by mail are still being taken. Please send $45 (includes tax, postage and handling) to:
Chattanoogan.com
@John Wilson
129 Walnut St. Unit 416
Chattanooga, Tn., 37403
Make out checks to Chattanoogan.com.
The railroad book will be available from Shannon there until it sells out. Also available from Shannon are remaining copies of the Stokes photo book of historic Chattanooga as well as John Wilson's updated edition of Chattanooga's Story.
Zarzour's, which has been operated by the same family on the Southside since 1917, is located behind the fire hall on Main Street.
Some of the book's most intriguing chapters deal with the Stevenson Extension that was started, but never finished. This overpass to nowhere long stood over Brown's Ferry Road at Patten Chapel Road.