Its bright smokebox contrasting nicely with the red, black, and gold adorning the engine, GSMR 1702 leads the 1pm gorge train into the Nantahala Outdoor Center on a bright fall day.

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702 climbs the last leg of her trip up through the gorge, navigating an S curve in below Milepost 86

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702 climbs the steep grades of the Southern Murphy Branch, tucked away within the Nantahala Gorge.

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702 works her way through the Nantahala Gorge, passing by the rock cut at Milepost 81.

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702 completes the last leg of an excursion into the Nantahala Gorge, passing through a field near Hewitts.

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702 passes through the Nantahala Outdoor Center, a popular spot for those who love the outdoors.

Enthusiastic rafters cheer as they pass Great Smoky Mountains Railroad 1702 working her way up the gorge at a popular photo location.

The Nantahala Gorge train makes its way through the namesake gorge as it gets ready to make a layover stop at the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Steam in the Smokies. GSMR's 1702 leads the morning fall excursion through the Nantahala Gorge and along the Nantahala River.

GSMR's 9:00 am excursion train glides along the Nantahala River near Wesser, NC along the former Southern Railway Murphy branch.

Just past Milepost 80, 1702 rounds a curve near the Nantahala Outdoor Center with a westbound Nantahala Gorge excursion. She has 6 mile climb to the run-around siding in Nantahala before she can h... (more)

Passing a popular photo spot called "Jump Rock", 1702 works her 2:00pm Nantahala Gorge excursion west to the run around in Nantahala.

GP9 711 leads the return trip of the Nantahala Gorge Train through the Nantahala Outdoor Center. The train will make an hour layover here to allow passengers to check out the nearby scenery and th... (more)

1702 makes its way west through the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Just past MP 80 on the former Southern Railway Murphy Branch, 1702 does all it can keeping a 20+ car (and 2 diesel) train moving over wet rail through the Nantahala Outdoor Center.