If it's too cold to camp, I'd reccomend the Pinebridge Inn across the river from downtown Spruce Pine. You can see and hear coal trains headed thru the valley all night long. We used the 410 foot ... (more)
Northbound empties wind their way past downtown Spruce Pine, passing the former Clinchfield depot and the Spruce Pine local idling away in the siding. V386 is a Damron Fork, KY to Terrell, NC coa... (more)
As the sign proclaims, Spruce Pine indeed seems to be the "mineral city." "Gem mines" are open everywhere during the tourist season, and coal trains roar through constantly.
Shortly after finishing dinner, the sun peaked out from behind the clouds that develop in the mountains during the afternoon. The sound of horns in the distance had the makings of a pretty decent ... (more)
A winter blast has left a blanket of snow on the Toe River Valley. Here a southbound approaches Spruce Pine.
Rail grinding train sits at Altapass
loaded coal train heading into spruce pine nc
empty coal train heading into spruce pine nc
Three demonstrator SD70Ms are undergoing testing as they lead a southbound loaded coal train through Spruce Pine, NC on the former Clinchfield RR.
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Extra south rounding the big curve in Spruce Pine.
GP38-2 2562 sits on the house track at Spruce Pine as northbound ballast train W061 blurs by on the mainline.
