TRACK GRADE
Kentucky & Tennessee Railway
“Route of the Painted Rocks”
 
Elevations
 
Stearns              1351 feet
MP1                   1180 feet
MP2                   1040 feet
Tunnel               1000 feet
MP3                     900 feet
Barthell                860 feet
MP4                     860 feet
MP5 – Camargo 769 feet
Blue Heron         760 feet
Worley                763 feet
 

Mine #2 and river curve, which is a horseshoe curve,  are the two tightest curves with a radius of 22 degrees for each curve.

 
The Kentucky and Tennessee Railway was one of many natural resource short line railroads operating in the Appalachian Mountains in the early 20th century.  However, it was one of the few that mostly took empty loads down the mountain and loads back up.  Today's Big South Fork Scenic Railway drops almost 600 feet in elevation in 5 miles!  Because the locomotives have to labor so hard up the mountain, they push rather than pull the train up the mountain to keep soot and cinders off of the passengers.  This severe grade gives folks the rare opportunity to hear a first generation ALCO diesel electric (and soon steam!) locomotive working flat-out to conquer the steep mountain grade.
 

WHERE THE HECK IS OZ?

 
One of the coal mining communities that has disappeared into history, along with the section of the K & T Rwy that served it, was named Oz.  How do you get to Oz?  Simple.  It's halfway between Yamacraw and White Oak Junction just west of Rattlesnake Ridge!