Craggy Mountain Line

Preserving Asheville's historic branchline

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2021 / RWH

rocky_inset2 typewriter ounding the bend on Woodfin Avenue, the spirit of the season is felt almost instantaneously upon arrival. It’s hard not to smile. Greetings of “Merry Christmas!” and carols sung by children — huddled together atop a restored 1950 Alexander Railroad Company No. 7 train engine — ring out, bringing a bit of sunshine to an otherwise dreary winter day. After climbing aboard a parked 1925 trolley, passengers are rewarded with sugar cookies and hot cocoa, sipping from their Styrofoam cups, shielded from the cold winter weather outside, while Bing Crosby serenades “White Christmas” from the speakers.

“I’ve always loved trains,” says Rocky Hollifield, president of Craggy Mountain Line. “That’s what I do. I live, eat, breathe and sleep trains."

Mountain Xpress

cml_state egyptian he Craggy Mountain Line, Inc. is a non-profit tourist railroad formed in 2001 to acquire the last three miles of the historic Craggy Mountain line, a section of railroad located in Buncombe County, North Carolina, immediately north of Asheville. The tourist operation traverses 3.5 miles of former Southern Railroad branchline that connected the mainline's Asheville yard to several customers along the eastern bank of the French Broad River. The line is preserved in an operable state and train and trolley rides are open to the public. The all-volunteer organization acquires historic railroad equipment for restoration to original condition for display and use on the line. The collection includes cabooses, freight cars, subway cars, passenger equipment, speeders, trolleys, and a 1950 Alco S3 switcher formerly on the roster of nearby shortline Alexander Railroad.

Craggy Mountain Line map / web

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2021 / RWH

Jun 2025 / RWH

Location

Woodfin, NC / Dec 2020 / RWH

Click to see the Craggy Mountain Line depot area plotted on a Google Maps page

Woodfin, NC / Dec 2020 / RWH

Dec 2020 / RWH

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Dec 2020 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Dec 2020 / RWH

Dec 2020 / RWH

Dec 2020 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2021 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2021 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2021 / RWH

Jun 2020 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2021 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2021 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

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Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

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Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

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Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

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Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

Woodfin, NC / Jun 2025 / RWH

Motive Power

Freight

Passenger

Maintenance

summer 2021

rocky_inset1 Introducing the nicest guy in railroad preservation: Rocky Hollifield. He loves subways. He loves cabooses. He loves the Craggy Mountain branch in Asheville. He loves God. And spend 15 minutes with him on the grounds of the Craggy Mountain Line and you will see just how much loves people. Rocky gave Ella and me the red carpet tour of the grounds, and was generous enough to open up the cab of his gorgeous #7 Alco so team HawkinsRails could climb all over her and take dozens of glamour shots. (Alas, I have not seen a nicer looking first gen switcher in a long time.) Rocky has collected a delightfully eclectic mix of transit, cabs, and rolling stock on the Woodfin property. Because of COVID 19, there were no rides going on this summer. But we'll be back to ride just as soon as we can. When you meet someone as kind and knowledgable as the good Mr. Hollifield, your first meeting ought not be your last.