Michael George in his excellent book on the Murphy branch (Southern Railway's Murphy Branch) talks about the rumors of the Ls series being used on the branch in pusher service. History shows that they spent most of their existence on Bristol division but they did spend the last years out of Asheville.

He found a 1938 employee timetable listing Ms as the heaviest engine though double headed Ks were allowed and the Ls spread the weight over two sets of drivers.

He was unable to locate a 1934 or 1935 employee timetable to prove that Ls might have been on the branch.

So hopefully with the collective "prototype information" in the hands of web connected folks maybe someone has one of these missing employee timetables and can shed some light?

My interest? I'm modeling the Murphy Branch and would love to "technically" run some bigger power (hey, my track and curves will take it, I just don't want to have a nit-picker attack me.) Also I'd like to know just for curiousity sake.

Thanks

-- Southern Railway N Scale (southernry_n@hotmail.com), May 16, 2001

Answers

My question relates to relocation of the line west of Bryson City in the 1940s when Fontana lake was built. Do you have (of perhaps does the Michael George book referenced above) any information (i.e. a map) on the original alignment? I understnad there was a tunnel that is now submerged.

Thanks,

Tom Randall Kennesaw, GA

-- Tom Randall (tkrandall@mindspring.com), September 05, 2001.