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| theroute [2025/05/13 01:41] – admin | theroute [2025/05/13 13:04] (current) – admin |
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| The line was only nine miles from the Memphis and Charleston Railroad near Belle Mina, AL. However, the L&N already had a mainline that ran to Decatur from Nashville, through Franklin and Lewisburg. There was also a branch line that ran from Decherd, TN to Huntsville, AL. The line into Fayetteville was a branch off the Huntsville Branch, so the MT&A was a branch of the Huntsville Branch. There was little to no value for the NC&StL to continue the MT&A to Belle Mina. | The line was only nine miles from the Memphis and Charleston Railroad near Belle Mina, AL. However, the L&N already had a mainline that ran to Decatur from Nashville, through Franklin and Lewisburg. There was also a branch line that ran from Decherd, TN to Huntsville, AL. The line into Fayetteville was a branch off the Huntsville Branch, so the MT&A was a branch of the Huntsville Branch. There was little to no value for the NC&StL to continue the MT&A to Belle Mina. |
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| The line was about 37 miles long at its greatest length. The NC&StL applied on July 21, 1928 to discontinue service along the MT&A railroad. By March 8, 1929, the Interstate Commerce Commission granted permission. It was on April 20, 1929, that the last train to use the line rolled into Fayetteville, bringing with it all the rolling stock and other equipment used along the line. | The line was about 37 miles long at its greatest length. The NC&StL applied on July 21, 1928 to discontinue service along the MT&A railroad. By March 8, 1929, the Interstate Commerce Commission granted permission. It was on April 20, 1929, that the last train to use the line rolled into Fayetteville, bringing with it all the rolling stock and other equipment used along the line. After only 42 years of existence and less years of operations, the MT&A ceased to exist. The rail was removed in the early 1930s, and the right of way was sold to the states of Tennessee and Alabama for use as a road. |
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| ===== What still exists? ===== | ===== What still exists? ===== |
| The third thing that still exists is a rock wall. This wall was built by the railroad at the intersection of Dan Crutcher Road and Old Railroad Bed Road. It was used to pool water at the spring there so that the locomotives could take on water for their journey. There are rumors of a robbery that occurred near the spring and that there could be gold from the robbery deep in the cave from which the spring rises. | The third thing that still exists is a rock wall. This wall was built by the railroad at the intersection of Dan Crutcher Road and Old Railroad Bed Road. It was used to pool water at the spring there so that the locomotives could take on water for their journey. There are rumors of a robbery that occurred near the spring and that there could be gold from the robbery deep in the cave from which the spring rises. |
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| The forth thing is a bridge across the Elk River that has stood for many years as well. I have seen pictures of the bridge from as late as the 1940s. It appears that the bridge still exists today, in 2025, near Fayetteville, TN. It could be visible from River Dr. | The fourth thing is a bridge across the Elk River that has stood for many years as well. I have seen pictures of the bridge from as late as the 1940s. It appears that the bridge still exists today, in 2025, near Fayetteville, TN. It could be visible from River Dr. |
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| ===== Other things that existed past the railroad ===== | ===== Other things that existed past the railroad ===== |
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| ===== Traffic on the MT&A ===== | ===== Traffic on the MT&A ===== |
| From what I can find, the MT&A survived by carrying freight and passengers. The primary freight was agricultural material, mostly cotton, and logging material, logs from the forest to the sawmill. Other freight included less-than-car-load (LCL) traffic, supplying the businesses along the line, or in some cases directly to the residents of the area. Most trains included a passenger car to carry people on the daily voyage of the train from Capshaw to Fayetteville and back. | From what I can find, the MT&A survived by carrying freight and passengers. The primary freight was agricultural material (mostly cotton, corn, hay, and livestock), nursery stock, and timber. Other freight included less-than-car-load (LCL) traffic, supplying the businesses along the line, or in some cases directly to the residents of the area. Most trains included a passenger car to carry people on the daily voyage of the train from Capshaw to Fayetteville and back. |
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| | The first bale of cotton was shipped on September 17, 1896. Soon after this regularly scheduled mixed trains ran from Fayetteville to Madison Crossroads (Toney), a 27.4 mile run in each direction. The timber industry had exhausted the limited resources by the 1920s leaving only the passenger and agricultural traffic for the MT&A. |
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| The train would stop overnight at Capshaw with daily trips to Fayetteville. | The train would stop overnight at Capshaw with daily trips to Fayetteville. |
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