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East Tennessee & Georgia Railway

The East Tennessee and Georgia (ET&G) Railroad, founded in 1836 as the Hiwassee Rail Road Company, was a vital pre-Civil War rail network in the Southeast. After financial setbacks, construction began in the late 1840s, and by 1855, the line connected Knoxville, Tennessee, with Dalton, Georgia. A key connection was later added from Cleveland to Chattanooga, Tennessee, allowing the ET&G to link with the Western and Atlantic Railroad and create an all-rail route from Knoxville to Atlanta and beyond.

The ET&G was strategically important for the Confederacy during the Civil War, making it a target for Union forces and their sympathizers. The railroad was heavily damaged during the conflict, but was rebuilt after the war with financial assistance from the State of Tennessee.

The ET&G’s most significant transformation occurred in 1869 when it was consolidated with the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad to form the much larger East Tennessee, Virginia, and Georgia (ETV&G) Railroad. This new company became a powerful regional network, eventually controlling over 2,500 miles of track. Following financial troubles in the late 1880s, the ETV&G was acquired by J.P. Morgan and was merged into the Southern Railway in 1894, with its tracks eventually becoming part of the modern Norfolk Southern Railway.

ET&G Stats

• Founded/Chartered: 1836 (as the Hiwassee Railroad Company)
• Operated: 1852 to 1869
• Initial Route: Knoxville TN to Dalton GA. A branch from Cleveland TN to Chattanooga TN was added in 1859.
• Final Length: 139 miles
• Cities: Knoxville TN, Cleveland TN, Chattanooga TN, and Dalton GA
• Successor: Southern Railway
• Today: Norfolk Southern Railway.

More Southern Railway information will be added to this page and others in the days ahead. Please let me know if you have any edits that should be made or any content you are willing to share by utilizing the comment form below. Would enjoy hearing from you if you have similar interests in the railroads, the region, or model railroading.

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Southern-Railroads.org Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Southern Railway and its predecessors. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Southern-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org