A survivor of the "Glory Days of Steam" - the author: Burt C. Blanton - momentarily delays departure of the Clinchfield Railroad's special excursion train wich is standing at the Marion, North Carolina Depot; scheduled to leave at 9:00 am on Sunday morning, June 10, 1979. The train is headed by the Clinchfield's passenger locomotives, No. 200, type FP-7A, and No. 800, type F-7A. The consist was eight cars. The train's route was in a northerly direction from Marion to Erwin, Tennessee - a rail distance of 82.3 miles. The Clinchfield Railroad is a typical mountain line (standard gauge) - 275 miles in length - completed on February 9, 1915, at an average cost of $201,000 per mile. It's rails traverse a portion of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the railroad crosses the Eastern Transcontinental Divide in the Blue Ridge Tunnel which has a length of 1,865 feet. There are 55 tunnels on the route, ranging from 154 to 7,865 feet. This excellent short line railroad extends from the southern terminus, Spartanburg, South Carolina, via Marion, North Carolina to Erwin, Tennessee; and thence to the northern terminus at Elkhorn City, Kentucky.

Photograph of the front and south side of a two-story frame house located in 717 S. Sycamore in Palestine, Texas. It has Queen Anne-style details on the porch woodwoork and gable ends with Italianate-style influences (including round-arched upper sashes on the second floor windows, and pedimented architraves).

Photograph of a two-story house in Palestine, Texas. There is a sign in the front yard that says "Yard of the Month."

Photograph of a small creek in Davey Dogwood Park, located in Anderson County near Palestine. Photo was most likely taken during the Dogwood Festival.

Photo of the front of the Carnegie Building in Palestine. This building once housed the Palestine Public Library.

Photograph of a blooming Dogwood tree in the front yard of the Howard House, which is located at 1011 N. Perry Street in Palestine. The house is a one-story, white, antebellum-style house with Greek revival influence including square columns along the front porch. An anchor with a plaque is propped in the front yard.

Photograph of a small creek in the Davey Dogwood Park, located in Anderson County near Palestine. Photo was most likely taken during the Dogwood Festival.

Photograph of a marching band from Palestine High School walking down a street during a parade in Palestine, Texas.

Photograph of the Palestine High School drill team marching through a street during a parade in Palestine, Texas.

Demolition of an unknown building on Spring Street in Palestine.

Photo of a parade in Palestine, Texas.

Photograph of an old, yellow car being driven by a man through a street during a parade taking place in Palestine, Texas.

Photograph of a covered wagon traveling down a street during a parade in Palestine, Texas; the cover has an advertisement for 1st National Bank hanging on the side.

Demolition of an unknown building on Spring Street in Palestine.

Demolition of an unknown building on Spring Street in Palestine.

Photograph of a blooming Dogwood tree in the front yard of the Howard House, which is located at 1011 N. Perry Street in Palestine. The house is a one-story, white, antebellum-style house with Greek revival influence including square columns along the front porch. A sign in the front yard says "The Howard House Museum" and a woman wearing a red pantsuit is standing on the front porch.

Photograph of car taking a tour of the Davey Dogwood Park, near Palestine, Texas.

Photo of a parade in Palestine.

Photograph of a blooming Dogwood tree in the front yard of the Howard House, which is located at 1011 N. Perry Street in Palestine. The house is a one-story, white, antebellum-style house with Greek revival influence including square columns along the front porch. A sign in the front yard says "The Howard House Museum."

Photo of an unknown parade in Palestine, Texas.

Demolition of an unknown building on Spring Street in Palestine.

Photo of a woman dressed in a bright blue dress with a sash across her body, riding in a car through a street during a parade in Palestine, Texas.

Close-up of the southeast corner of the "Bailey-Summers House," a two-story, Classical Revival-style house located at 921 N. Cedar St. in Palestine, Texas. The dominant architectural feature is the front portico with two-story Ionic columns.

Photograph of the south side of a two-story house located at 501 S. Magnolia in Palestine, Texas. The house is brick on the first floor with wooden siding on the front and upper floor, painted light brown or beige with dark brown shutters.