Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.

 Great Smoky Mountains Railroad #1702 Winter of 2021

GSMRR #1702 Heading West arriving in Bryson City NC November 2021

Avery Church standing next to the 1702 after we had chased the train from Dillsboro. Avery Church, Brandon Lewis, and I worked together on the GSMRR. Avery, and I would be on the steam crew the next summer after this picture was taken. Avery is now "part of the furniture" around the GSMR steam shop when he is not Conductor on the train he is helping maintain this 176 ton beast.

GSMR 1702 on the turntable in Bryson City. 

Brakeman Larry Verbos is turning the locomotive by hand as she is put in her stall at the end of a run from Dillsboro November of 2021

This is the man in charge of #1702. Mr Marshall Harris 

One of the greatest guys I've ever gotten to know and call both my friend, and my boss. 

New Year's Eve 2021.

#1702 waits by the Bryson City, NC Depot to make one last trip to the North Pole.

The Polar Express returns from the North Pole just in time for the crew to celebrate another year, and the end of the steam season until May 2022.

A Bar-None Crew Sonne! 

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Operations crew December 31st 2021

In the Cab is Dale one of the SLE's over the train crew. 

Pictured left to right: 

Rustin Harvey, Kenny Farley, "Smoky Joe", Marshall Harris, Charlie Goetzinger, Matt Kauffman, Montana Fay, Avery Church, Brandon Lewis, Zane Murray, and the Raging Cajun Darrin Pierre. 

Then Brakeman (Now Conductor) Avery Church on his first day at GSMRR

Brakeman Brandon Lewis 

Brakeman Church checking his watch. 

Max the Station Master of the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad making some final inspections making sure all is right before the Polar Express departs for a trip to the North Pole! 

Conductor Matt waiving from the Catamount car as the Tuckasegee River Train departs Dillsboro, NC. 

The Easter Bunny Express 2022

Pictured Left to Right: Buddy Hooper, Carolyn Wyn "Train Mom", Larry Verbos, Con Avery Church, Michael Gutiérrez, Marshall Harris, James Taylor, Montana Fay, and Eddie Morrow. 

Not in Frame: Jacob Riley. 

 

Some days you just want to sit in your tree, and have your ice cream in peace! 

Avery Church at the Nantahala Outdoor Center 

Conductor (s) Avery Church and Charlie Goetzinger 

DAS ZUGFURHER!

The true most interesting man in the world. Tim Hall the Storyteller. 

I need write up a whole page on Tim sometime. 

The GSMRR Crew May of 2022

Yours truly steam wanding 1702 in the wee hours of the morning. 

Avery Church taking a short break hostling the #1702 in the summer of 2022

Conductor Zane Murray at the Nantahala outdoor center 

Yours truly at the Bryson City Depot before the first run of the Polar Express 2021 for the family of the crew. 

The infamous Hidden Springs Rd Gang! 

The three of us (Charlie, Avery, and Myself) Lived together which made carpooling easy when we were going to be working the same train that day! Picture taken at the Dillsboro station 

Note: Engine #1751 was without a doubt the best Diesel Locomotive on the GSMRR. 

Brakeman Trainee and future Pawl Bearer Wesley Styles. 

I was the one tasked with training Mr Wesley, on more than one occasion I would say: "Wesley when I die I want you to be one of the Pawl Bearers at my funeral, so you can let me down one last time."

Truthfully Wesley didn't need my help, He really grew into his own quick. I am very proud of how he turned out.

Smoky Joe on his very last run with the #1702 at GSMR. 

Dale is a man of few words, but he has a real talent of always knowing what to say. 

Conductor Avery Church before the last departure of the BBQ and Brews Dinner-Train 

August 2022

Some of the Greatest guys I've ever gotten to know, and call my friends.

Charlie Goetzinger, Avery Church, and Eddie Morrow.