Future of “Old Tweetsie Line” still uncertain

Johnson City leaders may soon learn whether or not they will be able to turn an old railroad into a 10-mile trail. Johnson City first began trying to buy the “Old Tweetsie Line” that runs between Johnson City and Elizabethton two years ago. City leaders offered their latest bid at the end of 2008. At the time, the city said it hadn’t received a response from the owners of the rail-line. That response could come soon.

The East Tennessee Railway Company filed a notice last week alerting the federal government that it intends to abandon the railroad soon. In the Environmental Report filed with the Surface Transportation Board, the company says it hopes the government will give it the go-ahead to abandon the railroad on or around November 12, 2009. According to the notice, the railroad leaves the option open for another company to come in and still run rail service on the line. It also leaves the option open for the City of Johnson City to turn the rail into a trail.

“It appears with this step taking place the railroad is now perhaps in a position to consider the City of Johnson City’s offer,“ Johnson City Assistant City Manager Charles Stahl said. “It would appear to me that it certainly is a first step in a process that may lend itself for some optimism that things are moving.“

Still, Stahl cautions his optimism is guarded. After all, until recently, the owners of the rail-line hadn’t said a word to the city about its previous offers to buy the rails.

“There’s been next to nothing as far as, there was no formal feedback at all,“ Stahl said. “(Company President Bill Jasper) mentioned to me (last month) that he was aware of the city’s offer but it was not a high priority for the railroad. He promised me that they would look at it again this fall.“

That said, Stahl admits there is a chance the railroad may never sell the city the rail-line.

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