Cowan, TN Passenger Depot

The Cowan Depot is wood frame and built in 1904 for the NC&StL railway. When in use, it was originally on the other side of the still-in-use-by-CSX tracks but moved further away to its current location in 1976. It's built in a railroad Gothic style architecture and has been repainted to the original green and yellow colors. The building is in the process of renovation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Every year, the town has a Summer Weekend festival called Cowan Depot Days with the goal of raising money to further restore the station.

Cowan is located on the historic line that runs from Nashville to Chattanooga and is perhaps best known by railfans as the last stop before ascending Cumberland Mountain and the picturesque but almost inaccessible Cumberland Mountain Tunnel entrance. CSX keeps pusher cars on hand to help trains make the incline to the top.

Steam Locomotive #1 has been the highlight of the Cowan Railroad Museum for many years. It's a Columbia Type 2-4-2. It was built by Porter in 1920 as a tenderless Tank style locomotive and converted with a small homemade tender and had the saddle tank removed. The cab used to contain a small coal bunker. The Engine was functional around Charleston, SC until 1964 when it was sold to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Then, was sold to the Cowan museum in 1979.

To see my other photos from the Depot Museum, look here:
www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/cowanrailroadm...

Replica of Franklin County's First Courthouse - Cowan, TN

Cowan, TN
The real one was used 1807-1814 and was the home of Major William Russell
This one was reconstructed by The Cowan Bell newspaper in April 1975 in honor of America's Bicentennial.

This is located in Cowan in the park area between Tennessee Ave. and the train tracks. It is on the other side of the tracks from the train station Museum.

Cowan, TN Train Depot and Steam Locomotive

The Cowan Depot is wood frame and built in 1904 for the NC&StL railway. When in use, it was originally on the other side of the still-in-use-by-CSX tracks but moved further away to its current location in 1976. It's built in a railroad Gothic style architecture and has been repainted to the original green and yellow colors. The building is in the process of renovation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Every year, the town has a Summer Weekend festival called Cowan Depot Days with the goal of raising money to further restore the station.

Cowan is located on the historic line that runs from Nashville to Chattanooga and is perhaps best known by railfans as the last stop before ascending Cumberland Mountain and the picturesque but almost inaccessible Cumberland Mountain Tunnel entrance. CSX keeps pusher cars on hand to help trains make the incline to the top.

Steam Locomotive #1 has been the highlight of the Cowan Railroad Museum for many years. It's a Columbia Type 2-4-2. It was built by Porter in 1920 as a tenderless Tank style locomotive and converted with a small homemade tender and had the saddle tank removed. The cab used to contain a small coal bunker. The Engine was functional around Charleston, SC until 1964 when it was sold to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Then, was sold to the Cowan museum in 1979.

To see my other photos from the Depot Museum, look here:
www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/cowanrailroadm...

NC&StL Boxcar PS-1 No. 22524 - Cowan, TN

This Boxcar was built in Feb. 1952 and used by CSX up until the 1980's. Today, the boxcar is on loan from the Tennessee Central Railway Museum and is on display at the Cowan Railroad Museum. This photo was taken a couple of years ago, and is probably going to get repainted. You can see where the repainted the "To and from Dixieland" slogan on the side. This boxcar may have been saved from the scrap heap as the words "Scrap Metal" had been painted on here, then painted over.

To see my other photos from the Depot Museum, look here:
www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/cowanrailroadm...

Cowan, TN Passenger Depot (Spring 2011)

The Cowan Depot is wood frame and built in 1904 for the NC&StL railway. When in use, it was originally on the other side of the still-in-use-by-CSX tracks but moved further away to its current location in 1976. It's built in a railroad gothic style architecture and has been repainted to the original green and yellow colors. The building is in the process of renovation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Every year, the town has a Summer Weekend festival called Cowan Depot Days with the goal of raising money to further restore the station.

Cowan is located on the historic line that runs from Nashville to Chattanooga and is perhaps best known by railfans as the last stop before ascending Cumberland Mountain and the picturesque but almost inaccessible Cumberland Mountain Tunnel entrance. CSX keeps pusher cars on hand to help trains make the incline to the top.

Steam Locomotive #1 has been the highlight of the Cowan Railroad Museum for many years. It's a Columbia Type 2-4-2. It was built by Porter in 1920 as a tenderless Tank style locomotive and converted with a small homemade tender and had the saddle tank removed. The cab used to contain a small coal bunker. The Engine was functional around Charleston, SC until 1964 when it was sold to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Then, was sold to the Cowan museum in 1979.

To see my other photos from the Depot Museum, look here:
www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/cowanrailroadm...

Cowan, TN Passenger Depot

The Cowan Depot is wood frame and built in 1904 for the NC&StL railway. When in use, it was originally on the other side of the still-in-use-by-CSX tracks but moved further away to its current location in 1976. It's built in a railroad Gothic style architecture and has been repainted to the original green and yellow colors. The building is in the process of renovation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Every year, the town has a Summer Weekend festival called Cowan Depot Days with the goal of raising money to further restore the station.

Cowan is located on the historic line that runs from Nashville to Chattanooga and is perhaps best known by railfans as the last stop before ascending Cumberland Mountain and the picturesque but almost inaccessible Cumberland Mountain Tunnel entrance. CSX keeps pusher engines on hand to help trains make the incline to the top.

Steam Locomotive #1 has been the highlight of the Cowan Railroad Museum for many years. It's a Columbia Type 2-4-2. It was built by Porter in 1920 as a tenderless Tank style locomotive and converted with a small homemade tender and had the saddle tank removed. The cab used to contain a small coal bunker. The Engine was functional around Charleston, SC until 1964 when it was sold to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Then, was sold to the Cowan museum in 1979.

To see my other photos from the Depot Museum, look here:
www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/cowanrailroadm...

Cowan TN typical brochure view

The sign reads:
COWAN, TENNESSEE
Named in honor of Major John Cowan, early pioneer settler Major William Russel first settled here in 1800, his home serving as the first Court House 1807-1814

1848-1854:
N&C Railroad constructed the world's longest tunnel and steepest grade railroad

1855:
9 mi. spur line to Sewanee Mountain completed by Sewanee Mining Company.

1863-1864:
Confederate and Federal Armies camped in Cowan.

Failure of Confederate Forces to destroy the tunnel provided General Sherman with a direct line of supply for his march through Georgia.
Erected 1974

Vintage Cowan, TN Texaco

the local vinatge gas station has been preserved and now is used as a museum and tourist welcome center. This station is located near the important transportation intersection of highway US 41A before the ascent to Sewanee and the CSX train line before it begins its ascent to the Cumberland Mtn Tunnel.

The station still has three gas pumps, one for sky cheif and 2 for fire chief. In the service station, the museum has a 1936 Ford and a 1950 Ford.

Cowan has also preserved one of it's old fire engines that still gets the job when the call comes in.

NC&StL Diesel engine - Cowan, TN

Located at the Cowan Railroad Museum. It is a 1950 Diesel electric locomotive, built by General Electric as a 44 ton. Donated to the museum as a long-term loan in 2007 after years of use in Huntsville, Al.
Historically, in 1962, this was the first locomotive ever to be equipped with radio control so that an engineer was nor needed in the cab.

Cowan, TN Steam Locomotive #1

My wife, who likes steam locomotives, commented it looks like it's smiling!

Steam Locomotive #1 has been the highlight of the Cowan Railroad Museum for many years. It's a Columbia Type 2-4-2. It was built by Porter in 1920 as a tenderless Tank style locomotive and converted with a small homemade tender and had the saddle tank removed. The cab used to contain a small coal bunker. The Engine was functional around Charleston, SC until 1964 when it was sold to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Then, was sold to the Cowan museum in 1979.

To see my other photos from the Depot Museum, look here:
www.flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/tags/cowanrailroadm...

Cowan, TN Passenger Depot

The Cowan Depot is wood frame and built in 1904 for the NC&StL railway. When in use, it was originally on the other side of the still-in-use-by-CSX tracks but moved further away to its current location in 1976. It's built in a railroad gothic style architecture and has been repainted to the original green and yellow colors. The building is in the process of renovation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Every year, the town has a Summer Weekend festival called Cowan Depot Days with the goal of raising money to further restore the station.

Cowan is located on the historic line that runs from Nashville to Chattanooga and is perhaps best known by railfans as the last stop before ascending Cumberland Mountain and the picturesque but almost inaccessible Cumberland Mountain Tunnel entrance. CSX keeps pusher cars on hand to help trains make the incline to the top.

If Train museums interest you, be sure to check this out: Next Spring, the Smithsonian is going to be bringing a temporary exhibit here. Learn more at http://smithsonian.cowanrailroadmuseum.org/

Franklin-Pearson House - Cowan, TN

In Cowan, TN (Franklin County) There is an old Railroad Hotel that is still open for business, all these years after passenger trains have ceased their route from Nashville to Chattanooga. It has been helped by the fact that it's also on highway US41A, making it the last place to stay the night before making the ascent up the Cumberland Plateau. It is also popular with visitors of University of the South, just a few miles up the mountain. For the whole story:
www.franklinpearson.com/history.html

Vintage Cowan, TN Texaco

the local vinatge gas station has been preserved and now is used as a museum, library and tourist welcome center. This station is located near the important transportation intersection of highway US 41A before the ascent to Sewanee and the CSX train line before it begins its ascent to the Cumberland Mtn Tunnel.

The station still has three gas pumps, one for sky cheif and 2 for fire chief. In the service station, the museum has a 1936 Ford and a 1950 Ford

Cowan has also preserved one of it's old fire engines that still gets the job when the call comes in.

Cowan, TN Depot (now a Railroad Museum)

The Cowan Depot is wood frame and built in 1904 for the NC&StL railway. When in use, it was originally on the other side of the still-in-use-by-CSX tracks but moved further away to its current location in 1976. It's built in a railroad gothic style architecture and has been repainted to the original green and yellow colors. The building is in the process of renovation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

I tried to visit the museum twice in 2008. The first time, I got there minutes after it closed for the day (usually at 4pm). The second time, I got there a week after it closed for the season. I'll get to it someday!

cowanrailroadmuseum.org/

Cumberland Mtn Tunnel Marker

A marker in honor of a historically significant tunnel along the railroad from Nashville to Chattanooga. They couldn't go over or around the mountain ridge, so they had to go through it. It's my understanding that this marker used to be at the tunnel, where nobody but train people could see it. Now it is in Cowan, TN, near the depot at the base of the ascent.

Cowan Railroad Museum: Engine & Depot

Steam Locomotive #1 has been the highlight of the Cowan Railroad Museum for many years. It's a Columbia Type 2-4-2. It was built by Porter in 1920 as a tenderless Tank style locomotive and converted with a small homemade tender and had the saddle tank removed. The cab used to contain a small coal bunker.

The Engine was functional around Charleston, SC until 1964 when it was sold to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Then, was sold to the Cowan museum in 1979.

The Ascent at Cowan

Cowan, TN is an important spot in the train line that runs from Nashville to Chattanooga. This is the last stop before the train makes the ascent up and then through the historic pre-civil war mountain ridge tunnel. The Depot in Cowan has been recently restored and is open as a train museum.