About Oneida & Western Railroad Bridge
History
Construction of the Oneida & Western Railroad (O&W) began at the Cincinnati Southern Railway in Oneida on November 4, 1913. 2 By June 1915, the O&W had been completed to the Big South Fork Cumberland River 1 where a Whipple through truss, formerly located along another railroad, was erected over the river by the Nashville Bridge Company. 4
By 1930, the O&W extended as far west as Jamestown. 1 2
At its peak in 1922, the O&W featured up to three daily passenger round trips but the advent of the automobile and improved roadways saw passenger ridership decline between Jamestown and Oneida. 1 Freight use similarly declined as the Great Depression softened coal sales and the last of the virgin timber had been harvested. 2 The railroad began to bleed money in 1930 and by 1936, the railroad operated three daily roundtrips via a passenger motorcar. 1
The Jewell Ridge Coal Company purchased the O&W in 1946 and intended to use the line to access new coal reserves along the Big South Fork Cumberland River and to reach an active mine at Zenith. 1 2 With the exception of a profitable year in 1948, the O&W failed to materialize any substantial revenue with only two or three trains operating per week along the line. 2 The last train operated over the O&W on March 31, 1954. 1 2 3
The crossing was later reused for vehicles, horses, and pedestrians to access trails and campsites within the Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area.
Structure
Dimensions & Classification
| Structural Form | Through Truss — Whipple |
|---|
Photographs
History
Construction of the Oneida & Western Railroad (O&W) began at the Cincinnati Southern Railway in Oneida on November 4, 1913. 2 By June 1915, the O&W had been completed to the Big South Fork Cumberland River 1 where a Whipple through truss, formerly located along another railroad, was erected over the river by the Nashville Bridge Company. 4
By 1930, the O&W extended as far west as Jamestown. 1 2
At its peak in 1922, the O&W featured up to three daily passenger round trips but the advent of the automobile and improved roadways saw passenger ridership decline between Jamestown and Oneida. 1 Freight use similarly declined as the Great Depression softened coal sales and the last of the virgin timber had been harvested. 2 The railroad began to bleed money in 1930 and by 1936, the railroad operated three daily roundtrips via a passenger motorcar. 1
The Jewell Ridge Coal Company purchased the O&W in 1946 and intended to use the line to access new coal reserves along the Big South Fork Cumberland River and to reach an active mine at Zenith. 1 2 With the exception of a profitable year in 1948, the O&W failed to materialize any substantial revenue with only two or three trains operating per week along the line. 2 The last train operated over the O&W on March 31, 1954. 1 2 3
The crossing was later reused for vehicles, horses, and pedestrians to access trails and campsites within the Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area.
Gallery
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Sources & Citations
References for this location, in MLA format.
- Griffith, Josetta. “The Oneida & Western Railroad.” FNB Chronicle, 1997.
- Duke, Jason. Oneida & Western Railroad. Tennessee Coal Mining, Railroading & Logging in Cumberland, Fentress, Overton and Putnam Counties, Turner Publishing, 2003.
- “Scott County’s History.” 22 Apr. 2010. ↗
- “Oneida and Western Railroad Bridge.” 22 Apr. 2010. ↗
Looking for information about trail maintenance. I wanted to try hiking all the way through to Jamestown but it’stoo grown up. Anyone have information or want to help?
I don’t know if you ever made it out there but just in case you haven’t, here is some info. I did the section from Zenith to Gernt on 6/16/25 and it’s totally clear. Apparently, there is a group called the Backcountry Horsemen that sort of maintain it. They have installed segmented concrete roads under the rivers/creeks for their horses to walk on. I was able to park at Zenith, ford the North White Oak River so I could access the O&W right of way and then follow it to Gernt where the Groom Branch flows into North White Oak. The only drawback was the mud. But we have had a brutally wet May/June this year. Given drier conditions I bet the route would be a dream all the way to Speck and the O&W bridge.
I don’t know if you ever made it out there but just in case you haven’t, here is some info. I did the section from Zenith to Gernt on 6/16/25 and it’s totally clear. Apparently, there is a group called the Backcountry Horsemen that sort of maintain it. They have installed segmented concrete roads under the rivers/creeks for their horses to walk on. I was able to park at Zenith, ford the North White Oak River so I could access the O&W right of way and then follow it to Gernt where the Groom Branch flows into North White Oak. The only drawback was the mud. But we have had a brutally wet May/June this year. Given drier conditions I bet the route would be a dream all the way to Speck and the O&W bridge.