Price: $30
Paperback; 192 pages with 133 pages of color
8 1/2″ x 11″

We are shipping the first edition on February 15, 2021.

North Georgia’s Two Shortline Railroads, the Georgia Northeastern Railroad Company, Inc. and the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway is a new book by Wilds L. Pierce, II is now available for purchase.

North Georgia’s Two Shortline Railroads details the history of the rail line with an emphasis on the twenty-five years that Wilds L. Pierce, II owned these two railroads and how he and Richard (Dick) Hillman founded the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway.  Revisit the past and learn about the construction and running of the rail line from Marietta, Georgia to Copperhill, Tennessee. 

There are two sections in the book, each with a different timeframe and focus.  In the first section, there are four chapters that detail the history of railroads in Northwest Georgia. The famous “Hook & Eye” rail line from Marietta, Georgia to Knoxville, Tennessee took 36 years to build and spanned 207 miles.

Section Two details the railroad related holdings of Wilds Pierce and how he got his start in the industry. The subsequent story of the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway’s inception and early days with its volunteer staff provides a fascinating read. Wilds Pierce, owner of the Georgia Northeastern Railroad Company, and local supporters had a vision for the return of passenger rail travel in North Georgia.  In 1998 the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway became a reality.

Of the 180 pages in the book, over 120 include photos with ninety percent in color. Not only are there rarely seen historic rail photos from the 1800s and early 1900s, but photo memories of building the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway are also included.