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Attraction's new owner has big plans for Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

By Lisa Majors-Duff
Passengers on Great Smoky Mountain Railroad Herald Photo by Lisa Majors-Duff

All aboard ­ Passengers on Great Smoky Mountain Railroad lined up Saturday to ride the train on Opening Day 2000. Allen Harper, the attraction's new owner, said a new color scheme and logo are just the beginning of changes planned for the scenic railroad.

A subtle name change and a new color scheme marked Opening Day 2000 for Dillsboro's traveling tourist attraction.

The minor variations mark only the beginning of changes passengers on Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (formerly "Railway") can expect in the coming months and years, said new owner Allen Harper.

"We plan to run it like a railroad was historically run," Harper said. "While now it's a wonderful tourist attraction that happens to be a train, we want it to be a wonderful train that happens to be a tourist attraction."

When people take a train ride, they want to be transported back in time, Harper said. In an effort to enhance that feeling, passengers will be greeted by engineers and other train employees in historically-correct uniforms. Many other aspects of the trip will also be historically accurate.
Allen Harper, owner of GSMR Herald Photo by Lisa Majors-Duff

Allen Harper, owner of Great Smoky Mountain Railroad since December, inspects the train's new paint job before embarking for Opening Day 2000 this past Saturday. Using the new color scheme of Rio Grande gold and Tuscan red, the MacNeill Club Car has been designated in honor of former owners Malcolm and Joan MacNeill, who sold the train to do more traveling.

A new paint scheme and logo were also highlighted during Saturday's excursion. Recently purchased by American Heritage Railways, Great Smoky Mountain Railroad cars now sport a Tuscan red and Rio Grande gold paint job, while the new logo pictures both a diesel and steam engine. Harper, who also owns the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado, said he also plans a railroad museum, for which he is always on the lookout to acquire historic railroad equipment.

But his dreams for the railroad don't end there. In the future Harper says he'd like to see the revival of a "circus train," complete with animals and big top tent, and the start of a new tradition - an annual music festival on the train.
All these plans add up to one important fact, Harper said: A commitment on his part to make Dillsboro the permanent home of Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. He is in the process now of acquiring land and facilities for the railroad, all of which have been leased in the past.

"I am ready to put many, many dollars into owning property and facilities," Harper said. "If the owners want to sell at reasonably assessed values, then I want to buy. If not, then maybe long-term leases can be worked out."

With a new parking lot lease being worked on, he expects to park 400 cars at once, which would benefit not only the railroad, but the entire town of Dillsboro, as well, he said.

"We want to get involved with the town of Dillsboro," Harper said. "We want to be involved in more community affairs."

Already Dillsboro merchants have been invited to meet with the new railroad's owners and managers, and information and ideas have been shared, he said. The details of two requests - that the train be involved with the Dillsboro Heritage Festival and that uniformed personnel be hired to assist with traffic control - are being worked on.

Harper also wants to be involved in partnerships with other local businesses. Nantahala Outdoor Center, Cherokee Tribal officials and Harrah's Cherokee Casino are all talking with the railroad about joint offers and collaborations.

Embarking on another venture, Harper said he'll make it his mission to clean up the view from the train by removing as many junk cars as possible. The ones that cannot be removed, he hopes to hide from view by experimenting with a blended concrete sprayed on the vehicles to make them appear to be natural rock formations. He'll then promote plant growth by mulching the area.

"The Lord gave us such a beautiful world," he said. "It's time we take responsibility and make it beautiful again. It may take years, but I'm going to do it."

Expanding the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad track beyond the current run from Dillsboro to Andrews is not likely, Harper said. While many locally have expressed a desire to see the railroad run through Sylva and possibly on to Asheville, Harper said it's not practical to operate a passenger train service over 100 miles of tracks. Besides, he said, the tracks between Dillsboro and Asheville are not for sale, according to the Norfolk Southern Railroad officials he's spoken with.

Other than breaking the 200,000 passenger mark this year, Harper said he has no final goal in mind for the railroad.

"I read somewhere that 'Success is the journey, not the destination,'" he said. "And that fits so well a railroad."

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