Today was a good day for the Dutchman's Curve Project. Our event at Shoney's was very successful. Money was raised for the project, and meeting the people who came in to share their family stories of the Nashville Chattanooga Railway and of Dutchman's Curve was exciting.

The biggest surprise of the day was learning that a gentleman who eats at Shoney's several times a week is the son of a nurse who was present at Dutchman's Curve.

Carrie Climer (Shoney's Server) and Juan Gipson (Shoney's Field Marketing Manager) with Dutchman's Curve photos and drawing of Bellevue Station.
Juan Gipson, Shoney's Field Marketing Manager, was pleased with the event and is very interested in the story of Dutchman's Curve. Carrie did an amazing job at the merchandise table and sold most of our donated items. With Carrie at the table I was free to listen to the guests who came to Shoney's to share their stories and to show them the trailer of our documentary, "Dutchman's Curve, Nashville's Story." Several DVD's were pre-ordered.

Pictured: Dan Binkley (grandson of James Banks Binkley, Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway engine mechanic and Dutchman's Curve survivor), Joe Loftis (grandson of Henry Loftis, NC New Shops employee and member of Dutchman's Curve wrecking crew). Steve Johnson, NCPS Vice President Terry L Coats,
and Senator Douglas Henry

NCPS member,Steve Johnson gave me a copy of a story written by E. B. Heineman in 1935 for the magazine "Railroad Stories". The story, titled "America's Greatest Rail Disaster" will be a good secondary source for some of my data. Nashville Chattanooga Preservation Society Vice President Terry L Coats hosted the event with me and I look forward to working with him again soon.