Yup, you're right on both calls. #11 now runs on the Kentucky Central in Paris, KY. Other than Mr. Beebe's reference to the line in Mixed Train Daily, the first I knew they were getting into the excursion business was when I passed the beautifully painted green and gold tender eastbound on I-85. It was clearly lettered "Hartwell". I made a call to the RR and visited and rode the line on its second day of operation under Mr. Pollock.
At that time work had only begun on the turntable and wye. It was a Sunday and the crowd was mostly local and still dressed for church. They were using a 44-tonner. The steamer was ill and we passed her under steam at Airline. What a great trip I visited and rode several times after that. I even helped Mr. Pollock remove some of the masking tape from the newly painted armrests in one of the coaches. He was a very active and personable man. He had run the loco previously on another RR he had operated in Oklahoma, which he had dubbed the "Red Carpet Line". The nickname moved with him to the Hartwell. It was a real tragedy when he was killed in that accident.
The RR was great! The firsttime I saw it curving down the hill leading to the bridge at Hartwell, I knew this was one line I would absolutely HAve to ride. The track ran up hill, down dale, and through people's backyards. The neighbors would come out on their back porches to wave at the train. At one point the line skirted a copse of trees. The story was the original landowner refused to cut a deal that would allow the RR right-of-way straight through, so the RR went around.
I'm too young to have ridden the beautiful Tweetsie in its prime, but have tried to seek out short lines like the Hartwell whenever I could. But riding the Hartwell was a particularly unique and satisfying experience. It just happened to be a narrow gauge line that had gotten a little wider than most.
My two cents, Glenn