Hook and Eye Line L&N's route between Marietta, Georgia and Etowah, Tennessee was nicknamed the "Hook and Eye Line" because of two memorable curves along the route. The "Hook" was a tight double reverse curve at Tate Mountain, between Whitestone and Talking Rock, while the "Eye" was an 8000-foot loop up Bald Mountain near Farner, Tennessee. At the Eye the tracks encircled the mountain nearly twice before crossing back over themselves via a 60-foot-high trestle. It was built in 1898 to replace a set of switchbacks. L&N later bypassed the Hook, but the Eye remained in operation until 2001 when L&N successor CSX abandoned the 43 miles of line between Etowah and Copperhill (in Polk and McMinn counties, Tennessee). In July, 2002, the Southeast Local Development Corporation, a regional improvement organization, reached an agreement with CSX to acquire the abandoned line and convert it into a scenic recreational trail. The Hiawassee Loop, also known as the "Eye," at Bald Mountain, Tennessee. (From an old postcard).   Georgia's Railroad History & Heritage. Copyright, Steve Storey. Railroad History | The Depot List | Locomotives On Display | Odds & Ends | Sources & References | Home