The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (formerly Railway) began operations in 1988. GSMR owns 53 miles (85 kilometers) of the Murphy Branch, a former branch line of the Southern Railway between Dillsboro and Andrews. The line was completed to Dillsboro in 1883 and reached Andrews in 1890. The GSMR route uses a route which passes through “fertile valleys, a tunnel, and across river gorges” in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina. Excursions currently utilize the line between Bryson City and Nantahala (22 miles or 35 km in length), and the line between Bryson City and Dillsboro (16 miles or 26 km in length). In 2004, GSMR debuted its Polar Express train ride, based on the newly released movie and licensed through Warner Bros. This ride has annually been a major economy boost for the railroad and the town of Bryson City. In 2019, GSMR broke all attendance records with over 91,000 people riding the Polar Express excursion alone.
