Frank Clodfelter, 1911-1984

William Franklin Clodfelter loved cameras and locomotives.  Born in Asheville, NC, he inherited railroading from his father, General Foreman of Car Repairs, Asheville Division, who gave him his first railroad job: cleaning coaches for $2.32 a day in 1931.   Frank honed his lens ability to become chief photographer of the Ashville Citizen-Times, then returned to the railroad - "there would never be but one job for me!". Before he retired, Frank ran Asheville-Salisbury trains 4 and 3.  At Frank's request, SR President Graham Claytor posted E8's 6906 / 6903 to their last run August 8, 1975, terminating at Carolina Division Passenger service begun October  2, 1880.  But Frank was more than a locomotive man who photographed engines in 48 states and coast to coast in Canada - yes, and commissioned 20 painting from his book Frogg and Steam (Pruett, 1982). He was sensitive concerning georgraphy, literature, animals, people, and history.  And he was tough enough to hand-fire 2-8-0 on the Murphy Branch (and K4's on the Pennsy for a spell), tough enough to postpone the dead line of a terminal illness to finish this story on Saluda. - D.P.M.

Frank Clodfelter by one of his engines