From the crossover (25 mph) and junction for the Asheville line (40 mph on the turnout), on the south side of the Bristol line, at New Line (MP 228.0), the line heads southeast, single track, Automatic Block Signals (ABS), Traffic Control (CTC), maximum speed 50 mph, with a 35 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 228.0 to MP 225.4, past a spur at NC Storage (MP 227.7), turning south, past Roe Junction, where an erstwhile line from the north (through the now-flooded valley) once trailed in from the east, east-southeast, with a 30 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 225.4 to MP 224.6, south with a 35 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 224.6 to MP 217.3, past a detector at "Roe Junction" (MP 223.8), and a spur at Hanblen County Co-op (MP 218.7), southeast, with a 40-45 speed restriction on curves, from MP 217.3 to MP216.8, past White Pine, and south, with a 45 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 216.8 to MP 208.3, past the junction (40 mph on the turnout) with the line from Appalachia, coming in from the northeast at Douglas (MP 216.5).
The line turns curvily south-southeast, past the 10,263 ft. north-side siding from Lilac (MP 215.5) to Leadvale (MP 213.5), bridging across a reservoir formed on the Sevier River, to a detector at "Newport" (MP 210.8) and Rankin, and turning just east of due south, with a 40 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 208.3 to MP 206.7, curving south-southwest and then very curvily east-southeast, with a 30 mph speed restriction over street crossings in Newport, from MP 207.0 to MP 206.0, and a 35 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 206.7 to MP 204.3, past Newport (MP 206.4), a 30 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 204.3 to MP 203.3, a detector at "Bridgeport" (MP 203.3), a 35 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 203.3 to MP 198.6, the 10,097 ft. north-side siding, from Huff (MP 202.9) to Bridgeport (MP 200.7), where the line comes curvily alongside the south bank of the Sevier River, curving back and forth to follow the river, with a 20 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 198.6 to MP 198.2, a 25 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 198.2 to MP 197.5, a 30 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 197.5 to MP 195.4, and a 40 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 195.4 to MP 191.3.
There is a 7,197 ft. north-side siding, from Big Creek (MP 195.1) to Del Rio (MP 193.9), a 35 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 191.3 to MP 188.0, a detector at "Wolf Creek" (MP 191.1), Wolf Creek (MP 189.1), a 25 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 188.0 to MP 186.5, as the line continues to follow the curves of the river, now very curvily east-northeast, two bridges over the river cutting off an elbow bend, a turn very curvily southeast, still following the curves of the river, across the border from Tennessee into North Carolina, with a 30 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 186.5 to MP 182.5, past Paint Rock, a dragging equipment detector at MP 182.7, the 12,235 ft. north-side siding, from French (MP 182.7) to Hot Springs (MP 180.1), a 25 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 182.5 to MP 182.1, a 30 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 182.1 to MP 178.2 , a bridge over the river, and a detector at "Hot Springs" (MP 178.9), and turning east-northeast, with a 20 mph speed restriction on the curve from MP 178.2 to MP 177.1, to Runion, where the erstwhile Madison County railway once headed north-northeast.
The line turns curvily south, following the north bank of the river, with a 25 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 177.1 to MP 174.5, past Stackhouse, a 30 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 174.5 to MP 167.4, a dragging equipment detector at MP 170.9, the 10,234 ft. south-side siding, from Walnut (MP 168.3), past Barnard, to Nocona (MP 166.3), a 25 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 167.4 to MP 166.8, a 20 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 166.8 to MP 166.2, and a 25 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 166.2 to MP 165.9, past Redmon, turning curvily east, with a 30 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 165.9 to MP 148.6, past a detector at "Marshall" (MP 163.8), and Marshall (MP 163.3), southeast, still following the river, south-southwest, bridging over the river and then following the other bank, past the 10,241 ft. north-side siding, from Ivy (MP 159.7) to Volga (MP 157.3), within which line and river turn very curvily south-southeast and then curvily south, still following the west bank of the river, past a detector at "Alexander" (MP 152.3).
There is a 35 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 148.6 to MP 143.0, past Olivette, the start of double track (40 mph on the turnout) at Craggy (MP 145.9), where a spur heads east to Woodfin and one track crosses the river so that there are tracks on both sides, with a 30 mph speed restriction on curves, from MP 143.0 to MP 142.3, to Murphy Junction (MP 142.3), where the line from Dillsboro (and this the Great Smokey Mountains Railway) trails in from the west, that track crosses the river, and the maximum speed drops to 20 mph, with the Asheville Yard (MP 141.0) on the north side of the double track, CTC main line, (here in Yard Limits), and the line turning east, away from the river, at the south end of the yard, past the passenger station at Asheville (MP 138.9), and the wye at the junction with the line to Spartanburg at Biltmore (MP 138.0), where there is a depot on the south side, the local speed limit is 20 mph, and Yard Limits end.