Karen Sherrill
posted May 13, 2008
With summer around the corner, many are expecting it to get hot. However, officials of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum disagree as they unveiled the 2008 summer schedule that includes some cool favorites.
Rides departing from Grand Junction Depot in Chattanooga:
Missionary Ridge Local -
Missionary Ridge Local trains run Mar. 1 - Nov. 2, weekends only in November, and Saturdays in early December. This is a recreated shortline railroad ride with an approximately 55-minute round-trip length. Train crosses Chickamauga Creek and passes through pre-Civil War Missionary Ridge tunnel traveling between Grand Junction and East Chattanooga. Tour in East Chattanooga includes a turntable demo and visit to the railroad repair shop. Departure times vary by season, check www.tvrail.com for details.
Fare: $14.00 adults • $8.00 children (3-12). Reservations not taken except for groups of 20 or more.
Closed Mondays, Aug. 11 - Dec. 31
Chickamauga Turn-
Experience a "turn" with the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum as we take you to historic Chickamauga. This trip will last approximately 5-1/2 hours and includes a two hour stop at downtown Chickamauga.
May 17 - Sept 20
Adults: $32.00 • $52.00, includes lunch in the vintage 1924 dining car
Child: $24.00 • $40.00, includes lunch in the vintage 1924 dining car
Eden Isle (Group of 8) • $600.00, includes lunch served in the dining room of Eden Isle
Steam All The Way
Relive the glory days of steam. Take a 100 mile round-trip excursion to Summerville, Ga. Thanks to the newly installed turntable, steam locomotive 610 will lead the way there and back.
June 7 and September 27
Coach Seats • $85.00
Eden Isle (Group of 8) • $1500.00
North Pole Limited Tickets on sale now:
Since 1999, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum has been carrying all the good boys and girls of Chattanooga and surrounding areas to the North Pole for a visit with Santa Claus. This year, TVRM announced that Jolly Old St. Nicholas has once again asked that we extend our services and take everybody back to the North Pole again!
November 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 & 30 and December 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, & 22
Rides Departing from Etowah, Tn.:
Hiawassee River Rail Adventure
Since the late Nineteenth Century, passengers and train crews have the pleasure of traveling along one of the most beautiful river gorges in the US as the railroad tracks hug the Hiwassee River. In the 1960s, the last scheduled passenger train traveled the line thus ending the ability of the public to view this breathtaking landscape from the comfort of the rails except for a period during the steam excursions of the 1980s and 90s. In 2001, the last freight train traveled the Old Line as CSX ceased operations and the rail line was thought to have been abandoned for good.
This changed in 2004 when the Tennessee Overhill Association and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum partnered together for a trial run at passenger excursions along the gorge. The results were spectacular. Now in 2008, the Hiwassee River Rails Adventure trains are again set to depart with an expanded schedule.
With further improvements made to the railroad, the trip has been lengthened to include riding to the top of the Great Hiwassee Loop. At the top you'll be passing over a bridge 62 feet above the tracks on which you've just traveled as the rails negotiate a spiraling formation. The Loop track has been known by many names, Great Hiwassee Loop, Bald Mountain Loop, and Hook & Eye to name a few, but you'll call it amazing.
Experience this gorgeous rail line on a three and a half hour "Loop" train ride, or spend the day on the "Copperhill Run" which includes a layover in Copperhill where riders can browse through shops and enjoy lunch. Please visit http://www.tvrail.com for trip dates and times.
The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was founded in 1961 as a non-profit, educational organization by a small group of local residents. Their goal was to preserve, restore, and operation historic railway equipment.
Nearly 50 years later, the mission continues with train rides offered to the public. Every ticket sold is a fund raiser to keep the trains running in Chattanooga recreating the golden age of rail travel. Please visit www.tvrail.com for a listing of excursions and special events.
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