A steam powered trip to Summerville, GA capped a fun-filled week for conventioneers as Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s former U.S. Army S-160 2-8-0 No. 610 pulled an excursion train from the Choo Choo at 7:45 a.m. for a 94 mile southbound round trip to Summerville, Ga. on the former Central of Georgia. This trip offered three levels of service-premier made up of office car Eden Isle and sleeper Clover Colony, open air coach, and air conditioned coach.

Consist: TVRM's steam locomotive No. 610 a consolidation type, ws built in 1952 by Baldwin Lima-Hamilton for the US Army. It is handfired with soft coal and waqs one of the last steamers built in the US. It also had an extra water tender (canteen). Behind the steam equipment was GP-7L No. 1829 which provided helper service. following was:

 

Dining car staff prepares lunch

Delicious!

Dining car steward David Duncan pauses for the photographer

Passengers in both Eden Isle and Clover Colony had lunch sittings in the dining car. Coach passengers had the option of purchasing dining car lunch at additional cost, which I took part in. My delicious hot lunch (there were three selections) included barbecue, a tossed salad, baked beans, rolls, coleslaw, potato salad, and apple pie ala mode.

There were also restaurants available during the approximately two hour layover in Summerville. A concession car was in service during the entire trip. The Central of Georgia Railroad was taken over by Southern Railway in 1969 and portions of this line were abandoned as duplication of nearby AGS trackage.

Passenger service on this line was discontinued in 1950. This line has been owned by the Georgia Department of Transportation since 1998. Freight service is still offered by the Chattooga and Chickamauga Railway (CCKY). The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum operates their excursions during the year on this line.

After leaving the Choo Choo (former Chattanooga Terminal Station) complex we backed onto the Norfolk Southern (NS) mainline and then transferred to the former Central of Georgia (formerly Southern/Norfolk Southern now Chattooga and Chickamauga [C&C]) route. We then crosed Chattanooga Creek and passed through portions of South Chattanooga and Alton Park before crossing into Georgia near Rossville, where the scenery started to become more rural and more beautiful. Past Rossville we began to climb Missionary Ridge, then passed Wilde Tower.

The route then skirted the Chickamauga National Battlefield, traveling through the former textile manufacturing area of northern Georgia. Later passed through Chickamauga where the Walker County Regional History museum was housed in a beautifully restored Central of Georgia Railroad depot. A bit latter we went through the western side of the town of Lafayette, which is the main office/headquarters of the operator of the railroad, the C&C./ A trion we went by Mount Vernon Mills, visible on the right/west side of the track - Mount Vernon Mills is believed to be the world's largest manufacturer of denim. At the end of the line we disembarked at Dowdy Park next to the Summerville Train station. We then watched the locomotive spin on the turntable. It was constructed by the city of Summerville and is the longest such turntable in the United States today.

No. 610 at a photo runby

No. 610 at Photo runby

 

Six photo runbys took place during the trip spread over four separate stops (a photo runby is an event where the train stops, and then passengers are able to detrain and step away from the train. Then the train backs up and then proceeds forward past the passengers at track speed, whistle blowing, so that videographers and photographers may capture the experience on film). Runbys wereheld at Oakwood Church, Whitfield Oil Company, the city park in Trion, and an open field near Chickamauga. One of the runbys was on the Northbound leg, the other three in the morning. Click here to see a video of a photo runby from today's trip.

Ansley, age 3, watches the world go by.

Conner, age 6, is keeping watch in the vestibule with his father as he poses for the photographer.

Today's trip was a most definitely a family event, there were quite a few families with chidren on-board. It was good to see the next generation of railfan pressing their noses to the winter and asking question after question.

It was a long day, but the commissary car had souvenirs, soft drinks, burgers, cold soda and water, coffee, and donuts for sale (they also had hot chocolate but the attendant said there were not many takers - wonder why). The souvenir end of the car had t-shirts, hats, books, videos, trinkets, and everything else TVRM railroad souvenir wise.

It was another sweltering day as well, but a good time was had by all. Our train returned a little late, about 8:30 due to slow orders on the track and to the extra photo runbys that were permitted.

After getting back to the terminal, I finished my week at the Choo Choo out by enjoying my evening meal in an authentic "Dinner on the Diner", a 3 star restarurant operated by the Chattanooga Choo Choo. My steak, salad, and vegetable were terriffic. Even better was the time I spent talking to Ann and Don, both frequent contributors to the new Passenger Train Journal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was time to retire to my bedroom. My trip home was to begin Sunday morning.

 

 

 

 

Hope to see you, like all the 2008 Texas Convention Committee Folks pictured at the right do, in Fort Worth Next June. And remember, Safety first, always.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The End - Central of Georgia Caboose at Summerville, GA.

All photos by J. Lilly unless otherwise noted.

NOTE: Here is a link to a commercial photography web site. The photographer was taking pictures of the train that day. Inclusion of this link is not an endorsement of this service. It is simply included for the benefit of our members.