Southern Railway No. 610 at Grand Junction Depot

Thursday's main event was a full day activity, enjoying both an extensive tour of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) and Shop, and a half day rare mileage trip on the former Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia (TAG) route into north Georgia. In order to accommodate everyone, attendees were divided into two groups (A and B). My group was Group A. Group A rode the TAG route in the morning departing directly from the Holiday Inn by special train made up of two Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs), a diesel, and a Jim Crow Coach cars at 7:30 a.m. *we actually left a little later due to operational delays in getting the train to the "Choo-Choo."

TVRM GP-7L No. 1829

Meanwhile the other group (b) left the hotel by bus at 9 a.m. to visit the Museum at Grand Junction Station, then ride the connecting train between there and the TVRM Shop at East Chattanooga for a tour. Group B returned to the Choo-Choo about 12:30 and Group A about 1:15. After a quick lunch (buffet box or sit-down) put together in fine, efficient style by the hotel staff, the groups switched itineraries. My group headed for the TVRM while group B rode the Tag line. My report will focus on my experiences today.

First, a bit about the Tag Line. The route of the NRHS TAG special traveled the Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia Railway (known commonly as the TAG) within a short distance of towering Lookout Mountain through the Chattanooga Valley. Originally built as the Chattanooga Southern Railroad by famous Chattanoogan E. E. James, it arrived in its namesake city on June 27, 1891. The 92-mile line ran from Gadsden, Alabama, through Pigeon Mountain Tunnel (slightly south of Kensington, Georgia), and completed its meandering throughout three states into Chattanooga.

Passenger service continued on the line until 1951, using a motorcar exclusively since 1922. This motorcar was affectionately known as the "Pigeon Mountain Scooter." "Scooter" #500 had a terrible habit of overheating its cooling system, so the crew members became familiar with various springs along the railroad where they could stop and obtain water to top off the radiator.

Freight service was provided by TAG until 1971, after which time the line came under the ownership of the Southern Railway (later Norfolk Southern). the Chattooga and Chickamauga Railway has been serving customers since 1988 when the line was leased from NS. Kensington, the destination of our train, houses the primary lineside industry: Dow/Riechold Chemical. Only a handful of excursion trips have traversed the TAG, including Southern Railway excursions in 1971/1973 and a few TVRM trips in 1995/1996. The

After departing Terminal station, AKA "The Choo-Choo", about 8:15 am, our train, headed over a short section of the Norfolk Southern Mainline to Shipps Yard where we transferred onto the Chattooga and Chickamauga Railway. The consist of the day included Tennessee Valley (Railway Museum) No. 1829, a GP-7L, TVRM Rail Diesel Car (RDC) 22, TVRM Coach 907 (Jim Crow coach), an d TVRM RDC 20. RDC 20 had a concession area in it where cold drinks and snacks could be purchased; perfect for the hot day which reach over 103 degrees by the afternoon.

Reid, a railfan from Florida

Richard, architect from North Carolina

The photo runby (click here to see a video - 11.2M) was southbound at High Point, GA at about 9:30 AM in a wide open field. There were actually two runbys, one with the GP-7L leading, and one in reverse with the RDC "leading." At Kensington our GP-7L ran around the train, and briefly the RDCs powered the train forward to it could clear. Then the GP-7 hooked back up and pulled us for the return. On the return I got time to stand in the vestibule and talk "trains" with Reid, from Florida, who had come to the convention with a couple of his buddies and was busy photographing the days events. I also got to talk with Richard, an architect from North Carolina, who has a particular interest in historic railway structures (stations, towers, roundhouses, etc.). Just some of the people I met on the day. People at this year's convention came from all over the United States, Canada, and even the United Kingdom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southern Railway Mikado No.4501 at TVRM.

Open section heavyweight Pullman Clover Colony

TVRM Employee & Conductor Timothy Butler helps passengers off the train at East Chattanooga Depot

TVRM Shops named in honor of TVRM co-founder Robert Soule

Bill Weidemann of TVRM explains the workings of the wheel shop during the tour

Nashville, Chattanooga, and St. Louis Caboose

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After our quick lunch it was off by bus to the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum (http://www.tvrail.org), about twenty minutes away. The TVRM was founded by a small group of local residents in 1961. It is now the largest operating historic railroad in the Southeast and has three miles of track and tons of historic features. The majority of the line follows the original ETV&G railroad (subsequently Southern) alignment which was abandoned by Southern in 1959 in favor of a more modern alignment, including a tunnel through Missionary Ridge. The museum regularly operates steam locomotive No. 610 from its 1981 station (next ot the Norfolk Southern Main), wye, and display tracks in "Grand Junction" along three miles of track to the shops in East Chattanooga, where you can watch the locomotive being turned on a 1916 formerly Central of Georgia 80 foot turntable that was moved here in the 1980s, according to one of our hosts.

 

Our afternoon began with a 40 minute block of time to walk around the Grand Junction depot, photograph equipment on display, visit the gift shop, and take pictures of the arrival of No. 610 from East Chattanooga. I enjoyed taking pictures of the old Pullman cars and photographing the arrival of No. 610's arrival and at rest in front of the depot. It was a very hot afternoon, so a quick trip to the deli which was air conditioned, provided some much needed refreshment and cool air.At about 3:10 P.M. we boarded our three coach train for the ride to East Chattanooga to visit the shops and turntable. There was time to watch the locomotive be turned on the turntable (click here to see video of that - 68M), to tour the shops which were wide open for NRHS members, watch the No. 610 return, and then reboard the train for the ride back to Grand Junction at about 4:50 PM.

There is an amazing and unique collection of equipment here, restored, under restoration, and in some cases unfortunately in need of restoration. The shop is well equipped. According to shop volunteer Bill Weiderman the railway has a complete wheel shop, including the largest wheel lathe in North America (95 inches).

Equipment at the shops includes TVRM's pride: Southern Railway Mikado No. 4501, built by Baldwin in 1911. This locomotive was a fixture in the Southern Steam Program for many years. It last ran during the filming of the movie "October Sky" in 1998 (famed rail photographer O. Winston Link was seen in the movie in one shot waving out the locomotive's cab). Other equipment of note includes Southern Railway E8 #6914, a passenger locomotive that once hauled the Southern Crescent (currently under restoration), Southern Railway steam locomotive No. 2-8-0 No. 630, which is being restored for operation at the museum, Central of Georgia RS-3 #109, Kentucky and Tennessee Railway 2-8-2 No. 10, Canadian National 4-6-2 No. 5288, GP-7Ls, coaches, cabooses, an auxiliary water tender, and F7A and F7B Units.

Once we arrived back at Grand Junction about 5:10 PM, it was time for a quick bus ride (which for me included a nap), back to the Choo-Choo. After a quick shower it was on to the bus loading point for our evening event, a ride and dinner on the riverboat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our evening food and fun was a river cruise on the Southern Belle. Our bus left at 6:30 pm for the five minute ride to the waterfront, where we had a few moments to browse the gift shop before boarding our period looking steam boat Southern Belle. I quickly found a seat on the second deck next to Steve Barry, editor of Railfan and Railroad Magazine. We got busy with Robert and Hans talking about the weeks events, the future of the NRHS, and enjoying the traditional Southern Hospitality, fine food, glorious scenery, and the company of fellow rail fans on a chartered riverboat dinner cruise on the beautiful Tennessee River. Dinner, which was served buffet style (they were fast) included generous Prime Rib and Shrimp Creole, rice, rolls, potatoes, fresh steamed vegetables, salad, and cake for dessert. Iced tea, dessert, and coffee were included. A cash bar, and even seconds, were available.

Upon on the top deck I got to listen to the toe tappin’ music of the “Riverboat Ramblers” Dixieland band, stroll the decks, and just watch the world glide by. The highlight of the evening for me was talking to friends after dinner and listening to the calliope player's rendition of Glenn Miller's Chattanooga Choo-Choo. The NRHS chartered the boat for the evening and it made a lleisurely up- and down river circuit of about eight miles, passing such landmarks as the spectacular glass-peaked Tennessee Aquarium complex, the Hunter Art Museum crowning Chattanooga’s bluffs and looming Lookout Mountain. A wonderful way to unwind, with no cinders! Our boat returned to the dock about 9:30 PM, then after a short bus ride it was time to call it a night after a long and hot, but enjoyable day.

 

 

 

There was so much to do on Thursday that I didn't have time to do it all. I would have liked to have done the non-rail Civil War Battlefield Tour - but as is typical at an NRHS Convention, there was more to do than I had time. The Civil War Battlefield Tour focused on the 1863 clashes for the prize of Chattanooga, a key rail center and gateway to the Confederacy. In September of that year, Confederate forces defeated Union Army attempts to cut road and rail lines from the south. But by late November, Union forces, led by Generals Joseph Hooker and William T. Sherman, took the high ground of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, leading to the capture of Chattanooga. The tour focused on trips to those sites and teaching the history of some of these significant Civil War episodes. This tour even had one way trip up the Incline Railway, so it wasn't totally non-rail.

I also missed another great night of vintage railway films, put on by NRHS Film Library Director Mitch Dakelman. The NRHS has an extensive collection of films, many of which have been put on DVD or VHS tape, to loan out to our Chapters an bona fide groups. All part of the NRHS' educational mission.

 

All photos by J. Lilly unless otherwise noted.