TVRM: A Ride on the Local

Some days at the Tennessee Valley Railroad you get a ride behind a steam locomotive, some days not. Today (1 May, 1993) we are behind the museum's Alco RSD-1 no. 8677 pulling several bus loads of Chattanooga area school children.

Some highlights are:

We begin at the East Chattanooga Depot. At 1:26 into the video we see the turnout that connects TVRM to the rest of the world via downtown Chattanooga. Leaving the yard limit, we cross the Arno Street bridge(1:45) and climb the grade toward the Missionary Ridge Tunnel (1:59). The tunnel is 986 feet long and has required only track maintenance and some portal work since 1858. During the Civil War it was captured and held several times by each side.

Leaving the tunnel we travel downgrade toward Grand Junction.

After a turn on the wye, we arrive at Grand Junction (3:07), then we head back to East Chattanooga.

We cross Chickamauga Creek (4:40) where, it is said, the water ran red with blood during the Civil War battle. Remnants of earlier bridges are visible on the right. We then pass the storage siding and cross the CSX bridge (5:20). It was on these tracks a bit south of here where Andrews' Raiders commandeered the General during the Great Locomotive Chase.

The little Alco pulls us up the grade, there is a blast of the horn for the tunnel approach, and we are soon back at the East Chattanooga Depot.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• TVRM
• RSD-1
• 8677
• ALCO
• Museum
• Chattanooga
• Missionary
• Ridge
• Tunnel
• Chickamauga
• Creek

[LinemanRailfain]

Nice video! what did this line used to be? like main route from where to where and who owned it?

[WearybottomAssociate]

This used to be a part of Southern Railway's Knoxville to Chattanooga main.

From TVRM's web site:

" . . the original c.1856 Southern main line. This rail line had been abandoned upon completion of Citico Yard in 1954 (now renamed Debutts Yard)"

[MALDITOSPUNK]

so cool!!! msg me! J

[WearybottomAssociate]

Tried to send msg. Got indication msg disabled for all but designated friends.

[TVRM610]

Do you have any footage of S.R. #630 in operation, if so you need to upload it, I was unfortunate  in not getting to see it operate.