RAILFEST INFORMATION
Tennessee Valley Railfest is a special celebration of railroading marking the 50th Anniversary of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum! An exciting weekend of live entertainment, special exhibits and displays, visiting railway equipment, and of course plenty of train rides for all to enjoy. Debuting during Railfest will be the exhibit “Fifty Years of Steam in the Valley” highlighting the photography of John W. Coniglio. Children’s activities will include strolling magicians, handcar rides, wooden train tables, coloring pages, and more. Civil War reenactors will have encampments throughout the weekend.
Click on the images below to download our Chattanooga Times Free Press Railfest handout with tons of information.
Thursday, Sept 1 - Kicking off the festival weekend will be a Birthday Banquet on Thursday, September 1, held at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. The dinner will feature Wick Moorman, Chairman, President, and CEO of Norfolk Southern Corporation who was recently named “Railroader of the Year” for 2011 by Railway Age Magazine. This banquet is included for Railfan Ticket Package holders or tickets can be purchased individually.
Friday, Sept 2 - For shutterbugs, there will be a night photo session on Friday with special lighting on posed locomotives late that evening at TVRM. This option is included for Railfan Ticket Package holders or tickets can be purchased individually (session limited to 100 participants.)
FESTIVAL TRAIN SCHEDULE:
Throughout each day, Missionary Ridge Local trains and special "Tunnel Turn" trips will operate on an expanded schedule. Missionary Ridge Local runs from Grand Junction through Missionary Ridge Turnnel to East Chattanooga and return, while Tunnel Turn trips run from Grand Junction to a location near Missionary Ridge and return. Railfest ticket holders can ride these trains on an unlimited basis as space allows. Saturday and Sunday Missionary Ridge Local trains will feature visiting “F unit” #6133 from the North Carolina Transportation Museum, while TVRM’s own steam locomotive #630 will lead trains on Monday. Tunnel Turn trains for all days will be powered by newly-restored 0-6-0 steam locomotive #126 courtesy of the Grambling Locomotive Works. See more information about the locomotive here.
Daily Schedule:
- 9:30 Tunnel Turn
- 10:15 Missionary Ridge Local
- 10:30 Tunnel Turn
- 11:10 Missionary Ridge Local
- 11:30 Tunnel Turn
- 12:25 Missionary Ridge Local
- 12:30 Tunnel Turn
- 1:45 Missionary Ridge Local
- 2:00 Tunnel Turn
- 2:50 Missionary Ridge Local
- 3:00 Tunnel Turn
- 3:55 Missionary Ridge Local
- 4:00 Tunnel Turn
- 4:55 Missionary Ridge Local
- 5:00 Tunnel Turn
EXCURSION TRAIN SCHEDULE:
Mainline excursion trains will operate on Saturday and Sunday hosted by Norfolk Southern as part of their 21st Cenury Steam program. See information here. A special excursion into Georgia will take place on Monday featuring "F unit" #6133. Photo runbys and other extras are being planned for this trip which is called "Georgia Diesel Special." These trips require an extra fare ticket.
The mainline 21st Century Steam trips on Saturday and Sunday will run from Grand Junction Station to CT Wye behind the Chattanooga Choo Choo for a 15 mile, one and a half hour excursion. This is the first public steam trip over the Norfolk Southern mainline since 1994. Order mainline tickets by date and time. These tickets include admission to Railfest on the day of your trip.
The Georgia Diesel Special is a round trip over the former Central of Georgia Railroad pulled by Southern FP7 locomotive 6133 and Southern GP-30 locomotive 2594, with photo run-bys and commissary car for ala cart food service. Departs Grand Junction Station at 11:00am on Monday. This ticket includes admission to Railfest on September 5 only.
Saturday & Sunday Schedule:
- 10:00 Mainline 21st Century Steam
- 2:00 Mainline 21st Century Steam
Monday Schedule:
- 11:00 Georgia Diesel Special (Chickamauga Turn)
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE:
Saturday, Sept 3 –
- 9:30 TZG Live Presents - All Aboard the Happy Train! (children’s show – 30 min)
- 10:00 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 10:30 Hobo Camp Storytelling by Jim Pfitzer (45 min)
- 10:30 Christie Burns and Friends (old time fiddle tunes traditional music – 30 mins)
- 11:45 Lon Eldridge (acoustic blues – 45 min)
- 12:30 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 1:00 TZG Live Presents - All Aboard the Happy Train! (children’s show – 30 min)
- 2:00 Sweet Georgia Sound (big band swing – one hour)
- 2:30 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 4:00 TZG Live Presents - All Aboard the Happy Train! (children’s show – 30 min)
- 4:30 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 5:00 Hobo Camp Storytelling by Jim Pfitzer (45 min)
- 5:30 Mountain Cove Boys (mountain music – one hour)
- 7:00 Cutting of "World's Largest Moon Pie" Birthday Cake
- 7:30 Headline Act – Sam Bush Band (popular “newgrass” – 90 minutes – requires optional $10 ticket) - outdoor concert: bring blankets and lawn chairs
Sunday, Sept 4 –
- 11:00 Matt Evans and Gary Scheufler (acoustic blues – one hour)
- 11:30 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 12:30 TZG Live Presents - All Aboard the Happy Train! (children’s show – 30 min)
- 1:00 Hobo Camp Storytelling by Jim Pfitzer (45 min)
- 1:30 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 2:00 Lou Wamp & Swing Shift (western swing – one hour)
- 3:00 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 4:30 Hobo Camp Storytelling by Jim Pfitzer (45 min)
- 5:00 Smooth Flight Jazz Band (one hour)
- 5:30 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 6:30 TZG Live Presents - All Aboard the Happy Train! (children’s show – 30 min)
- NOTE: Outdoor Movie has been CANCELLED due to potential inclement weather.
Monday, Sept 5 –
- 9:30 Ed Huey and Matt Evans (old time music – one hour)
- 10:00 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 10:45 TZG Live Presents - All Aboard the Happy Train!(children’s show – 30 min)
- 11:00 Railfest Whistle Salute
- 11:15 Hobo Camp Storytelling by Jim Pfitzer (45 min)
- 12:00 Norfolk Southern Lawmen (country/railroad songs – one hour)
- 12:30 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 1:30 River City Red Hots (big band swing – one hour)
- 2:00 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 2:30 TZG Live Presents - All Aboard the Happy Train! (children’s show – 30 min)
- 3:30 Hobo Camp Storytelling by Jim Pfitzer (45 min)
- 4:00 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 4:30 Norfolk Southern Lawmen (country/railroad songs – one hour)
- 5:30 Civil War garrison demonstration
- 6:00 TZG Live Presents - All Aboard the Happy Train! (children’s show – 30 min)
For more information about Railfest entertainers click here
SHUTTLE BUS SCHEDULE:
It has been decided that attendees can procede directly to TVRM's Grand Junction Station for parking on Monday.
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