Smoke & Cinders

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) is excited to announce the acquisition of two EMD F7 locomotives, numbers 576 and 578, from the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey. This acquisition not only adds to our rich collection but also ensures the preservation of two valuable pieces of railway history. A Journey from Mississippi…

2020, Certainly Not The Year We Planned To our members, annual pass holders, supporters and friends – It’s hard to write a newsletter that spans from the end of the fourth quarter of 2019 (by most measurements a good year) through four quarters of 2020 that doesn’t make the Coronavirus Pandemic the central story…

A Memorable Year of Progress: Hiwassee District of Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in 2018 In 2018, the Hiwassee District of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) marked a significant year of achievements and progress. The year was distinguished by setting an attendance record with over 18,000 passengers, launching a new ride option for schools, introducing…

E8 Locomotive Restoration Journey: From Artifact to Resilience | TVRM Blog Series Part 2 It All Started with A Birthday Party Second of two part series In this thrilling second installment of a two-part series, Robert Frye takes us through the remarkable journey of reviving an E8 locomotive from the brink of extinction. This painstaking…

Doubleheading at TVRM If there’s anything more exciting than a train powered by a steam locomotive, it’s a train powered by two steam locomotives. Some of our most popular excursions include TVRM’s Summerville Steam Specials, when Southern 630 and 4501 are on the point. While these trips provide a lot of sensory stimulation, a more…

The Evolution of the Southern Railway Historical Association’s Archive: From Shaky Beginnings to a Steady Home The Southern Railway Historical Association (SRHA) was established in 1986 at the previous Southern Railway’s Spencer Shops, presently known as The North Carolina Transportation Museum. From the onset, both individuals and Norfolk Southern identified the SRHA as an organization…

The Art of Hosting: A Peek into the Planning of Special Events at TVRM The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) is renowned for its railroad journey experiences. A critical element in keeping our guests intrigued and fascinated is our special events. These special events contribute to a significant portion of our visitor traffic and our…

The Magic of Train Travel: How Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) Enhances Visitor Experience and Revenue In the latest issue of Smoke and Cinders, we discussed how special events serve to boost TVRM’s income, despite making up a relatively small portion of our operating schedule. Now, let’s turn our focus to the core of our…

TVRM Joins the Elite League of Southern Highlands Attractions The Southern Highlands Attractions (SHA) is a prestigious group of travel attractions that dot the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains. Home to some of the finest tourist destinations, the group boasts of members such as the Biltmore Estate, Shenandoah Caverns, The Blowing Rock, Rock City,…

A Ride Down Memory Lane: Steam Locomotive 630 and The Legacy of TVRM It seems like yesterday that we watched steam locomotive 630 roll out for test runs in the spring of 2011. I still remember the excitement in the air, the buzz of anticipation and the pride that every TVRM employee felt on that…