Southern Railway

Steam Queen Returns: The 2025 Summerville Steam Special Debuts in Style The steam season begins with a thundering start as Southern Railway 4501—the beloved Steam Queen—leads the first Summerville Steam Special of 2025! On this all-day excursion, passengers will journey through the scenic North Georgia countryside, relax in vintage railcars, and visit the welcoming town…

A Century on the Rails: The Enduring Journey of Dining Car 3164 Some railcars serve a decade and disappear. Others, like Southern Railway Dining Car 3164, span generations. Built in 1924 by the Pullman Company, Car 3164 embodies the craftsmanship and resilience of early 20th-century rail travel. For over a century, it has rolled through…

Dining in Elegance: The Journey of Southern Railway’s ‘Travelers Fare’ Dining Car Step aboard the past and experience a masterpiece of moving history—Southern Railway Dining Car No. 3158, affectionately named “Travelers Fare.” Built by the Pullman Company in 1924, this heavyweight dining car once graced the rails of premier Southern Railway passenger trains, and now…

Dining Car 3164: From Luxury to Legacy The Birth of Dining Car 3164 Dining Car 3164 rolled off the assembly line on April 24, 1925, built by the Pullman Car & Manufacturing Corporation for Southern Railway. It was a marvel of modern engineering and opulence—designed during a golden age when rail travel reigned supreme in…

Experience the Legacy of Southern Railway 832 The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum invites you to step into a bygone era aboard the meticulously restored Southern Railway 832. Built in 1949 by the renowned Budd Company, this lightweight coach played a crucial role in some of the most famous passenger trains in the United States, including…

When Iron Rails Kissed the River: The Day Chattanooga Changed Forever On December 1, 1849, a defining moment unfolded along the banks of the Tennessee River: a modest steam locomotive named the ALABAMA rolled into Chattanooga, carrying dignitaries and more than 200 invited guests. For many years, this community had thrived as a river outpost—its…

Riding the Rails of History: The Legacy of Southern Railway 4501 and GP38-2 5000 The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) offers rail enthusiasts a unique opportunity to experience the storied history of two iconic locomotives: Southern Railway 4501 and Southern GP38-2 5000. Though separated by six decades and representing different eras of railroad technology, these…

Southern Railway Dining Car 3158: A Century of Continuous Service  Southern Railway Dining Car 3158, built by Pullman in 1924, has a storied history that continues to captivate train enthusiasts and museum patrons alike. Donated to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM) by Southern Railway in 1969, this remarkable dining car is now celebrating a…

Celebrating 100 Years: The Journey of Southern Railway Dining Car No. 3158 A Century of Service – TVRM’s former Southern Railway Dining Car No. 3158 has long held the record of being the oldest continuously operating dining car in the country, and today that record enters triple digits, as the venerable 78 foot long, 87-ton…

Journey Through Time: The Legacy of Southern Railway Wreck Crane No. 903008 In the heart of our workshop, history reverberates as we service our iconic Southern Railway wreck crane, No. 903008. A Storied History Constructed in 1917 by the renowned Bucyrus Company, this crane has seen a century’s worth of rail history. Originally believed to…