TEST
Quick Details
Our most frequent service trips — called the “Local” for short — begin at our Grand Junction Station and take you over four bridges and through the pre-Civil War Missionary Ridge Tunnel. The trip is 65-minutes (15 min to East Chattanooga, 25 min layover, and 15 min back to Grand Junction) and includes a turntable demonstration and brief tour of the TVRM restoration shop in East Chattanooga.
Breakdown of the 65-minute experience on the Missionary Ridge Local includes 6-miles roundtrip, tour guide providing local history throughout the experience, crossing four bridges, passing through pre-Civil War, horseshoe-shaped tunnel, historic turntable demonstration, and a brief tour of train restoration shops. Come on ride the train!
The term “Local” refers to shorter trains that were once a lifeline to small towns along the railroad. Local trains featured frequent stops and services that included mail delivery, shipping of local produce, meat and dairy products, and for some children, even their daily ride to school!
Imagine as you stand on the platform as the train arrives… the train rolls to a stop with the ground rumbling beneath your feet, you feel a mounting sense of anticipation. The conductor calls the long-awaited signal: “Board!” Excitement builds as passengers scurry to their seats, looking forward to a relaxing trip aboard the train, on to their next destination. This was a regular occurrence 100 years ago… and it still is today on the Missionary Ridge Local!
Missionary Ridge Local trips begin at the Grand Junction depot and take passengers along one of the original railroad lines into Chattanooga, crossing bridges and diving through the Missionary Ridge Tunnel before arriving at the other side of our museum, East Chattanooga.
The train stops at East Chattanooga, allowing riders off the train to watch the locomotive rotating on a turntable and participate in a tour of the railroad restoration shop before re-boarding for the return trip. Round trip time is slightly less than one hour – a great introductory train ride for kids!
Join our engineer in the cab of the locomotive for the ultimate train ride experience!
Steam locomotive: $38 for one-way ride and $58 round trip ride. Limit two riders per trip; age: 12-14 accompanied with an adult, 15 and up unaccompanied.
Diesel Locomotive: $28 for one-way ride and $38 round trip ride. Limit two riders per trip; minimum age 10-14 accompanied by an adult, 15 and up unaccompanied.
**All cab riders are required to wear pants and close-toed shoes. Protective eyewear and earplugs will be available at check-in.
All cab ride tickets are first come first served. Cab riders without pants and close-toed shoes will not be permitted to ride in the cab.
Starting in Chattanooga, our trips are based out of the 4119 Cromwell Road location. This includes any North Georgia routes going to Chickamauga or Summerville!
Historic rail cars and stations were built before the advent of accommodations for individuals with special needs. Our passenger cars and Summerville station were not designed to safely accommodate wheelchairs. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recognizes the limitations of such historic rail equipment and expressly exempts trains and stations of this type from accessibility requirements. Though we cannot accommodate wheelchair use or access within our historical passenger cars, all persons who are able to board the train themselves and occupy a standard passenger seat are welcomed and encouraged to ride.
TVRM reserves the right to substitute equipment or motive power and to alter published fares, times of operation, and destination as mechanical or operating conditions require, without notice.
The Hiwassee Loop train ride is a 50-mile roundtrip through the beautiful lower Hiwassee River gorge. This 4-hour trip takes you to the top of the famous Hiwassee Loop, where you can enjoy stunning views of the river below.
Come to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum and take a ride on the North Pole Limited Christmas Train! You’ll get to visit the North Pole and see all of the Christmas decorations. It’s the most popular annual event, and has been a family tradition since 1999.
Enjoy a picturesque round-trip train ride through the Hiwassee River Gorge this holiday season! Write a letter and meet Santa and enjoy a delicious gingerbread cookie and chocolate milk on the train!
