trains (Chattanooga, Cookeville, Lebanon: camp, bus, train)

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Elrod

I love trains too. We live a half a block away from the Norfolk Southern line in Albion, MI. There's an Amtrak passing through as I type this! It's the Detroit-Chicago line and there's a lot of freight that goes through as well. I love it.

I doubt there are many passenger trains going through TN these days but there is tons of freight.

Here's a map with all the railroads in America and you can zoom in and find the ones in Tennessee. I have no idea which ones are still active.

http://nationalatlas.gov/natlas/Natlasstart.asp

There is only one Amtrak line in Tennessee, it's the Chicago-New Orleans line that has stops in Dyersburg and Memphis.

But the state has toyed with the idea of building a high-speed passenger rail essentially along I-40 from Memphis to Knoxville, then hopefully on up to Bristol. While the initial cost seems ridiculously high, I think in the long run it's cheaper than endlessly widening and improving I-40.

[firepower]

They are working on opening up the line back to Monterey & then a few miles north out towards Hanging Limb. Doing this because a new sand quarry that's begun operations has requested it & is helping pay the cost.
Also another new sand quarry near hwy 62 that might require a new rail spur.
The L&N had the rights.Sold to Seaboard/CSX.Then to the Nashville & Eastern.Train hasn't been to Monterey in 20 years or so.
Railroad still has right of way to Hanging Limb but hasn't been out there in almost 50 years!
Used to go out past Hanging Limb to Wilder/Davidson/Twinton to coal mines.
Big change coming to those who live by the rails in eastern Putnam County.
Downtown Cookeville as well.


firepower

[LauraC]

There is a Tennessee Valley Railroad in Chattanooga (also has a railroad museum). During the Fall you can take a fall foliage scenic 100 mile round rail trip from Grand Junction to Summerville, Georgia. They have a website. There are other excursions, too like a 5.5 hour trip to Chickamauga, Ga. that includes a two hour stop in downtown Chicamauga.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by LauraC

There is a Tennessee Valley Railroad in Chattanooga (also has a railroad museum). During the Fall you can take a fall foliage scenic 100 mile round rail trip from Grand Junction to Summerville, Georgia. They have a website. There are other excursions, too like a 5.5 hour trip to Chickamauga, Ga. that includes a two hour stop in downtown Chicamauga.

That is a beautiful train ride! Definitely worth the price.

Just over the mountains is the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in Dillsboro NC. One of the neat things it passes by is the bus crash from the movie The Fugitive with Harrison Ford, which was filmed right there in the NC mountains and was a real crash--they could film it only once! The wreckage is still there.

There's also a fall train excursion from Nashville to Cookeville that's really popular.

There's a commuter train between Nashville and Lebanon, the only one in Tennessee (so far). In the mornings it goes from Lebanon to downtown Nashville, and in the afternoons it goes from downtown Nashville to Lebanon.

And firepower is right, the Nashville and Eastern Railroad is improving the train line between Cookeville and Monterey to allow freight trains to return to Monterey for the first time in 20 years. They're also improving the tracks between Lebanon and Cookeville to eventually allow regular passenger train service again all the way to Cookeville.

But what I really like is the paved trail they're building alongside the renovated tracks from Cookeville to Monterey. It's an absolutely beautiful trail up the mountain to Monterey, and they hope it'll become a tourist draw similar to the Virginia Creeper trail near the Tri Cities in Damascus, Virginia.

[firepower]

Yes,JMT, I forgot the neatest thing. The "Rails with Trails" route they're gonna build along the rails from Cookeville to Monterey.
Will be a maintained route alongside the railroad(is it gonna be paved?I hope so...)between the two cities.Will be a great place to hike or ride a bike.Rumor has it that the city of Baxter is wanting to extend it eight miles west to their town.Has been slow to develop as the rail rehab project has been.Will eventually be a great recreational attraction.

Also,several times a year,excursion trains leave OUT from Cookeville.Sometimes to Lebanon/Watertown,but at least once & sometimes twice a year they run a train from Cookeville to Nashville.Take you downtown to the Riverfront park terminal,let you off & give you two hours or so to do whatever then bring you back to Cookeville.My wife,son & I have taken this twice & it's GREAT!

firepower

[FultonFish]

Originally Posted by LauraC

There is a Tennessee Valley Railroad in Chattanooga (also has a railroad museum). During the Fall you can take a fall foliage scenic 100 mile round rail trip from Grand Junction to Summerville, Georgia. They have a website. There are other excursions, too like a 5.5 hour trip to Chickamauga, Ga. that includes a two hour stop in downtown Chicamauga.

WOW! My hubby would LOVE that ride!
Where is the website so I can look it over!
Thanks for such GREAT info everyone!!!



FF

[hiknapster]

http://www.tvrail.com/

[jkmewright]

Just for fun here's a depot for sale in GA

http://www.historicproperties.com/de...l_key=Semar005

[firepower]

But if you REALLY want to watch trains...Go to the Harriman/Rockwood area & go north along hwy 27. The area of the Norfolk Southern mainline there is known as the "Rathole". Named for this years ago because the line from Danville,KY to Harriman,TN had as many as 27 tunnels.Since a line relocation in the mid 60's it's down to 4 or 5 but there's still great railroading on the line.It's the main line between Cincinatti & Atlanta.Basically follows hwy 27 most of the way.Averages 25-30 trains every 24 hrs.Sometimes more.
There's a city park in Onieda that sits right beside the rails.


firepower

[MomsTn]

Hey, I found this link today.
It's in Nashville... a place to go play with your trains...
Check it out...
Click on the photos and files.
http://www.nashvillegardenrailway.org/