The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum will celebrate Opening Day 2007 with trains begin running on Saturday. This year, vintage trains will depart from Grand Junction Station seven days a week beginning with the “Missionary Ridge Local,” a favorite for groups and children.
The Missionary Ridge Local is a 55-minute round trip that travels from Grand Junction Station to East Chattanooga Depot, crossing Chickamauga Creek and passing through Missionary Ridge Tunnel. Passengers detrain in East Chattanooga and watch as the locomotive is rotated on a turntable and repositioned for the return run.
Train enthusiast will enjoy a tour given by the conductor through the rail yard and into the restoration shop to see work in progress. The trip includes passage through pre-Civil War Missionary Ridge Tunnel, completed in 1858, and across four bridges.
Grand Junction Station houses the Depot Deli Restaurant, an audio-visual presentation, gift shop, and additional historical railway displays.
Tickets for the Missionary Ridge Local are $13.50 for adults, and $7 for children ages 3-12, and can be purchased at the railroad depot before boarding the train. Grand Junction Station is located at 4119 Cromwell Road (Jersey Pike exit #3 from Hwy 153 near I-75 exit 4).
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is a 501(c)3, non-profit Tennessee educational corporation with a mission to preserve, restore and operate historic railway equipment. For more information please call (423) 894-8028 or visit www.tvrail.com.