Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Chattanooga Train Ride

We have learned not to tell the kids when we are planning to do something fun.  This eliminates the thousands of questions and headaches that follow.

We planned on taking a Fall Foliage train ride that takes you through Georgia, but it was canceled due to September flooding.  The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum has a train ride that runs on the weekend.  It's a 6 mile trip that lasts an hour long.

When we arrived at the Museum,   Barret was hooting with excitement.  He loves trains.  His room shows it.
We made it right at boarding time, which made it a little difficult to get a party of six seated.  All 4 passenger cars were nearly full. It took some rearranging (thanks to the nice passengers) to get us all seated together.  The train takes use through a Civil War horseshoe shaped tunnel that is 948 feet long (and dark I might add). We got a live tour guide that told us civil war stories. One was the Great Locomotive Chase that went from Atlanta to Chattanooga. The kids were fascinated (I was too).  The train takes us to a train yard.  There we watch a  live demonstration of the train turntable using our train engine.  We toured the restoration shop and then boarded the train to head back to the station.  The boys didn't want to leave.  They left kicking and screaming (literally).


Waiting for their tickets to be punched



Going over the bridge


Our tour guide looked a little familiar to Barret.  He waved and said "Hi Santa." in a casual way.  He saw Santa last year when we took a train ride on "The Polar Express".  I think he thinks Santa works for the Railroad when he's not delivering presents.


Here is our engine on the turntable.  I found a video of the train ride we took, in case you don't come out to visit us.

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