Hiwassee River Rail Adventure @ Reliance, TN
Ex-NC&StL #710 leading the southbound Copperhill Special across the Hiwassee River at Reliance early on a humid summer morning.
The train will pass through the Hiwassee River Gorge and climb the Bald Mountain helix before heading south along the river to Copperhill at the TN/GA state line.
The Hiwassee River Rail Adventure is operated between April and November by the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum. Trips depart from the former L&N station in Etowah.
Tennessee Valley Railroad from the Etowah Depot - Hiwassee Loop
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Many Atlanta folk have visited or taken rides with the Tennessee Valley Railroad in Chattanooga...but did you know there is another depot in Etowah that is spectacular?? They offer two rides (half-day or full-day) through the Hiwassee River Gorge and this adventure should be on your bucket list!
Overhill by Rail: Hiwassee River Rail Adventure & Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
When British settlers first began exploring in the Southern Appalachian region, they dubbed the Cherokee settlements on the Western side of the mountains the Overhill towns due to their isolated locations. Today, the Overhill region is flooded on summer weekends with crowds looking to hike its mountains, drive its scenic byways, swim and fish its lakes, and kayak or tube the Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers. One of the best ways to see the region is by train, and visitors to the Overhill have two choices: the Hiwassee River Rail Adventure and the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. Both excursions traverse the old Hook & Eye line that once connected Knoxville and Marietta, Georgia. The Hook & Eye was first opened in the late 1880s as a narrow gauge line from Marietta to Murphy, North Carolina (where it met with the Western North Carolina Railroad, which would later become the Southern Railway's famed Murphy Branch). A sharp curve in the line near Talking Rock, GA came to be known as the Hook. In 1890, a rail line was built from Knoxville to connect with the existing line at Blue Ridge, GA. A series of switchbacks on this route was soon bypassed by a spectacular double spiral around Bald Mountain between Apalachia and Farner, TN, the Eye. The line came under the Lousiville & Nashville's control in 1902 and formed an important link between Knoxville, Atlanta, and the copper mines near the state line. The Tennessee segment was purchased the the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association upon its abandonment, and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum operates excursions out of the preserved Etowah depot as the Hiwassee River Rail Adventure. These trips travel along the Hiwassee and over the Loop at Bald Mountain before turning south and sprinting to the state line at the twin towns of Copperhill/McCaysville. The Georgia portion of the line is now operated by the Georgia Northeastern Railroad, which hauls freight from Ellijay to Marietta. Although there is no freight traffic beyond Ellijay, the Blue Ridge Scenic runs excursions from Blue Ridge along the Toccoa River to Copperhill/McCaysville, where it parks just across the street from the Hiwassee excursion. Together, the two scenic railways have preserved on the most scenic and historic rail lines in the Southern Appalachians for all to enjoy.
Driving through Etowah, Tennessee in a thunderstorm
Etowah is a city in McMinn County, Tennessee, United States.
Etowah was founded in 1906, primarily as a location for a depot on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N) line as part of a more direct route between Atlanta and Cincinnati. The etymology of the town name is unclear, but local folklore states that a train crew brought a sign reading Etowah from the Etowah River, and the name stuck. The word Etowah comes from the Muskogee/Creek word italwa meaning town
The newest plant (Plant number 6) of the Waupaca Foundry, Inc. is located in Etowah. The plant makes quality grey and ductile steel components that are used in the automotive and farming markets. The foundry makes parts (such as control arms, differential covers and cases, and brake calipers) for the new Ford F-series heavy duty trucks, Dodge Caravan, Hummer H2, GMC Envoy, Chrysler 300C/Dodge Charger, and the Toyota Camry. Etowah also claims two other plants, Johns Manville and Huber, even though neither are actually located in the city limits.
Ride the Tennessee Valley Railroad!
September 14, 2019
This is some Tennessee fun y'all!
A gorgeous ride along the Hiwassee River Gorge.
Our trip began at The L&N Train Depot and Museum. We were bussed over to the Hiwassee/ Ocoee State Park where we boarded the beautiful Tennessee Valley RR and Museum.
We were entertained with tales of Tennessee history while enjoying the 3 hour ride along the Hiwassee River Gorge to Copperhill, Tn.
We had a 2 hour layover in Copperhill where we ordered lunch at the Copper Grill and carried it over to Copperhill Brewery to eat and try the local brews. The food and the local brews were yummy! There are also many cute little shops to browse during the layover.
The ride back was pretty quiet. Everyone's belly was full and the long day had taken its toll. Lol We mostly sat back and soaked in all of the magnificent beauty of the Hiwassee River Gorge.
Our video walks you through each car so you can decide which one you want to ride in when you book your trip.
Go to tvrail.com to book this highly recommended trip!
Trains run from Etowah, Tn, through the scenic Hiwassee River Gorge on select dates March-November.
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum - Chattanooga, Tennessee
From Wikipedia:Founded in 1960 and incorporated in 1961, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum originally stored equipment at the Western Union pole yard which was located adjacent to the Southern Railway classification yard on Holtzclaw Avenue in East Chattanooga. After the termination of passenger service to the Southern Railway's Terminal Station in 1971, additional cars and locomotives were stored at this facility in downtown Chattanooga. In 1969, the TVRM received a land donation from the Southern Railway consisting of a property located in East Chattanooga on North Chamberlain Avenue. This donation also included the 986-foot (301 m)-long Whiteside Tunnel and about 1½ miles (2.4 km) of abandoned right-of-way.
In 1970, the museum opened a new permanent facility in East Chattanooga to the public. At the time of its opening, there were no structures on site, although volunteers had constructed a railyard for the storage and repair of equipment and had rebuilt the abandoned rail line through the Whiteside Tunnel. The reconstructed line ended at Tunnel Boulevard as the original bridge over this road had been removed some years earlier.
With the reconstructed rail line, the museum had the ability to produce a small amount of income operating a heritage railroad by running passenger excursion trains through Whiteside Tunnel (commonly referred to as Missionary Ridge Tunnel).
Additional income was derived from mainline excursions operated biannually via the Southern Railway's Steam Program. The birth of the Southern Railway's Steam Program was brought about by Paul Merriman and TVRM, when, in 1964, Merriman purchased the former Southern Railway 4501 from the K&T Railroad in Stearns, Kentucky for $5,000. The program began in 1966 when the freshly restored 4501 emerged from a 2 years long restoration which had been done at Lucey Boiler Company in Chattanooga. After many volunteer hours by TVRM members as well as paid Lucey Boiler employee work, the 4501 began roaming all over the Southern Railway System delighting onlookers and passengers everywhere.
NC&StL GP7 710 at the East Chattanooga Yard of the museum
After years of hard work and much financial discipline, in 1977 TVRM finally built the long needed bridge over Tunnel Boulevard. The Southern Railway then donated an additional mile and a half (2.4 km) of abandoned rail line. The next major task undertaken was to build the East Chattanooga Depot. This depot is a reconstruction of a typical small town depot of the 1920s. The 1980s saw TVRM named to the National Register of Historic Places on August 6, 1980, expansion of the organization, and more land donated by Southern Railway. During the 1980s, more track and buildings were gradually added. The Grand Junction Depot, the TVRM Administration Building, and the National Model Railroad Association were starting to take shape during the decade, as well. At the East Chattanooga facility, a repair shop and a turntable were added to provide facilities for locomotive repair and maintenance. Beginning in the 1990s, TVRM started running trains to the Chattanooga Choo Choo (called the Downtown Arrow, now discontinued) and excursions down to Summerville, Georgia on the Chattooga and Chickamauga Railway.
In 2004, TVRM and the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association partnered up in acquiring part of the former L&N Hook and Eye line between Etowah, Tennessee (Gee Creek, Tennessee) and Copperhill, Tennessee. Since then, despite skipping the 2005 season, the new Hiwassee River Rail Adventures have been a popular addition to the railroad. With the success of the Hiwassee trips, TVRM split into two distinct operating divisions: the Chattanooga and Hiwassee Divisions, though crews and sometimes equipment often switch between the two.
The museum celebrated 50 years during the Labor Day weekend of 2011. Norfolk Southern Railway also debuted their new steam train program during the event.[2]
Tennessee Valley Railroad: The North Pole Limited
December 19, 2016
The North Pole Limited is one of the biggest events held annually at the Tennessee Valley Railroad. With trains running from late November till after Christmas. In this video, we follow the train from Grand Junction Station to the North Pole on the 5:30 PM run.
Tickets can be purchased by calling (423)-894-8028, or by going online to tvrail.com
Etowah Tennessee Travel Video
I own no copyrights to the music heard in this video.
Hiwassee River Railroad excursion deals with tree blocking tracks
Shot on Aug. 1, 2007. A Hiwassee River excursion train comes upon a large tree blocking the rails deep in the gorge outside of Etowah, Tenn. With no outside help available the crew (and ultimately passengers) team up and fix the problem. Originally shot during a documentary but not included in the final cut, this video hasn't been seen in its entirety in about five years. Enjoy!
Driving up Bell Mountain Hiawassee GA
This video is about Drive up to Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, Georgia
and #drone footage #dji #phantom 3 standard
Location Coordinates 34.959532, -83.729411
Front #DashCam : #ddpai #M6plus with bluetooth remote control for save photo and video. Camera with wifi connection for your mobile
Rear Cam: #MIVue 538
Music: [No Copyright Music] Wanderlust - Scandinavianz
DRIVE CAREFULLY AND AVOID ACCIDENT
Caught in the Snow while Camping in Tennessee
The Thousand Trails Campground in Hohenwald TN was in an incredibly scenic and rural area of Tennessee. The local area was fun to explore and the campground was right on the water.
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2019 Hiwassee Loop Motorcar Run
Here's a Northbound view of the run from Copper Hill, TN to the Hiwassee / Ocoee Scenic River State Park in Delano, TN just South of Etowah.
Copperhill Tennessee and McCaysville Georgia(Blue Ridge Scenic train ride Experience)Vlog
Train ride up to the border of Tn an Ga
Good times
Enjoy
Tennessee Adventures with GoPro: Gee Creek Cliffs
This hike in Tennessee is moderate to hard. Once you find the trail right off the railroad tracks, it is a steep climb all the way to the top. The top of the mountain serves incredible views of the Hiwassee River below and mountain ranges as far as the eye can see.
For more picture: instagram.com/kelsey.lue
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Hiwassee Loop Excursion L&N CSX Tennessee Fall Colors
This video shows most of the excursion operated between Copperhill, TN and Hiwassee State Park near Etowah, TN.
This line was originally L&N, and later CSX. The highlight of the trip is travelling the famous Hiwassee Loop where the railroad crosses over itself while making almost two complete circles to handle the change in elevation.
This video starts after leaving the town of Copperhill, on the Tennessee / Georgia state line, and runs for about two hours. In addition to seeing the loop, the railroad also passes the Apalachia Dam (operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority); the power house, next to the railroad, is over eight miles down stream. Much of the railroad is next to the Hiwassee River, but leaving Copperhill the railroad spends several miles next to the Ocoee River.
The passenger equipment on this trip was three coaches and one dome/observation car. The video was shot from the rear vestibule of the rear car on the return trip (and you may hear passengers talking from time to time). The locomotive was GMTX 2004, a GP38 leased from GATX.
Copperhill was once the location of extensive copper mining. When the mine was closed the line faced abandonment by CSX, but the line remains open because of the tailings from the mine. When copper is mined iron is often also present, but usually in quantities that were once uneconomical to recover. Thanks to new processes the mine tailings are now valuable as iron ore and are being hauled out. During the video you will see a string of loaded gondola ore cars stored on a siding.
Passengers are bused from the Etowah Depot to the train in Hiwassee State Park.
This trip is all in Tennessee, but the Georgia state line is at Copperhill, and Hiwassee Loop is only a few hundred feet from the North Carolina state line. The dam is in North Carolina.
Locations
46:20 - Apalachia Dam - Hard to see because of trees - also at 47:00
50:10 - Over the trestle at Hiwassee Loop
54:40 - Under the trestle at Hiwassee Loop
1:42:00 - Apalachia Dam Power Station
Tracks Ahead: Tennessee Valley Road
Preview of the Milwaukee Public Television - produced television series Tracks Ahead, distibuted by Janson Media.
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Hiwassee River Railroad Excursion
See some of the most beautiful railroad in the US as the Hiwassee River Excursion train travels through some of the most remote areas in the Southeast. Features the Bald Mountain Loop. Video courtesy of the Rome News-Tribune.
Train Ride Blue Ridge Mountains
Train Ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains where you will experience the fall foliage along with creeks, rivers, beautiful views , railroad crossings and cabins. This was originally a L&N ( Louisville and Nashville ) track but is now used by the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway for tours and goes into two states, Georgia and Tennessee so enjoy the ride!
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© RailROL82 2018
Chickamauga Turn Train Ride #tvrm #railroad #trains #steamtrain
All aboard the Chickamauga Turn for a 6 1/4 hour ride to the historic Civil War town of Chickamauga, Georgia via the former Central of Georgia Railroad. During the trip, enjoy a 1 3/4 hour layover in downtown Chickamauga, where you can visit the historic Crawfish Springs or the Gordon-Lee Mansion. There are also several shops and dining locations in town. #tvrm
On the return trip, enjoy a 30 minute layover at Wilder Tower Monument at the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. This was the location of the battle of Chickamauga, one of the deadliest battles in the Civil War. The historian on board the train usually gives a brief history demonstration about the battle. Afterward, climb the 136 steps to the top of Wilder Tower for an aerial view of the battlefield.
Grand Junction departure time is 10:00 A.M., return is approximately 4:15 P.M.
**All times are Eastern Standard**
FARE:
Standard Ticket: $42 for Adults and $30 for Children age 2-12 (no meal)
Coach Ticket with Dining Car: $62 for Adults and $45 for Children age 2-12
Observation Ticket*: $105 for Adults and $105 for Children age 2-12
Eden Isle Ticket*: $150 for Adults and $150 for Children age 2-12
Upgrade to Premium Observation Class seating in former Seaboard Air Line Railroad, round-end observation car #6604. This car features booth seating in the front lounge and swivel chairs affording panoramic views in the rear lounge. The car will travel on the rear of the train in one direction of travel. (Please note that this is not a dome car such as the one offered on Hiwassee River Rail Adventure trips.)
Riders in the Premium Observation Car will enjoy a dining car luncheon and complimentary snacks & soft drinks, included in the price. Tickets in the Premium Observation Car and Eden Isle also include admission to the Gordon-Lee Mansion. Tours of the Gordon-Lee Mansion are available to coach ticket holders as well, although an admission fee will be charged at the door.
DINING OPTIONS:
No Meal: Most ticket classes include a meal option, although a limited number of Coach - No Lunch tickets are available on each trip. If you do not select a luncheon option when purchasing your ticket, then please understand that you will be on your own for dining in Chickamauga.
Dining Car: Those selecting coach tickets with dining car service or tickets in the Premium Observation Car will receive lunch onboard the train. In the dining car, luncheon service begins at 11:00 A.M. Lunch is similar to the following menu: Baked turkey and Swiss cheese croissant with all the fixings, cole slaw, potato chips, and fruit cocktail. Beverages include iced tea or lemonade. The tasty dessert selection is usually chocolate fudge cake.