Tennessee Memories: TN Valley Railroad Museum

The state of Tennessee has so much to offer! After living in Chattanooga for 5 years, I'm still discovering new places to visit. Thanks to our boating buddy/physical motivator/tour guide Debbie (and the perks from her job), we are introduced to more attractions. Case in point - a train ride and a tour of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Wednesday morning.

We took the Missionary Ridge Local, a 6-mile round trip train ride to East Chattanooga, where we stopped for a guided tour of the railroad restoration shop. We learned about the turntable, a device used to turn locomotives around; to see it in action was quite exciting. On the train ride back, we sat all the way in the back so we could easily walk to the outside platform to see the train emerge out of the Missionary Ridge Tunnel. That was cool.

Trivia: How many states border the state of Tennessee? See answer at the bottom of the page.

World traveler Julie, and tour guide Debbie checking out a train

Grand Junction Station, where we began our train ride

conductor demonstrating the workings of the turntable

tour of the railroad restoration shop

the light at the end of Missionary Ridge Tunnel

Next stop - a superb lunch at 212 Market Restaurant, one of our favorite restaurants in downtown Chattanooga. We celebrated a surprise birthday party here the first week we arrived in Chattanooga. And have been a fan since. Every bite Debbie and Julie took of the delicious food elicited oohs and ahhs, so I'm sure they really liked it too.