Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is not your typical museum: visitors discover the locomotives’ history by riding them, an especially novel experience in Tennessee, where Amtrak no longer operates. Family favorites include a short trip featuring bridges, a tunnel, a restoration shop, and a turntable, plus Thomas the Tank Engine rides and festive North Pole experiences. Couples dress up for dining train evenings with Pullman carriage options.

International travelers may prefer the more scenic routes, which include a 50-mile (80-kilometer) journey through the Hiwassee River Gorge featuring the dramatic Hiwassee Loop. Tickets include admission to an exhibition area, which hosts displays on the museum’s history and railroad heritage, as well as scale models and a gift shop.

• The historic railcars are not suitable for wheelchairs, but the museum welcomes service animals.

• Alcohol is forbidden on most routes and usually not served on dining journeys. Confirm before booking whether you can bring your own.

• Locomotives may be steam- or diesel-driven.

• Different journeys have different start points. Check the location before booking your ticket.

• An on-site deli serves simple snacks and sandwiches.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is located in northeastern Chattanooga, just north of the airport. The nearest bus stop is 30 minute away on-foot, so driving, taxis, or rideshares are the best options. Hiwassee Loop trips depart from Delano, a little town 60 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Chattanooga with no public transit.

Services run most regularly between March and September, with the busiest period over summer: check the museum’s calendar for schedules. Dinner services operate on Fridays, Saturdays, and special occasions such as Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve. Fall foliage viewing trips are a great way to experience the Hiwassee River Gorge, but, like Christmas and Halloween specials, they can sell out fast.

The Hiwassee River is a State Scenic River with a dramatic gorge that is most accessible only by rail. Railroad buffs and photographers prize the journey for the 1890 “Old Line,” which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Hiwassee Loop section of track corkscrews round a mountainside, crossing over itself on a dramatic bridge.