All aboard! Even though it was a rainy and cold day, I had a blast checking out the Tennessee Valley Railroad and Museum. Take a trip back to a slower-paced era when railroad travel was a way of life by riding the Missionary Ridge “local”, a short, 6-mile round trip train ride that takes you through a tunnel built before the civil war! Whoa. This was an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon, and the conductor was super knowledgeable—providing us with fun facts about the train we were riding on, local history, and railroad culture. The entire experience takes an hour, with about a 30-minute stop where you can get out and watch the turntable in action as they swing the engine around for the return ride. This part was my favorite and was remarkably impressive to watch.
Even though their website says they can’t accommodate wheelchairs, don’t be discouraged. The team goes out of their way to make the visit accessible, with a large ramp at the main station, which they backed the train up to in order for me to board. There’s also an accessible exit at the halfway point, so you don’t have to worry about getting off and exploring if you want. The museum itself is a large, very accessible room. Next time, I’ll allow more time before my train ride to explore this space, since we rode in the afternoon it meant we missed out on going back after our ride.
Thank you to the Chattanooga Tourism Co. for our discovery pass that included this visit.