View source for Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

{{short description|Railroad museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=August 2022}}
{{Promotional|date=August 2022}}{{Unreliable sources|date=August 2022}}
}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox museum
| name        = Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
| logo        = File:Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum logo.png
| logo_upright= 
| logo_alt    = Train locomotive facing the viewer
| logo_caption= 
| image       = SOU4501.jpg
| caption     = [[Southern Railway 4501]], one of six steam locomotives at the museum.
| map_caption = Location of TVRM within [[Tennessee]]
| established = {{Start date|1960}} / {{start date|1961}}
| location    = 4119 Cromwell Rd.<br />[[Chattanooga, Tennessee]], U.S.
| coordinates = {{coord|35.066667|-85.206389|type:landmark_region:US-TN|display=inline}}
| map_type    = Tennessee
| visitors    =
| president   = Tim Andrews
| website     = {{URL|http://www.tvrail.com}}
}}
The '''Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum''' {{reporting mark|TVRM}}<ref>[[Railinc]], [https://www.railinc.com/findusrail/pub/mark/search.do?fwd=init Search MARKs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715150949/https://www.railinc.com/findusrail/pub/mark/search.do?fwd=init |date=2011-07-15 }}, accessed September 2009</ref> is a [[List of railway museums|railroad museum]] and [[heritage railroad]] located in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]].

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was founded as a chapter of the [[National Railway Historical Society]] in 1960 by Paul H. Merriman and Robert M. Soule, Jr., along with a group of local railway preservationists. They wanted to save [[steam locomotive]]s and railway equipment for future historical display and use. Today, the museum offers various tourist excursions from stations in Chattanooga and [[Etowah, Tennessee]].

==History==
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 (US)|Southern Railway]] [[classification yard]] on Holtzclaw Avenue in East Chattanooga. After the termination of [[passenger rail|passenger]] service to the [[Southern Railway (US)|Southern Railway]]'s [[Terminal Station (Chattanooga)|Terminal Station]] in 1970, additional cars and [[locomotive]]s 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 included the {{convert|986|ft|m|adj=on}}-long Whiteside Tunnel and about {{convert|1+1/2|mi|km}} of abandoned [[right-of-way (transportation)|right-of-way]].

On May 7, 1972, the museum opened a new permanent facility to the public in East Chattanooga. At the time, it had no structures on site. 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 by operating a [[heritage railway|heritage railroad]]. They ran passenger excursion trains through Whiteside Tunnel (commonly referred to as [[Missionary Ridge]] Tunnel, because it went through Missionary Ridge).

Additional income was derived from mainline excursions operated biannually via the Southern Railway's Steam Program. The Southern Railway's Steam Program was created by the Southern Railway, led by W. Graham Claytor, Jr., in 1966.  TVRM president Paul H. Merriman had purchased the former [[Mikado Locomotive No. 4501|Southern Railway 4501]] in 1964 from the Kentucky & Tennessee Railway in [[Stearns, Kentucky]] for $5,000, equal to ${{Inflation|US|5000|1964|fmt=c}} today. By 1966 the 4501 had been restored during a 2-year process, conducted at Lucey Boiler Company in Chattanooga. After many volunteer hours by TVRM members as well as paid Lucey Boiler employee work, the 4501 was operated throughout the Southern Railway System.

[[File:710 edited.JPG|thumb|right|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 donated an additional mile and a half (2.4&nbsp;km) of abandoned rail line. The next major task of the museum was to build the East Chattanooga Depot. This depot is a reconstruction of a typical small town depot of the 1920s.

The TVRM was named to the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Hamilton County, Tennessee|National Register of Historic Places]] on August 6, 1980. That was followed during that decade by expansion of the organization, and acquiring more land donated by Southern Railway. During the 1980s, the TVRM gradually added more track and buildings. 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 (railroad)|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 to [[Summerville, Georgia]] on the [[Chattooga and Chickamauga Railway]].

In 2004, TVRM and the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association partnered in acquiring part of the former L&N Hook and Eye line between [[Etowah, Tennessee|Etowah]] (Gee Creek, Tennessee) and [[Copperhill, Tennessee|Copperhill]]. Since then, the new Hiwassee River Rail Adventures have been a popular addition to the railroad. With the success of the Hiwassee trips, TVRM created two distinct operating divisions: the Chattanooga and Hiwassee divisions. Crews and sometimes equipment are often switched between the two.

The museum celebrated 50 years during the [[Labor Day]] weekend of 2011. [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] also debuted their new steam excursion program during the event until 2015.<ref name="Norfolk Southern debuts new steam train program at the TVRM">{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/21st-century-steam-launches-labor-day-weekend-128083463.html|title='21st Century Steam' Launches Labor Day Weekend|date=August 19, 2011|publisher=PR Newswire|access-date=29 August 2012}}</ref><ref name="NSProgram">{{Cite web|last=Gunnoe|first=Chase|date=December 22, 2015|title=NS steam operations to focus exclusively on No. 611 next season|url=http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2015/12/22-ns-steam-program-to-focus-exclusively-on-no-611-next-season|work=Trains|publisher=Kalmbach Media|access-date=June 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210090824/http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2015/12/22-ns-steam-program-to-focus-exclusively-on-no-611-next-season|archive-date=February 10, 2017}}</ref>

==Current operations==
Today, TVRM continues to run trains including local freight service. Visitors can take a one-hour {{convert|6|mi|km|adj=on}} round-trip ride, which is often pulled by a steam locomotive. In addition, most weekends from April until November offer excursion trains, at times pulled by steam locomotives.

In 2004, TVRM began providing half-day excursion trains to the Hiwassee Loop, a corkscrew route around Bald Mountain near [[Farner, Tennessee]]. These trips run out of the station in downtown [[Etowah, Tennessee]] (about an hour's drive ({{convert|63|mi}}) northeast of Chattanooga). Since this is along the [[CSX]] [[main line (railway)|mainline]], which is heavily used for freight, a bus takes travelers on a short ride south to [[Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park]] to transfer. The {{convert|50|mi|km|-1|adj=on}} excursion goes east along the [[Hiwassee River]] and through the Hiwassee Gorge to Farner, just short of the [[North Carolina]] state line. Full-day trips turn south, stopping at lunchtime in the [[twin cities (geographical proximity)|twin towns]] of [[Copperhill, Tennessee]] and [[McCaysville, Georgia]], and returning in the afternoon.

This route is that of the former [[Atlanta, Knoxville and Northern Railway]] and is also called the Hiwassee Route. The remainder of the AK&N (later [[L&N]] and then CSX) line in [[Georgia (US)|Georgia]] is operated by the [[Georgia Northeastern Railroad]], with [[subsidiary]] [[Blue Ridge Scenic Railway]] operating another heritage railroad from McCaysville to [[Blue Ridge, Georgia]], and GNRR freight running south of there.

TVRM also handles freight. On TVRM's Chattanooga Division, there is one industry, Allied Metals. TVRM handles switching operations, under the wholly owned subsidiary Tyner Terminal Railway Company,<ref>Smoke & Cinders, Quarterly Publication of TVRM, Vol. 52, No. 2, 2nd Qtr, 2013, Page 1 ({{ISSN|1083-1606}})</ref> at [[Enterprise South Industrial Park]] (ESIP), location of the [[Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant]]. Even though there are no major industries along the Hiwassee Division, TVRM has the capability to store several hundred cars at the Copperhill yard for other railroads.

==Restoration work==
TVRM has a working locomotive and car repair shop complex, Soule Shops, named after co-founder, Robert M. Soule, Jr. In March 2011, TVRM completed restoring Southern Railway Ks-1 class 2-8-0 [[Southern Railway 630|630]] to operational status. In September 2014, TVRM completed the second restoration of Southern Railway Ms class 2-8-2 [[Southern Railway 4501|4501]] for another excursion career with Norfolk Southern's 21st Century Steam Excursion Program. At present, 3 passenger cars are undergoing restoration. One is No. 1877, a former Chessie / Chesapeake and Ohio, later Denver & Rio Grande Western round end dome-lounge-observation, being restored from long static condition. Another is 1917 Pullman built office car No 98. The 98 was built for Baltimore & Ohio President Daniel Willard and after leaving B&O ownership in the 1960s came to TVRM in 1977, having been a fixture ever since, hence the need for a thorough restoration after decades of service. Next is Southern Railway 832, a 52-seat passenger coach built in 1949 by the [[Budd Company]]. Along with the 3 passenger cars, 1953 built EMD E8, Southern Railway 6914, is undergoing restoration as well. Other projects move in and out of the shop as needed as well as routine inspections on the museum's steam locomotives. 630's 10-year-long restoration was the most extensive restoration ever performed at TVRM, as well as one of the most extensive steam locomotive repairs in the United States since the end of steam on the railroads.

==Equipment==
===Locomotives===
{|class="wikitable"
|+Locomotive details<ref name="NRHPNomination">{{Cite web|last=Carver|first=M.A.|date=September 1978|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form – Mikado Locomotive No. 4501|url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/d831052d-8ea7-423d-96e2-2e9bc6d682a8/|publisher=[[National Park Service]]|access-date=February 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224004417/https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/d831052d-8ea7-423d-96e2-2e9bc6d682a8/|archive-date=February 24, 2019}}</ref><ref name="RailroadEquipment">{{Cite web|title=Railroad Equipment|url= https://www.tvrail.com/equipment/|publisher=Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum|access-date=May 20, 2022}}</ref><ref name="News&Updates2011">{{Cite web|title=News & Updates|url=http://tvrail.com/pages/standard/news.php|publisher=Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum|access-date=May 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526025339/http://tvrail.com/pages/standard/news.php|archive-date=May 26, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum loans historic locomotive to Children's Hospital |url=http://clevelandbanner.com/stories/tennessee-valley-railroad-museum-loans-historic-locomotive-to-childrens-hospital,46964|website=The Cleveland Daily Banner|access-date=August 19, 2018|language=en}}</ref>
!Number
!Image
!Type
!Model
!Built
!Builder
!Serial number
!Status
|-
|10
|[[File:Stored Power.jpg|frameless|263x263px]]
|Steam
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1920
|[[Baldwin Locomotive Works]]
|53182
|Stored, awaiting cosmetic restoration
|-
|80
|[[File:Tag80a.jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Diesel
|[[EMD GP38|GP38]]
|1968
|[[Electro-Motive Division]]
|33802
|Operational
|-
|109
|
|Diesel
|[[ALCO RS-3|RS-3]]
|1950
|[[American Locomotive Company]]
|78247
|Stored
|-
|200
|
|Diesel
|[[Baldwin VO-1000|VO-1000M]]
|1941
|Baldwin Locomotive Works
|64258
|Out of service
|-
|205
|
|Diesel
|[[EMD SD9|SD9]]
|1955
|Electro-Motive Division
|20447
|Stored, awaiting potential restoration
|-
|349
|[[File:Baldwin 4-4-0 349, Tennessee Valley Railroad, April 2013 CNV00053 (10319198926).jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Steam
|{{whyte|4-4-0}}
|1891
|Baldwin Locomotive Works
|11994
|Display, loaned to the [[Children's Hospital at Erlanger]]
|-
|606
|
|Diesel
|[[EMD SW1200|SW1200]]
|1954
|Electro-Motive Division
|20047
|Operational
|-
|[[Tennessee Valley Railroad 610|610]]
|[[File:Chattanooga - Tennessee Valley RR Steam Locomotive.jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Steam
|{{whyte|2-8-0}}
|1952
|Baldwin Locomotive Works
|75503
|Stored, awaiting 1,472-day inspection and overhaul
|-
|[[Southern Railway 630|630]]
|[[File:SR 630.jpg|frameless|175x175px]]
|Steam
|{{whyte|2-8-0}}
|1904
|American Locomotive Company
|28446
|Undergoing 1,472-day inspection and overhaul
|-
|710
|[[File:710 edited.JPG|175px|frameless]]
|Diesel
|[[EMD GP7|GP7]]
|1950
|Electro-Motive Division
|10551
|Operational
|-
|814
|
|Diesel
|[[EMD F7A|F7A]]
|1949
|Electro-Motive Division
|5798
|Stored, privately owned
|-
|913
|[[File:Hartford and Slocomb 913.jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Diesel
|[[ALCO RS-1|RS-1]]
|1950
|American Locomotive Company
|77848
|Display
|-
|1230
|
|Diesel
|[[EMD SD40|SD40]]
|1969
|Electro-Motive Division
|34759
|Operational
|-
|1824
|[[File:EMD DE 1824, Tennessee Valley Railroad, April 2013 CNV00055 (10319177205).jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Diesel
|GP7L
|1951
|Electro-Motive Division
|15694
|Out of service
|-
|1829
|[[File:TVRM 5000 and 1829.jpg|175x175px]]
|Diesel
|GP7L
|1951
|Electro-Motive Division
|15699
|Operational
|-
|3170
|[[File:Southern Railway 3170.jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Diesel
|SD40
|1971
|Electro-Motive Division
|37355
|Display, awaiting repairs
|-
|[[Southern Railway 4501|4501]]
|[[File:4501 Arrives for service on the Missionary Ridge Local.jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Steam
|{{whyte|2-8-2}}
|1911
|Baldwin Locomotive Works
|37085
|Operational
|-
|5000
|[[File:Southern Railway 5000.jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Diesel
|[[EMD GP38-2|GP38-2]]
|1972
|Electro-Motive Division
|5809-1
|Operational
|-
|5044
|
|Diesel
|GP38-2
|1973
|Electro-Motive Division
|7362-35
|Operational
|-
|5109
|
|Diesel
|GP38-2
|1974
|Electro-Motive Division
|73752-2
|Operational
|-
|6914
|[[File:Southern Railway No. 6914 at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum - April 2013.jpg|frameless|175x175px]]
|Diesel
|[[EMD E8|E8]]
|1953
|Electro-Motive Division
|19012
|Under restoration
|-
|7100
|
|Diesel
|[[ALCO S-2 and S-4|S-2]]
|1943
|American Locomotive Company
|70225
|Out of service
|-
|7467
|[[File:Baldwin VO-1000.jpg|frameless|175x175px]]
|Diesel
|VO-1000
|1943
|Baldwin Locomotive Works
|67738
|Cosmetic restoration
|-
|8669
|
|Diesel
|[[ALCO RSD-1|RSD-1]]
|1945
|American Locomotive Company
|72162
|Display
|-
|8677
|[[File:RSD-1.jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Diesel
|RSD-1
|1945
|American Locomotive Company
|72170
|Stored
|-
|F3060
|[[File:Fairbanks-Morse H-16-66.jpg|175x175px]]
|Diesel
|[[FM H-16-66|H-16-66]]
|1958
|[[Fairbanks-Morse]]
|16L1157
|Display
|-
|4073C
|[[File:LVRR loco 576.JPG|175x175px]]
|Diesel
|F7A
|1949
|Electro-Motive Division
|8551
|Stored, out of service
|-
|4087C
|
|Diesel
|F7A
|1949
|Electro-Motive Division
|10151
|Stored, out of service
|}

===Visiting units===
{|class="wikitable"
|+Locomotive details<ref name="RailroadEquipment"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Locomotives|url=https://www.train-museum.org/locomotives-rolling-stock/locomotives/|access-date=March 2, 2025|website=Southeast Railway Museum|language=en-US}}</ref>
!Number
!Image
!Type
!Model
!Built
!Builder
!Serial number
!Status
!Notes
|-
|1580
|
|Diesel
|SD40
|1966
|Electro-Motive Division
|31899
|Operational
|Undergoing repaint, owned by the Roanoke Chapter of the [[National Railway Historical Society|NRHS]]
|-
|2594
|[[File:GM DE 2594,Tennessee Valley Railroad, April 2013 CNV00058 (10319197236).jpg|175px|frameless]]
|Diesel
|GP30
|1962
|Electro-Motive Division
|28564
|Operational
|Leased from the [[Southeastern Railway Museum]]
|}

===Former units===
{|class="wikitable"
!Number
!Image
!Type
!Model
!Built
!Builder
!Notes
|-
|1
|[[File:Cowan-Porter-locomotive-Columbia-wheels-tn1.jpg|frameless|175x175px]]
|Steam
|{{whyte|2-4-2}}
|1920
|[[H.K. Porter, Inc.|H.K. Porter]]
|Built by H.K. Porter in 1920 for the Cherokee Brick and Tile Company in Macon, Georgia. Purchased by the National Railroad Historical Society in 1964 and ran excursions in South Carolina. The unit was later retired and sold to the museum but was determined to lack the power and speed needed by the museum. The unit was purchased by the Cowan Railroad Museum in 1979 and was moved to Cowan, Tennessee where the unit remains on display.<ref>{{cite web |title=Equipment and Rolling Stock |url=https://www.cowanrailroadmuseum.org/trainondisplay.html |publisher=Cowan Railroad Museum |access-date=21 September 2025}}</ref>
|-
|3
|
|Steam
|{{whyte|0-4-0|T}}
|1924
|[[American Locomotive Company]]
|Built by the American Locomotive Company in 1924 for the Southern Wood Company in Chattanooga. Retired 1961 and sold to Paul Merriman. Sold to the [[Age of Steam Roundhouse]] in Sugarcreek, Ohio in 1994. Currently on static display.
|-
|35
|
|Steam
|[[Shay locomotive|Shay Class C]]
|1910
|[[Lima Locomotive Works]]
|Built by Lima Locomotive Works in 1910, it was sent to a heritage railway in [[Australia]] in 2014.
|-
|36
|
|Steam
|Shay Class C
|1911
|Lima Locomotive Works
|Built by [[Lima Locomotive Works]] in 1910, it now resides at the [[Cass Scenic Railroad]].
|-
|203
|
|Steam
|{{whyte|2-10-0}}
|1928
|Baldwin Locomotive Works
|Built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in January 1928 at Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad #402. Sold to the Gainesville Midland Railroad in 1946 and renumbered to 203. Retired in 1959 and later donated to the Atlanta Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society in 1961. Arrived at TVRM on January 8, 1964. It was to be repaired and used for excursions but paperwork supporting its transfer to TVRM was never completed. It remained on static display for over 25 years until being sent back to Atlanta. It is currently on static display at the [[Southeastern Railway Museum]] in [[Duluth, Georgia]].
|-
|509
|[[File:Cookeville-depot-baldwin-tn1.jpg|frameless|175x175px]]
|Steam
|{{whyte|4-6-0}}
|1913
|Baldwin Locomotive Works
|Built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in April 1913 as Louisiana and Arkansas Railway #403, later renumbered to 509. Sold to the Louisiana Midland Railroad in 1950 where it was later involved in a collision with an L&A 2-8-2 in 1952. Sold to the Rapides Gravel Company and hauled gravel there until retirement in 1966. Sold to a railfan named John Thompson in 1968 who later sold it to the [[Whitewater Valley Railroad]] in 1974. Arrived at TVRM in 1982. Sold to the Cookeville Depot Museum in 2002. Currently on display, disguised as [[Tennessee Central Railway]] #509.
|-
|611
|
|Steam
|2-8-0
|1943
|Baldwin Locomotive Works
|Built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1943 as U.S. Army #2628. Later renumbered to 611 in 1951. Sold to the [[Texas State Railroad]] in the 1970s. Arrived at TVRM in 1991. Sold off to Bill Miller Equipment Sales in 2010.
|-
|[[Southern Railway 722|722]]
|[[File:SR 722 at TVRM 1992.jpg|frameless|175x175px]]
|Steam
|2-8-0
|1904
|Baldwin Locomotive Works
|Built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in September 1904. Sold to the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad in 1952 and renumbered to 208. Retired in December 1967 and sold to the Southern to participate in the steam program. Leased and operated at TVRM from 1980 – 1985, put on static display due to a cracked firebox. Transferred to the Asheville Chapter NRHS in 1992. Sold to the [[Great Smoky Mountains Railroad]] in [[Bryson City, North Carolina]] in December 2000, currently under restoration to operating condition.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Franz|first=Justin|date=May 23, 2023|title=Great Smoky Mountains Railroad to Restore Southern 2-8-0|url=https://railfan.com/great-smoky-mountain-to-restore-southern-2-8-0/|work=[[Railfan & Railroad]]|publisher=[[White River Productions]]|access-date=December 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524031042/https://railfan.com/great-smoky-mountain-to-restore-southern-2-8-0/|archive-date=May 24, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|[[Canadian National 5288|5288]]
|[[File:Montreal Loco Works 4-6-2 5288, Tennessee Valley Railroad, April 2013 CNV00050 (10319176335).jpg|frameless|175x175px]]
|Steam
|{{whyte|4-6-2}}
|1919
|[[Montreal Locomotive Works]]
|Initially constructed for the Grand Trunk Railway before ownership of the engine was obtained by the [[Canadian National Railway]]. In 1961, the engine was sold to [[F. Nelson Blount]] for his [[Steamtown, U.S.A.]] collection, and the engine would be put on display in [[Bellows Falls, Vermont]] before it was eventually moved to [[Scranton, Pennsylvania]]. In 2001, 5288 was sold to the TVRM, where it was put on display near the Chattanooga depot. It would later provide parts for Southern 4501's restoration. In 2023, the engine was acquired by the [[Colebrookdale Railroad]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weekly |first=Berks |date=2023-04-08 |title=Colebrookdale Railroad acquires steam locomotive #5288 from Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum |url=https://berksweekly.com/news/colebrookdale-railroad-acquires-steam-locomotive-5288-from-tennessee-valley-railroad-museum/ |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=Berks Weekly - Local News, Entertainment, Traffic, Weather, Sports |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|Flying Duchess
|[[File:La Grange, KY, Ohio Valley Railroad. Steam Locomotive No 7745.JPG|175px]]
|Steam
|{{whyte|0-6-0|T}}
|1953
|[[Robert Stephenson and Company]]
|Built by Robert Stephenson and Company of [[England]] in 1953 for the Meaford Power Company in [[Staffordshire]], England. Later sold to the [[Boyne City Railroad]] in [[Boyne City, Michigan]]. Purchased by Chattanooga Coke & Chemicals Co, in Chattanooga and arrived at TVRM in 1976. Operated 1978-80. Sold to the Ohio Valley Railroad Historical Society in 2000. Currently undergoing cosmetic restoration.
|}

===Rolling stock===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Rolling stock details<ref name="RailroadEquipment"/>
! Railroad Company !! class="unsortable" | Operating Number || class="unsortable" | Car Name || Car Type !! class="unsortable" | Status
|-
| [[Baltimore and Ohio Railroad|Baltimore & Ohio]]|| 98 || (ex-Eden Isle) || Business || Operational
|-
| Central of Georgia|| 390 || || Combine || Operational 
|-
| Central of Georgia || 661 || || Coach || Operational 
|-
| Central of Georgia || 662 || || Coach || Operational 
|-
| Central of Georgia || 906 || || Coach || Operational 
|-
| Central of Georgia || 907 || || Coach || Operational 
|-
| Southern || 829 || || Coach || Operational, leased, now in Florida
|-
| Southern || 832 || || Coach || Operational
|-
| [[Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac]]|| 857 || || Coach || Operational
|-
| [[Missouri Pacific Railroad|Missouri Pacific]]|| 873 || || Coach || Operational
|-
| [[Grand Trunk Western Railroad|Grand Trunk Western]]|| 899 || Silver Lake || Dining || Operational 
|-
| Pullman Co. || || Clover Colony || Sleeper || Operational
|-
| Pullman Co. || || Maitland || Sleeper || Restoration
|-
| Southern || 1000 || || Coach || Operational
|-
| Southern || 1037 || || Coach || Operational
|-
| [[Norfolk and Western Railway|Norfolk & Western]]|| 1486 || Randolph-Macon College || Coach || Operational
|-
| Norfolk & Western || 1488 || Emory and Henry College || Coach || Operational 
|-
| [[Canadian Pacific Railway|Canadian Pacific]]|| 15401 || Algonquin Park || Observation/Dome || Operational
|-
| Southern || 1683 || || Coach || Stored
|-
| Chesapeake & Ohio || 1877 || (ex-Linoma) || Dome-Observation || Operational, leased
|-
| Louisville & Nashville|| 2728 || Cross Keys Tavern || Dining || Display
|-
| Louisville & Nashville || 3103 || || Coach || Operational 
|-
| Southern || 3158 || (ex-Travelers Fare) || Dining || Operational
|-
| Southern || 3164 || || Dining || Operational, leased
|-
| Southern || 4530 || || Baggage || Restoration
|-
| Southern || 21 || || Business || Operational
|-
| [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern]]|| 9410 || || Dome || Operational
|}

==TVRM in the movies==
TVRM has been a prime [[movie]] spot since the early 1970s. Several of the rail cars that TVRM owns have been used in movies, i.e. the collection holds the [[Pullman sleeping car]] "Clover Colony" that was used in the [[Marilyn Monroe]] movie ''[[Some Like It Hot]]'', which was filmed in 1959, two years before TVRM started.

A partial list of movies and music videos shot with TVRM equipment follows:<ref name="TVRM in the movies">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvrail.com/pages/in-the-movies|title=In the Movies|publisher=Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum|access-date=28 August 2012}}</ref>
* ''[[Fools' Parade]]'' (1971) (Southern 4501 as B&O 4501)<ref>{{IMDb title|0067109|Fool's Parade}}</ref>
* ''[[Eleanor and Franklin (miniseries)|Eleanor & Franklin]]'' (1976), starring [[Jane Alexander]] and [[Edward Herrmann]]<ref>{{IMDb title|0074464|Eleanor & Franklin}}</ref>
*''[[The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James]]'' (1986)<ref>{{IMDb title|0091382|Last Days of Frank and Jesse James}}</ref>
* ''[[Fled]]'' (1996) (shot on the TVRM mainline)<ref>{{IMDb title|0116320|Fled}}</ref>
* ''[[Mama Flora's Family]]'' (1998)<ref>{{IMDb title|0162462/|Mama Flora's Family}}</ref>
* ''[[October Sky]]'' (1999) (Southern 4501 appearing as N&W 4501 with [[O. Winston Link]] being the engineer)<ref>{{IMDb title|0132477|October Sky}}</ref>
* ''[[The Adventures of Ociee Nash]]'' (2003)<ref>{{IMDb title|0368564|The Adventures of Ociee Nash}}</ref>
* ''[[Warm Springs (film)|Warm Springs]]'' (2005) (shot in [[Summerville, Georgia]], using TVRM equipment)<ref>{{IMDb title|0423510|Warm Springs}}</ref>
* ''[[Heaven's Fall]]'' (2007)<ref>{{IMDb title|0425094|Heaven's Fall}}</ref>
* ''[[Leatherheads]]'' (2008), starring [[George Clooney]] and [[Renée Zellweger]] (TVRM 610 disguised as a [[Chicago and North Western Railway]] locomotive)<ref>{{IMDb title|0379865|Leatherheads}}</ref>
* ''[[Water for Elephants (film)|Water for Elephants]]'' (2011), starring [[Reese Witherspoon]] and [[Robert Pattinson]] (TVRM 610 disguised as a [[Southern Pacific Transportation Company|Southern Pacific]] locomotive)<ref>{{IMDb title|1067583|Water for Elephants}}</ref>
* The music video for [[Josh Turner]]'s 2003 country music hit single "[[Long Black Train]]" was shot on TVRM property as well.<ref name="TVRM in the movies"/>
* The music video for [[Eric Church]] song "[[Creepin' (Eric Church song)|Creepin']]" (2012) was filmed on TVRM property.
* ''[[42 (film)]]'' (2013), starring [[Chadwick Boseman]] and [[Harrison Ford]] Jackie Robinson leaves for the Montreal Royals, a minor league single-A division club under the ownership of the Brooklyn Dodgers, from the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's main station. Southern 630 also made an appearance in this movie but with a different number.

==See also==
{{Portal|National Register of Historic Places|Trains|United States}}

*[[List of heritage railroads in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.tvrail.com/ Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum]
*[http://home.chattanooga.net/~soule/RMS/  Additional information about TVRM and co-founder Robert M. Soule]
*[http://www.21stcenturysteam.com/ The 21st Century Steam Project by Norfolk Southern and TVRM]

{{Chattanooga, Tennessee landmarks}}
{{National Register of Historic Places}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Rail transportation on the National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Railroad museums in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Heritage railroads in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Museums in Chattanooga, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Transportation in Chattanooga, Tennessee]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Chattanooga, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Museums on the National Register of Historic Places]]
[[Category:Museums established in 1960]]
[[Category:1960 establishments in Tennessee]]