So...Who is going to be in Chattanooga Labor day weekend?

[E.M. Bell]

Carmon and myself have our tickets for the night photo session at TVRM and a few other things for the big hootenanny in Chattanooga Labor day weekend. . We will be leaving Jreb world HQ early Thursday morning (Sep 1st)  and following the CNO&TP down to Chatt. We plan on spending Friday, Sat, Sunday and Monday down there shooting the steam, NS mainline stuff, and the TVRM diesel trip (With the Southern FP7 from Spencer and TVRM's Southern GP30) to Georgia on Monday.

IS anyone else from the group planning on being down there.  If we can get a plan of some sort together, perhaps we can all meet for dinner one night, or hang out at Tenbridge or something like that one evening after the TVRM stuff is over for the day. If your going, speak up!

Here is some info about what is supposed to be going on. Be sure to check TVRM's website for all the details!

http://www.tvrail.com/pages/Railfest/

Night Photo Session - Held on the evening of Sept 2, attendees will be
able to photograph locomotives which have been posed and specially
lighted for a spectacular effect (held at East Chattanooga, $25
tickets, limited to 100 participants)

Make plans NOW. These tickets will go FAST.

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Just a FEW of the events scheduled for this Special Celebration:


Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum will be celebrating its 50th
Anniversary with a special multi-day celebration over Labor Day
weekend, Sept 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, 2011.

So, what is RAILFEST?  Family fun!  If you like trains, family
activities, old fashioned music, living history, and celebrating
community events - you'll LOVE the Tennessee Valley Railfest!

In addition to train rides, attendees will be able to enjoy live
musical entertainment, children's activities, festival food, and more.
This will be a family-oriented event which also appeals to railroad
enthusiasts. Activities include special rail excursions,
entertainment, storytelling, concerts, on-site demonstrations and
exhibits, food and much more.

FEATURING:

Unlimited rides on an expanded schedule of Missionary Ridge Local trips

Unlimited rides on special hourly "Tunnel Turn" runs with a visiting
steam locomotive

Non-stop live musical entertainment on the main stage  - For schedule
click here

Visiting rail equipment on display including diesel locomotives and an
old fashioned pump car - For an attractions list click here

An opportunity to meet one of the most influential and celebrated
modern railroad executives of today, Wick Moorman of Norfolk Southern,
at a special banquet* (information) (order tickets)

Take night photos of specially posed and lighted locomotives* (order tickets)

View "Fifty Years of Steam in the Valley" photography exhibit by John
W. Coniglio (website)

"King of Newgrass" Sam Bush concert on Saturday evening* (website)
(order tickets)

Outdoor railroad-themed movie on Sunday evening (hint: docudrama from
1956 depicting a well-know, railroad-related episode during the Civil
War)

"Georgia Diesel Special" excursion into Northwest Georgia on Monday*
(order tickets)


*slight additional charge



Please Note: Unless on site parking is included in a ticket package,
all visitors will be required to park in satellite parking lots at
Northgate Mall and Eastgate Mall.  Missionary Ridge Local rides are
included in Railfest admission.  Individual tickets will not be sold
for Missionary Ridge Local trains during Railfest.

On Railfest days at TVRM there will be pre-sold festival gate
admission which will include unlimited train rides on Missionary Ridge
Local trains running on an expanded schedule and special shorter
"Tunnel Turn" trips led by a visiting steam locomotive. (Missionary
Ridge Local tickets will not be sold individually.)  Parking will be
in satellite lots using shuttle bus service unless onsite parking is
included in a ticket package.  Parking will not be available at Grand
Junction for standard ticket holders.

Admission to Railfest includes satellite parking, shuttle bus to and
from TVRM, all daytime entertainment events, and unlimited rides on
our Missionary Ridge Local trains including shop tour, and special
"Tunnel Turn" trains to Missionary Ridge Tunnel and back.

Optional tickets will be available for banquets, outdoor evening
concert, night photography session, and all off-site excursion trains.
A kick off banquet on Thursday evening will feature Norfolk Southern
Chairman, President, and CEO Wick Moorman as the speaker.  Several
activities will have slight additional charges on site such as pony
rides, trackless train rides, face painting, hand crank car rides, and
of course, food.

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Check the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum website for more
information and even MORE activities for this Celebration.

http://www.tvrail.com

[Batman]

I`m here everyday  ;D

[E.M. Bell]

I`m here everyday  ;D

That you are...tell the wife I like my steak well done  

[Batman]

she says ...tell your waiter /waitress that !

[Batman]

we will have to do the rib & loin BBQ thing you know    499-OINK

[Crescent]

I'll be there Sat.- Mon. and on one of the DeButts steam specials........

[Michael Knight]

we will have to do the rib & loin BBQ thing you know    499-OINK

Jim Stone is dressing up in his pig outfit and bringing his grill on wheels and lots of ribs and sauce! After the train fotos, we will all pig out.

[E.M. Bell]

mmmmm...mmmm...pulled pig, can we get that set up at the park at Tenbridge Saturday evening about 6ish..?

[lwjabo]

I had not planed on going but sounds like fun. I would like to meet some of you. I have to watch the pork but if someone offered me a cold one I would not turn it down. One of the old RR hang outs was Nicki's over in Red Bank. If they still have that old beer sign from 1960 and just outside the tube. After a few I could tell a few story's. Just remember I want hold a lot back and my wife will be jerking my arm saying don't say that. I will try to watch my language but I do slip up. Chattanooga has changed a lot since I hired and I'm sure it has since I left. I will see if I can get a room. Chattanooga might have a full house that weekend.
On another note I went to Jonesboro today and NS has not cut the bushes they talked about.

[csx6900]

I plan on being in Chattanooga from Saturday afternoon/evening until Monday afternoon.  My dad and I will follow the CNO&TP down from Harriman to Chattanooga on Saturday, and then spend the evening railfanning in the area.  On Sunday, we plan on catching the morning mainline steam special and spending some time around Debutts at Coffrey's Cliff and such.  We may possibly venture towards the Lookout Mountain/Wauhatchie area.  Towards the late afternoon, we'll migrate south towards Tunnel Hill and Dalton for dinner at the Dalton Depot restaurant.  Then on Monday, we'll chase the Georgia Diesel Special down to about Chickamauga.  Afterwards, we'll hit up the TVRM for a few hours to ride the Tunnel Turn and Missionary Ridge trains, as well as catching a few musical performances and anything else that looks interesting.  By the time we're done at the TVRM, we'll be following the NS West End back to home.

Let me know about the possible cook-out at Tenbridge on Saturday night.  We'd love to attend!

-Evan Lofback
Maryville, TN

[Ns Railfan]

I will be down Friday and Monday.
-Jacob

[John Owens]

I will also be down from either late Friday/early Saturday through Monday.

-John

[lwjabo]

Where is everyone staying? I was thinking the Choo Choo but has been years since I was there last. It's close to the wye at CT but not much more.

[E.M. Bell]

I dont know about having a "cookout" per-say, as I dont really think any of us will have the time, equipment and so forth to do so, but perhaps we can find someplace close to chow down after the sun goes down. I just figured that the park there at Tenbridge might be a good public place to gather if anyone wants to, and hang out and shoot a few trains. The light is usually pretty good there in the evenings, and its not really all that hard to find.

I am thinking around 6pm that Saturday evening. That should be a good time, and most all of the other distractions at TVRM would be over with for the day.  Comments, Suggestions??

I would imagine hotel rooms will be getting tight (but maybe not, Chatt is a big town). We have reservations at the Super 8 near I-75 on Shallowford. That area was suggested to me by a local, and is supposed to be in a decent part of town, and not to far away from everything. It was less than $200 for 4 nights.

I am kind of looking forward to this, and hope to see a bunch of the group there. We seem to be spread out far and wide, so it would be great to be able to a few faces with a few names.

[Crescent]

I'm staying at the Sleep Inn at Shallowford rd. & I75.......Where is the park at Tenbridge, Is it right up
Hwy 153 and exit just before the river????

[Batman]

going north on 153 , exit at amnicola hwy ,  take first right at the powerhouse signs.

[Crescent]

Thanks....I've never seen Tenbridge.....

[lwjabo]

Chattanooga has plenty of good places to eat. Nicki's in Red Bank.  Bea's Round Table for Southern Cooking. They opened a few places on Market St. There ones one near the Choo Choo that had good Italian I and most RR liked. I think anyone who likes Italian would like it. I can't remember the name but something Italian Kitchen. I think that right. One of the guys from Chattanooga told me about it some 20 years ago. From the park at Ten bridge you are right next to the Dam and right under the tracks. Should be plenty of trains in the afternoon. Over near Jersey you can watch the Georgia and Knoxville trains. There are several bridges over DeButts Yard for some good shots. You can also see the CSXT trains going to Georgia there. There main line runs next to DeButts. Should be some shots around CT also. Just remember it RR property and I'm sure NS Police will be down there. From the street you should get some shots of the south end of the shop. I can't remember the name of it now but it been a few years. Some of the locals can help you there. I'm trying to get my niece and her family to come. If she does I will introduce you to the real Jabo. I gave that nick name to him about a year before I started posting as lwjabo on jreb. He 4 years old and something else.

[RailfanTerry]

I Terry Lovell and Terry Redeker and Doyle Massey will be there Friday - Monday, Will see you at Tenbridge Saturday.

[E.M. Bell]

Terry, we will be glad to have yall join us. The weather is looking "iffy" right now, but the long range forecast is not normally that trust worthy.

[lwjabo]

Think I have talked the wife into driving up Saturday morning. We live near Atlanta Motor Speed way and the race is this weekend so traffic is a night mare.

[E.M. Bell]

Looks like its shaping up to be a decent weekend, and I look forward to seeing everyone. Im sure we will be bumping into each other at the various activities, but if not, see you at Tenbridge Saturday evening around 6pm. As we have discussed, there is not a firm plan of any kind, other than to get together and hang out, watch a few trains and enjoy some conversation.  Carmon and I will be in the Black Explorer, and will more than likely try to park towards the "back" of the parking lot, close to the boat ramp.

If you have not been there, this is the parking lot on the Southwest side of the RR bridge, and the dam at the base of the powerhouse. Take Highway 153 to Exit 6 (South end of the dam) then Amnicola Highway towards town to the first right. Follow the signs to the powerhouse and riverwalk. It shouldn't be to hard to find (I cant locate a address near enough to give for those with a GPS)

Also, just a heads up...With all the NS stuff going on, the NS police dept will be out in full force, if you are chasing the steam trips, stay off the property....that shouldn't be to hard to do anyway, there are just not a lot of places you can get to the tracks except for overhead bridges..

See yall there, and we will be checking the board and email frequently for updates ect..

[thpbears]

Anyone know what kind of diesels will be on display ? Any NS stuff like Spencer had acouple of years ago. Might have to come on down.

[thpbears]

Never mind just found it. Looks like a greta weekend.

[NSyorktown]

Wish I could be in TN (for all this) over the Labor Day weekend, but can't.  That said, our family never goes to Chattanooga without a stop at this restaurant . . . .

http://www.smokeybones.com/

Happy railfanning!