SMOKE& Cinders VOL 56 NO. 3 Third Quarter 2017 ISSN: 1083-1606 In This Issue: 423.894.8028 history and development of our region. our of development and history www.tvrail.com public concerning the role of railroads in the the in railroads of role the concerning public Riding in artifacts in an authentic setting to educate the the educate to setting authentic an in artifacts operation, interpretation and display, railroad railroad display, and interpretation operation, Museum is to collect for preservation, preservation, for collect to is Museum The mission of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Railroad Valley Tennessee the of mission The Luxury ........ 1 Eden Isle ...... 3 Do You Know? .. 4 Photo by: Bo Ellis Elsewhere Date: July 30, 2016 Location: Grand Junction Station, Chattanooga, TN 2018 TVRM Calendar www.tvrail.com • 423.894.8028 in Steam Preservation ... 5 Riding in Luxury In the last issue of Smoke and the Hiwassee. These trains have Highlights from Cinders we talked about the special constraints on the number of cars the Collection .. 6 events that are used to boost that can be handled, so how does TVRM’s income. While these TVRM maximize the revenue from In the events generate a higher ticket price those trains? Gift Shop ...... 6 (and cost) they represent a relatively In addition to the cars with standard small part of our operating coach class seating TVRM offers Latest from schedule. For a much longer part Premium seating in one of five Soule Shops .... 7 of the year we operate off site specialty cars. Included are the excursions in North Georgia and on observations cars at the end This Quarter in History ........ 7 Meet the team .. 8 From the President ...... 8 Dining room on the Eden Isle tvrail.com Observation dome car on the Hiwassee River Rail Adventure Dining Car table set for dinner of the North Georgia and Hiwassee the revenue to the same level or trains (which also includes 24 dome higher. Further on almost any seats), the Pullman sleeper Clover given departure date the Premium Colony and office car 98 The Eden seating sells out, reflecting both Isle. In each case there are options the desirability and scarcity of the that include specialized seating, seating, while the regular coaches complementary snacks, special may have available seats remaining. attendants and in the case of the This popularity is leading North Georgia trips Breakfast and TVRM toward completing the Lunch are included in the ticket rehabilitation of former Chesapeake price. and Ohio 30-seat Parlor Car Torch Lake and exploring other avenues While each car typically seats for lounge car capacity. e fewer than a standard coach the Observation suite on the 6604 higher ticket price helps to boost round-end observation car Clover Colony section on a Dinner Train Observation suite on the Eden Isle tvrail.com 2 Thank you to our Generous Supporters Superintendent . $5,000 - $10,000 Division Engineer . $1,000 - $5,000 EPB (Sponsorship) Train Master . $250 - $1,000 Conductor . up to $250 Frank Patty Wayne & Marilyn Toppins Chattanooga Area CFC Kirk Haveman Rail Camp Our first year, 2010, was a week- Each year generous contributors long day camp with just a few help TVRM make progress on at TVRM campers. One other counselor and I many fronts but particularly in By Trevor Lanier, Rail Camp put together a few classroom lessons extraordinary projects (such as Coordinator coupled with some train rides and thus began our first summer camp. rebuilding a steam engine) and Rail Camp is exhausting. I start The next year we made it better, a off setting costs for unique events planning for the following year trend that we work hard to continue. like the North Pole Limited. within a couple of weeks of the Today, Rail Camp is five sessions end of camp. My counselors and I spread over four weeks, with more As we work our way to our talk over what worked, what didn’t than 70 kids ages 7-17, six counselors busiest season of 2017 we begin and how to make camp better. We and countless other support staff. The preparing our annual request take this planning very seriously last two weeks of camp are overnight and enjoy the challenge of always asking for your support. We doing something new, something will be mailing out our year end special for next year. Preparing for appeal soon - we hope you will 14 young people per session requires a lot of careful planning as well as consider supporting TVRM as anticipating what the kids will enjoy, we keep history rolling into the and what they won’t. Registration future. usually opens around January and it’s a constant madhouse from then until the end of camp in June. SEPT 9, 23 & 30 SEPT 2 & 16, OCT 7, SEPT 9 & 10 OCT 7, 13, 14, NOV 24, 30 STARTS NOV 24 14, 21, 22, 28, 29, 20, 21, 27, 28 DEC 1, 2, 7, 8, 14, NOV 4, 11 & 12 15, 16, 21, 22, 28, 29 3 423.894.8028 Do you know? sessions where campers stay on a 1920s Pullman car and take TVRM is beginning our fundraising their meals in our vintage dining effort to restore Car #98 Eden Isle. car. Campers spend their days A great deal of time, planning and touring rail yards, exploring repair money go into a restoration like this, shops, and riding turntables, the and we need your help to make it Missionary Ridge Local train and in happen! Below is our estimate of just the cab of a steam locomotive. They how much it will take to restore this also work hard building dioramas, historic 100-year-old Pullman private blacksmithing, learning to arrange office car: cars using models, field trips, and photographing passing trains. The New Roof: ............$40,000 above list gives you an idea that we Side sills and try to have something for everyone sheet metal: ...........$40,000 that loves trains. Window gaskets: .......$15,000 In addition to coordinating all Trucks/wheels:. $30,000 of the activities, the Rail Camp Brake system/rigging: ...$15,000 staff are also preparing meals, transporting kids to doctors (a Wiring: ...............$40,000 rare occurrence!), calming kids Paint: ................$15,000 down when a fight breaks out over Rear platform: .........$10,000 which steam engine is coolest, ensuring the safety of all the kids Floor: .................$5,000 throughout the day and night, and Carpet: ...............$15,000 listening to a constant din of train Upholstery: ............$10,000 talk that surpasses even railroad professionals. Eventually it becomes Interior wood restoration: $20,000 a dull roar. We learned a long time Total: ...............$255,000 ago not to try to teach rail campers about locomotives and trains. While a quarter of a million dollars may sound like a lot, it is certainly possible with your help, and is not too much to save this unique piece of our railroad history. Please join TVRM in restoring the Eden Isle by Instead, we sit back and listen visiting our gofundme page or by so that we can learn something donating via www.tvrail.com from them. Of course I still don’t understand the difference between an ES44AC and an AC-whatever it is . at least I’m familiar with J3 Hudson steam locomotives. Rail Camp has grown a tremendous amount since our first year, and as intense as it is, I always look forward to it. Some of our counselors were former tvrail.com 4 Elsewhere in steam preservation: Oregon Rail Heritage http://www.orhf.org The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation based in Portland, Oregon, is home to two large operating steam locomotives: Southern Pacific 4-8-4 #4449 and Spokane, Portland & Seattle 4-8-4 #700. They feature a state-of- the-art display building and offer occasional excursion rides. A third locomotive, 4-6-2 #197, is also housed in the facility and is under active restoration. All three pieces of equipment have separate caretakers, but they live in harmony with a common purpose inside the Oregon Rail Heritage Center. Tweetsie Railroad http://www.tweetsie.com campers and it’s great to see kids who share their enthusiasm Tweetsie Railroad “Wild West” theme park has been a North Carolina family tradition for 60 them becoming involved in and interests. Some of our years. Even though Tweetsie is an amusement raising the next generation of campers wait the whole year park, the draw has always been the train ride. people who will be champions of just for this. When camp is over, Two steam locomotives are operated, East railroad preservation. We host Rail some campers cry. Others hug Tennessee & Western North Carolina 4-6-0 #12 and White Pass & Yukon 2-8-2 #190. Camp because we want to support us telling us “thank you.” We ET&WNC #12 is its jewel, having served on those who love this industry and also receive notes telling us how the original 66-mile, narrow gauge railroad its history. When we first started important camp was to them. from Johnson City, TN to Boone, NC. Why is this in 2010, I was naive as to just Rail Camp is more than just a fun it called Tweetsie? Mountain dwellers thought the whistle echoing through the valleys had a how important Rail Camp would week of riding trains and may be melodic “tweet” to it. be. Today, we have campers exhausting, but it’s a worthwhile from New York, California, investment in our future. e The Oregon Coast South Carolina, Florida, Illinois, Scenic Railway Massachusetts and the rest of http://www.oregoncoastscenic.org/ The Oregon Coast Scenic Railway has the country who love trains and an interesting collection of historic steam want to spend a week with other locomotives, including Deep River Logging #7 which was one of only three 2-4-4-2 engines constructed by Baldwin.