On Armed Forces Day, May 15, Southern Appalachia Railway Museum will offer free train rides to all current and former military personnel, including Guard and Reserves. Any form of proof of service will be accepted to get a ticket.
     The rail line the train operates on was built by the U.S. Army in 1943 to serve the Manhattan Project K-25 site, and was critical to the success of America's efforts to develop atomic weapons and hasten the end of World War II in the Pacific.  
     Several locomotives on the museum's roster were once used by the Army.  Given this legacy, the museum's volunteers feel it is fitting that they offer rides on Armed Forces Day as a sign of support for current military and as a "thank you" to all veterans for their prior service to our country.
     The train rolls through the former K-25 site and past the original K-25 building. It then exits the north gate and travels through Poplar creek Valley, crossing the creek several times before stopping at Blair, Tennessee, surrounded by hardwood forest.
     Trains run at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. from East Tennessee Technology Park on Highway 58, about 10 miles west of downtown Oak Ridge.
     Normal ticket prices are $15 for adults and $10 for children 3- through -12-years-old. Reservations are suggested and riders are asked to be at the boarding site 30 minutes before departure time.
    The excursion train runs the one-hour narrated rides on the first and third Saturday of each month through September. Also, on the third Saturdays, a classic dinner train departs at 6 p.m. The dinner train is by advance reservation only and tickets are $65 per person. In October, operations expand to every full weekend, both Saturdays and Sundays, for the fall color trips.
     Southern Appalachia Railway Museum is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the rich railroad history of East Tennessee and the South. Any adult of good character is eligible to join for a small annual membership fee.  
     Members come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a wealth of skills to the Museum's restoration efforts and operation of the excursion train. All members enjoy the thrill of seeing vintage equipment being restored and returning to Tennessee rails.
     Information about the rides and other activities is available at (865) 241-2140, or on the museum's Web site at www.southernappalachia.railway.museum.

… read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.

... read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.