Three Rivers Rambler facts for kids
View of Volunteer Landing from Neyland Stadium showing the Three Rivers Rambler parked underneath the roadway bridges
|
|
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Tourist train |
| Status | Operating |
| Locale | Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Current operator(s) | KXHR |
| Route | |
| Start | Knoxville |
| End | Marbledale |
| Average journey time | 90 minutes |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Track owner(s) | Gulf and Ohio Railways |
The Three Rivers Rambler is a fun tourist train that takes you on a journey in Knoxville, Tennessee. It travels along the beautiful Tennessee River. This special train is run by the Knoxville and Holston River Railroad, which is part of Gulf and Ohio Railways.
Your Train Journey in Knoxville
The Three Rivers Rambler ride begins at a special train station at 2560 University Commons Way. From there, the train heads towards the river.
What You'll See on the Ride
As you travel, you will pass by:
- The County Building
- Underneath the Henley Street and Gay Street Bridges
- The Star of Knoxville riverboat
- The train's own watertower and shed at Volunteer Landing
The train then follows the Knox County Greenways next to the river. It goes all the way to Governor Ned McWherter Riverside Landing Park. After this park, the train passes through the General Shale Brick Company and the Knoxville Utilities Board water treatment plant.
Reaching the Three Rivers Trestle
The train continues to follow the river past the Knoxville Downtown Island Airport. Then, it turns away from the river and goes under Riverside Drive. You'll also see the Hines Compost Company.
The most exciting part is reaching the Three Rivers Trestle. This bridge is also called the Forks of the River Bridge and was built in 1913. It's where two rivers, the French Broad River and the Holston River, meet to form the Tennessee River. After crossing this cool bridge, the Rambler heads back to town on the same tracks. The whole trip takes about 90 minutes.
Meet the Trains and Cars
The Three Rivers Rambler uses several different locomotives and passenger cars. Each one has its own unique history!
Washington & Lincolnton #203: Lindy
Washington & Lincolnton #203, nicknamed Lindy, was built in 1925. It was made by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This type of train is called a 2-8-0 Consolidation. It first worked for the Washington & Lincolnton Railroad in Georgia.
Lindy's Journey Through Time
- 1932: The W&L railroad closed, and #203 was sold to the Rockton & Rion Railroad in South Carolina.
- Storage: It wasn't strong enough for heavy loads, so it was stored in Rockton. Sometimes, it would help move freight cars.
- 1960s: It last ran in the 1960s.
- 1977: #203 was sold to a tourist train line in Florida called the Orange Belt Route.
- 1983: It moved to the Mississippi Railway & Transportation Museum.
- 1990: The Waccamaw Coast Line Railroad bought it.
- 1995: Finally, Gulf & Ohio Railways bought #203.
- 1999: It was fully fixed up and ready to run again!
Today, Lindy runs on special days and for the Christmas Express in November and December. It is currently getting a big inspection to make sure it's safe to run.
San Antonio and Aransas Pass #60
San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway #60 is a 4-4-0 type train. It was also built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1923. This engine was later merged into the Southern Pacific Railroad and was renumbered #220.
#60's History
- It was bought by Paulsen Spence for his Louisiana Eastern Railroad.
- Later, it was sold to the Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad.
- Stone Mountain fixed it up and gave it its original number, #60, naming it the Texas II.
- It ran until 1983, when it needed major repairs.
- Even though it needed fixing, it sometimes "pulled" the train while a diesel engine pushed it from behind until 2002.
- In 2013, it was given to Gulf & Ohio and is now waiting to be restored.
Southern Railway #154
Southern Railway #154 is another 2-8-0 type train. It was built in 1890 by Schenectady Locomotive Works.
#154's Retirement and Return
- After working hard, it was given to the city of Knoxville in August 1953.
- In 2008, it was given to Gulf & Ohio Railways to be fixed up.
- It started pulling trains again on July 3, 2010!
- #154 was one of the last steam locomotives to work in Knoxville.
Chattanooga Traction Company #4
Chattanooga Traction Company #4 is a different kind of train called an EMD SW1 switcher. It was built in 1947. This engine worked for other railroads like Southern, Norfolk Southern, and RJ Corman before coming to Gulf & Ohio. It is used to pull the Rambler when #203 is not running.
Three Rivers Rambler #9
Locomotive #9 is a special EMD SW600 train built in 1954. It used to be the main engine for the Rambler until 2008. Now, it works on a different line south of the river. You can often see it from Volunteer Landing, across the river at Holston Gases. It still has its Three Rivers Rambler name on it!
Passenger Cars
The Three Rivers Rambler also has several passenger cars for you to ride in:
- Trustworthy #838: This coach car was built in 1932. It used to carry people in Philadelphia and its nearby towns.
- Intrepid #879: Built in 1931, this coach car also worked in Philadelphia. It has cool "walk over" seats where the seat backs can flip! This means passengers can always face forward, even when the train goes back the other way.
- Resourceful: This car was built in 1932 and has restrooms and a gift shop! It also used to be a commuter car in Philadelphia.
- Forthright: This is an open-air car, which means you can feel the breeze! It was changed from a freight car in 1940.
- Desire: This is a caboose, which is a special car usually found at the very end of a freight train.
