Climbing aboard Amtrak’s Crescent in New York in
mid-afternoon, the hustle and bustle of commuters is evident on
adjacent platforms beneath Penn Station. The train ducks beneath
the Hudson River and emerges into New Jersey where it shortly grinds to
a halt in Newark. Five more intermediate stops ensue in the
Northeast Corridor before you head to dinner in the dining car.
While you enjoy dinner, the train stops in Washington, DC where a
waiting throng boards and the electric engine is replaced by a pair of
diesel locomotives. You linger over dessert long enough to
witness glimpses of several of the landmarks in the nation’s capital as the
Crescent storms across the Potomac River. Retiring to your
sleeping car, you settle in for the evening passage through the
Virginia countryside before nodding off near Lynchburg.
Morning comes all too quickly as it is time to
detrain at about 8:00am in Atlanta. A phone call summons a driver
from the Avis car rental office on Courtland Avenue and soon you are on
your way for a week of relaxation, sightseeing, and summer fun.
The first day is spent taking in the sights of Atlanta, the crossroads
of the South. To get a jump on the next day’s fun, you decide to
spend the night in Buford, GA, to the northeast of Atlanta. Here
you find the Courtyard Marriott - Mall of Georgia to be the perfect
stopover as it offers convenient access to a huge shopping mall, a
variety of restaurants, and the Gwinnett Braves baseball stadium which
is located just a couple miles away. The Gwinnett Braves are a
Class AAA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and the ball game provides a
chance to watch the stars of tomorrow. The locals go home happy
as the Braves top the Syracuse Chiefs on this pleasant Georgia evening.
The northbound Crescent stops in Atlanta
The Gwinnett Braves, AAA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, play home games in Buford, GA
Gwinnett centerfielder Todd Cunningham bats
Gwinnett Braves vs. Syracuse Chiefs at Coolray Field in Buford, GA
Courtyard Marriott - Buford, GA
The next day’s scenic drive is very brief as
you head north on I-985 into the northern Georgia foothills and arrive
in the village of Helen about an hour later. The first glimpse of
the town delights the senses as its buildings reflect Bavarian
architecture that evokes images of alpine Germany. The shops in
the town center look like something one would see in that country but
so do the hotels, stores, and fast food restaurants located on the
fringe of town. The Hampton Inn is set along the bank of the
Chattahoochee River which is flowing fast after a wet spring. You
partake in a favorite Helen pastime and go tubing down the river, an
exhilarating 90 minute venture that alternates between lazily floating
along the river’s wooded course and hanging on as your inner tube
negotiates rocky rapids every so often. A game of putt-putt golf
at Helen Alpine Mini-Golf is a relaxing way to spend the evening as you
challenge the beautifully landscaped course.
Shops in Helen, GA reflect the village’s Bavarian theme
Hofbrauhaus Restaurant in Helen
Hampton Inn – Helen resembles a German inn
Visitors float down the Chattahoochee River behind the Hampton Inn
Tubing on the Chattahoochee traverses several rapids such as these in downtown Helen
The Chattahoochee River is quiet at dusk
After a day away from the rails, you head
northward in search of some railroad action. The Great Smoky
Mountains Railroad in Bryson City, North Carolina is a good option and
you make note to plan a visit later in your trip. You will have a
choice of two routes out of Bryson City, NC, east to Dillsboro or west
to the Nantahala Gorge. Today, however, will offer a chance to
experience the surviving segment of the East Tennessee and Western
North Carolina Railway which is operated by the Doe River Gorge
Ministries outside of Hampton, Tennessee. On select Saturdays
during the summer, the popular Christian youth camp opens up its
facilities to the public as part of its Day Quest program. For a
modest fee, visitors can swim in a scenic mountain lake, take an
invigorating zip line that ends in a splash, and view the beautiful Doe
River Gorge from a narrow gauge train. The train ride
passes through a couple of tunnels and skirts the edge of the gorge
where the whitewater Doe River cascades far below.
Doe River Gorge Ministries narrow gauge train prepares for another run
Entering a tunnel at the start of our journey
The Doe River vistas are outstanding near Pardee Point
The engine is painted to match the ET&WNC paint scheme
TrainWeb photographer John Turner enjoys a motorcar ride after the day’s last Day Quest train
Retracing your steps to Asheville, NC, just
over an hour south of the Doe River Gorge, you pause in Erwin, TN to
watch a couple of CSX coal trains en route between Kentucky coalfields
and points south. Along the way the former Clinchfield Railroad
mainline negotiates the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains, passes
through Kingsport, TN, and travels over The Loops, a twisting route
across the Blue Ridge. There is an opportunity to view Norfolk
Southern freight trains in Asheville before checking in at the
Courtyard Marriott hotel. Your room offers a panoramic view of
the Blue Ridge Mountains but the sports fan part of you leads to
McCormack Field, home of the Class A Asheville Tourists. The ball
park is bustling with activity as it is an enjoyable, yet inexpensive,
way to spend an evening. The home crowd is enthusiastic as the
Tourists bounce the visiting Lexington Legends on this night.
The Asheville Tourists host the Lexington Legends
McCormack Field, home of the Asheville Tourists, is a popular place on summer nights
Asheville’s Courtyard Marriott offers convenient lodging with a nice view
Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway consumes much of
the next day and you are rewarded with a clear, cool summer day.
The drive between Asheville and Boone, NC is arguably the Parkway’s
most scenic stretch and you take time to pull off at many overlooks to
take in the mountain vista. By mid-afternoon you roll into Boone
where you will hang out for several days with no particular
schedule. A picnic along a mountain stream, hikes through the
woodlands to roaring waterfalls, and browsing at local antique shops
are among your favorite activities. There is one essential
activity during your week, a visit to Tweetsie Railroad, a popular
attraction dating back to the late 1950s. There are enough things
to entertain the typical family for several hours yet the star of the
show remains the narrow gauge steam train that makes a three mile loop
around a mountain. On most summer days former White Pass &
Yukon # 190 will power the train though the park’s original engine,
ex-ET&WNC # 12 still pulls the train on many dates. Your home away from home is the Holiday Inn
Express in Boone, a highly rated hotel that offers exceptional
accommodations and a very convenient location.
Rhododendron along the Blue Ridge Parkway
Beautiful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains are around every curve on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Craggy Gardens Visitors Center is one of the windiest, coolest spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway
One of several tunnels along the Parkway
Flame azalea bushes thrive in the cool mountain climate
Mountain laurel bloom in early summer in North Carolina’s higher elevations
Tweetsie Railroad’s train sets out on another run around the mountain
# 190 pulls the train along the curved narrow gauge tracks
Former ET&WNC # 12 is used on select dates each year
Former White Pass # 190, the “Yukon Queen” is cared for between runs
Another set of passengers embark on a ride behind the 190
The rear of this train is the author’s favorite car to ride
The upper portion of The Cascades, a towering waterfall off the Blue Ridge Parkway
Looking down The Cascades which is known as a “slide” for its length
Glen Burney Falls, Blowing Rock, NC
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Holiday Inn Express - Boone, NC
Back in Atlanta you climb aboard the Crescent
again for a short day trip to Birmingham, AL. Once again a rental
car will connect you to surrounding communities where you will enjoy
great sights and some more railroading experiences. A short trip
north from Birmingham takes you to Huntsville, AL where the Historic
Huntsville Depot and the nearby North Alabama Railroad Museum offer
nicely restored railroad displays. The US Space & Rocket
Center is another “must see” in Huntsville which is known as the
birthplace of America’s space program.
The southbound Crescent arrives in Birmingham
The Historic Huntsville Depot
Saturn V rocket at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL
South of Birmingham one finds the Heart of
Dixie Railroad Museum off I-65 in Calera, AL. This museum houses
a nice collection of vintage passenger equipment and offers a short
train ride on select dates. Continuing south past Montgomery you
stop in Troy, AL where the Pioneer Museum is home of a classic steam
locomotive used for logging operations in a bygone era. A walk
around the museum grounds provides insight to life in rural Alabama
with a preserved farmstead, covered bridge, schoolhouse, and numerous
buildings dating back many decades. Several railroad artifacts
are among the interesting displays inside the main museum
building. Back outside, a train horn can be clearly heard
reminding you that the CSX line linking Montgomery with Dothan, AL
passes through Troy, offering occasional railfanning
opportunities. On a return visit to Troy you attend a Division 1
college football game between Troy University and the US Naval
Academy. The Trojans put on a good show on a glorious autumn
afternoon and it is evident that college football is indeed king in the
Deep South, even in smaller outposts like Troy.
Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum excursion train in Calera, AL
Poole’s Bridge at the Pioneer Museum near Troy, AL
A railroad exhibit in the Pioneer Museum
Logging engine from the W.T. Smith Lumber Company, Chapman, AL now housed at the Pioneer Museum outside Troy, AL
Navy kicks off to the Troy University Trojans in a Division 1 football game in Troy, AL
The crowd at the Navy vs. Troy game enjoys the pageantry of college football
The northbound Crescent boards in Birmingham in
mid-afternoon and you enjoy the smooth overnight passage over Norfolk
Southern rails along the piedmont region of the Carolinas.
Morning finds the train stopping in Charlottesville, VA then continuing
through Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia until it reaches its
destination, New York, a few minutes before 2:00pm.
A tour of the south is easy to arrange as the Amtrak
stops noted herein are scheduled at convenient hours. Each of the
locations visited within this story is an easy drive from the closest
stop of Amtrak’s Crescent as well as from other sights mentioned.
It is advisable to check in advance before visiting some of these
attractions to confirm hours and dates of operation.
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