Attalla partners with railroad for rail excursions

The city of Attalla is partnering with Norfolk Southern’s 21st Century Steam Program and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum to offer two steam rail excursions to Birmingham and Chattanooga, Tenn. The Birmingham excursion will be Sept. 12 and is a one-way trip with return to Attalla by charter bus. The second trip is a one-way trip on Nov. 9 to or from Chattanooga, with a chartered bus to Chattanooga or back to Attalla. Both excursions will use Steam Engine Locomotive 630. The train will consist of standard coach cars with air conditioning and large picture windows for viewing the scenery, and a commissary car selling light food items and souvenirs. The route has not carried passengers since a Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum excursion, using a chartered Amtrak train, traveled the line in 1999.