Pictures of the Autumn Leaf Special train from the fall of 1985.
The annual fall Autumn Leaf Special train trips were organized by the
Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga starting in 1968.
The popular trips came up the valley to Rockwood where the train swapped
it's steam engine for a diesel for the trip up the plateau's escarpment through
Crab Orchard and into Crossville to stop at the depot. Crossville residents
always turned out in big numbers and kids were known to put
pennies on the track to be smashed by the train wheels. The trips took place
two weekends each fall until the company that owned the railroad tracks
reduced the allowed speed for passenger trains making it impossible to make
the round trip from Chattanooga in the time needed.
The Autumn Leaf Special was a big event for Crossville at the time and included
a craft sale run by the Business and Professional Women's Club along with
local organizations displaying along Main Street and on the Courthouse Lawn.
Sadly the trips stopped and eventually the tracks between Crab Orchard and
Crossville were removed. The Crossville Depot is now owned by the
City of Crossville became a shop/museum and meeting facility.
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