I first learned of the Autumn Leaf Special train excursion more than a decade ago. A co-worker at Telos, one Gordon "Buddy" Ward (quite the character by the way), took his better half on the trip each year. My wife and I had discussed going several times but finally made the trip on November 4 in celebration of our nineteenth wedding anniversary. The all day excursion travels 51 miles from Grand Junction Depot in Chattanooga, TN to Summerville, GA where the steam engine is spun around on a turntable for the trip back. We had about an hour layover in Summerville to enjoy the small town scenery and my wife picked up a few antiques from a small shop.
While some of the scenery is less than desireable... I think I saw every junkyard in the area.... the ride is extremely relaxing as the train meanders through the mostly pastoral countryside and historical sites. The train itself is an incredible glimpse into history! The steam locomotive is a consolidation-type #610, built in 1952 by Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton for the US Army. It is hand-fired with soft coal and was one of the last steamers built in the US. We rode in Pullman Cart 97 "Clover Colony" (1920) which was built for "pool service". It has five private compartments and eight semi-private sections and was used in the filming of "Some Like It Hot" starring Marilyn Monroe. The car has been carefully restored to its original 1930's era appearance.
Ah! I almost forgot Life Lesson #1! When I mentioned the beautiful scenic view from the train, my wife commented that it looked very much like our daily commute to our rural southern Tennessee home and she's right. We live in an incredibly beautiful area surrounded by nature and wildlife. We see it everyday and sometimes even curse living so far away from our jobs and shopping and we really shouldn't. It's very easy to take the beautiful things in your life for granted and we've all done it at some point. Just remember to slow down and enjoy the scenery.
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