SEPTEMBER 2, 2010 ISSUE
Tweetsie’s Railfan Weekend Combines History and Fun September 11 and 12
This year will mark the 50th season for Tweetsie’s historic locomotive #190, also known as the “Yukon Queen.”
Tweetsie Railroad’s historic original locomotive #12 will pull the 1870’s vintage coach car on non-stop trips around the mountain Saturday and Sunday, September 11 and 12, during its annual Railfan Weekend. Tweetsie Railroad’s sixth annual Railfan Weekend will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 11 and 12, giving attendees the chance to observe the railroad’s historic steam locomotives and learn about their history.
The park will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. both days. Tickets are $48 for adults and $33 for children ages 3 through 12. Children 2 and under are admitted free. This price includes two days at the park with unlimited train rides, and those with Railfan Weekend passes will also have access to shop tours, historic documentaries, photo specials and the chance to explore the special memorabilia room showcasing rare artifacts from Tweetsie’s past.
Tweetsie’s locomotives will be the main focus of the weekend, however. This year will mark the 50th season for the historic locomotive #190, also known as the “Yukon Queen.” A prototype train acquired from Alaska’s White Pass & Yukon Railway in 1960, the steam locomotive will take riders on a Wild West adventure. The original locomotive #12 from the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad will also pull an 1870s vintage coach car on non-stop trips around the mountain. On Sunday morning, both locomotives will work together to pull the train on the Wild West train ride.
Another highlight of the weekend includes a tour of the Tweetsie Railroad Train Shop. The train shop still repairs and restores steam locomotives from across the nation, and depending on the size of the train and what kind of work needs to be done, staff at the shop can spend a year working on the restoration of a single train.
Tweetsie Railroad is open on a weekend schedule (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) through Sunday, October 31, and will be open Labor Day Monday, September 6. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for the rest of the season, and regular admission prices are $32 for adults, $22 for children ages 3 through 12, and free for children 2 and under.
For more information about Railfan Weekend or to purchase tickets, call 1-877-TWEETSIE or click to www.tweetsie.com.
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