City of Attalla Mayor Larry Means said the city is pleased to announce a second Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum Steam Engine #630 excursion to Attalla is planned for March 2.
“Join us for this special day, as we go back in time to relive the days when the City of Attalla was the third largest rail center in Alabama and what was once the main transportation,” Means said.
“The November excursion was a 225-capacity passenger train and the March 2 excursion will be a 400 capacity,” Lisa Turner said.
“We will be offering limited number of local one-way tickets which will include transportation to and from Chattanooga by Adventure Bus Charter and Tours. Tickets are $60 each.
The city plans a Downtown Street Festival from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Several activities are scheduled including performance from the ‘Norfolk Southern Lawmen Band’ – a band that got together in the 1950’s after a vice president of Norfolk Southern Railroad asked some of the railroad police to come up with some musical entertainment, according to Turner.
They rounded up a harmonica, a washtub bass and a guitar from railroad staff, and recruited a “mountain man” to play a banjo and crack jokes, she added. They cleaned him up and hired him for the band and that lead to the Lawmen Band. Through the years the tradition carried over to Norfolk Southern. The Lawmen perform a wide variety of music including folk blue grass, gospel country, beach, pop and rock music. They are full-time professional musicians doing about 200 performances a year.
The band will perform on 5th Avenue from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
There will be a car show with entries from Cheaha Vintage Car Club including some Model A cars.
For additional information contact the Attalla Information NS Development Center at 256-538-1872.
The center has moved to its new location downtown at 420 Fourth Street NW.
MORNING TRIP
4:30 am (CST)
Depart Attalla by Adventure charter bus.
7:30 (EST)
Arrive @ Grand Junction Station, Chattanooga, TN
8:00 am (EST)
Depart Grand Junction Station by train.
10:45 AM (CST)
Arrive in Downtown Attalla.
AFTERNOON TRIP
1:00 pm (CST)
Depart Attalla by train.
5:45 pm (EST)
Arrive @ Grand Junction Station.
6:00 PM (EST)
Depart Grand Junction Station by Adventure charter bus to Attalla.
8:00 PM (CST)
Arrive back in Attalla.
Tickets are $60.00 each.