Chattanooga Choo Choo and Model Railroad

Back around 1905 the Southern Railroad purchased the property and built a new passenger station with a huge domed ceiling. At the time it was the most attractive design of the time. By 1908 the station was operational and began serving the city with passenger rail service. But as the world changes so did Chattanooga and in 1970 the last train pulled out of the station.

The Chattanooga Choo Choo on display at the station is a restored version of the same Baldwin wood burning steam engine that made those first non-stop runs.

The Model Railroad layout started in 1973 when an agreement was made between the Chattanooga Choo Choo and the Area Model Railroad Club. Today they have created one of, if not the largest and most detailed HO scale (1:87) layouts open to the public. More than 50,000 hours have been put into the layout, and includes over 3,000 feet of track, 320 structures, 150 switches, 120 locomotives of all types, 1000 freight cars, 80 passenger cars, three major yards, two small yards, and four passenger stations. The layout covers an area almost 175 feet long and 33 feet wide at its widest point. The detail shows from all of the local Chattanooga buildings, Outlook Mountain, and very realistic water and smoke.

If you like model railroading at all this is going to be the best thing you have ever seen!!