THE TRAIN RIDE

Guests aboard the excursion train enjoy a ninety minute trip along the Tennessee River. Beginning the journey in Downtown Knoxville, the Rambler travels past historical sites to the “Three Rivers Trestle” where the French Broad and Holston Rivers join to form the Tennessee River.

The Three Rivers Trestle

Along the route, the Three Rivers Rambler passes by beautiful farmland, Knoxville’s first settlement area, and several quarries that were mined to build our nation’s Capital. The uniformed conductor and volunteer staff are well-versed in the local history and welcome questions during the 90 minute 11-mile trip.

Enjoy the beautiful weather on our open air car, have a family reunion during the summer on our caboose, or celebrate your birthday party aboard our coach cars.

During the fall, we offer Railgate packages for football fans to have tailgate parties among friends and family. In September, experience our first Wine & Cheese excursion. During October, enjoy the changing leaves and fall weather aboard our Pumpkin Express. When December arrives, ride the Christmas Express train ride with story telling, holiday treats, and a visit from Santa.

Coming from out of town?

Request a free travel guide about Knoxville and Tennessee Tourism.

 
 
 
 
 

SCHEDULE

Diesel Engine Day / Steam Engine Day

Day Date Times Special
Saturday

May 10

2pm & 5pm  
Saturday May 17 2pm & 5pm  
Wednesday May 21   Private Event
Saturday May 24 2pm & 5pm  
Saturday May 31 2pm & 5pm  
Saturday June 7 2pm & 5pm Circus Express
Saturday June 14 2pm & 5pm Circus Express
Saturday June 21 2pm & 5pm  
Saturday June 28 2pm & 5pm  
Saturday July 5 2pm & 5pm
Saturday July 6 2pm & 5pm
Saturday July 12 2pm & 5pm  
Saturday July 19 2pm & 5pm  
Saturday July 26 2pm & 5pm  
Saturday August 2 2pm & 5pm  
Saturday August 9 2pm & 5pm  
Saturday September 27 2pm & 5pm Wine & Cheese Train *NEW*
Sunday October 5 2pm & 5pm Pumpkin Express
Saturday October 11 2pm & 5pm Pumpkin Express
Sunday October 12 2pm & 5pm Pumpkin Express
Sunday October 19 2pm & 5pm Pumpkin Express
Sunday October 26 2pm & 5pm Pumpkin Express
Friday October 31 2pm & 5pm Pumpkin Express
Friday November 28 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Sunday November 30 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Friday December 5 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Saturday December 6 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Sunday December 7 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Friday December 12 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Saturday December 13 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Sunday December 14 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Friday December 19 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Saturday December 20 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
Sunday December 21 11am, 2pm, 6pm Christmas Express
 

FARES

Adult: $19 Senior (55+): $17 Child (3-12): $11 Infant (under 3): Free

Special Trains- Adult: $22 Child: $12

There is a 10% pre tax handling fee for reservations made by phone and online.

Groups of 15 or more: $2 off ticket price

Ticket Policy

COUPONS:
Coupons cannot be used in conjunction with other offers or certificates.

MISSED RESERVATIONS:
There are no refunds or exchanges for missed reservations.

EXCHANGE & GIFT CERTIFICATES:
Exchange tickets will not be honored for special event trains. Exchange and gift certificates will not be honored after they have expired.

MC, VI, AMX, DIS are taken over the phone. NO refunds. Restrooms are available on board.  Pricing, schedule, motive power and equipment subject to change without notice. Service animals only – no pets allowed. Limited disability access (call for more information). Seating is first come first serve.

 
EQUIPMENT
Equipment Type

Name

Year Built
Facts
Steam Engine Lindy 1925 A Baldwin Locomotive used only in Southern States
Diesel Engine Engine #9 1954 One of only sixteen SW600 produced in the USA
Passenger Coach

Trustworthy

#838

1932 Operated in the Philadelphia area  originally was a electric car with cables overhead
Passenger Coach

Intrepid

#879

1931 Fold over seats allow passengers to flip the seat so they are always facing forward

Social Car

Resourceful 1932 Offers guests restrooms, gift shop and snack bar
Open Air Car Forthright 1940 Offers the best view when the weather is nice!
Caboose Desire    
 
Equipment For Sale
Pullman Sleeper French Broad River   Sleeps 6 with kitchen and living space
 

 
 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

During the regular season, departures are scheduled at 2pm & 5pm on Saturdays. In extreme circumstances (such as bad weather), a train ride may be cancelled at management’s discretion.

Tickets:
• Available tickets go on sale at the ticket booth located at the train a half hour before departure times.
• In most cases tickets do not have to be purchased in advance. However, if you do not have paid reservations we cannot guarantee you a space. Please check in advance, particularly if you are traveling.
• Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling (865) 524-9411 or online reservations. Tickets can be rescheduled for another train, but cannot be refunded.
• At the train, the Rambler accepts local checks, cash, Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express. When making online reservations, please pay with Visa or Mastercard.

Drinks:
• The drinks we offer include: Coca-Cola products and bottled water.

General:

• Restrooms are available on board the Rambler.

• Smoking, firearms, weapons, and alcoholic beverages are not allowed.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does "reservations not required" mean?

We do not require reservations during the summer months but in the case of a sold out crowd passengers with reservation are guaranteed a seat. During a beautiful summer day, we can accommodate around 150 passengers.

How offen is the train sold out?

The Fall Color trips in October and Christmas Trains are almost always sold out. Please do not wait until the last minute for these trips because you might not get a seat. When planning a visit keep in mind our 2pm trips usually have more passengers than our 5pm trips.

What kind of payment is accepted?

We accept many forms of payment including cash, check, and credit cards. If you pay online, you must use a Visa or Mastercard. If you pay at the train or by phone, you can pay with Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover.

Do you offer a group rate?

Groups of 15 or more can recieve a $2.00 discount per ticket. Reservations must be made and a 50% deposit paid in advance. If you are tax exempt, please provide a tax exempt form for our records.

How long is the ride?

The ride lasts around 90 minutes. We make every effort to keep on schedule but with older equipment, we can run a few minutes behind. Please arrive 30 minutes early to purchase tickets and find your seats to help keep us on schedule.

Is the Rambler Handicap Accessible?
Yes but on a limited basis. We have a wheelchair available for passenger use. Please let us know in advance if you or anyone in your party will need the wheelchair. We board wheelchair passengers on our open-air car using a wheelchair lift. Because of our vintage equipment, wheelchair passengers are sometimes limited to the open-air car. At this time we do not have a handicap accessible restroom, but there is one available on Volunteer Landing near the Calhoun’s restaurant.

Passengers who have difficulty walking or have other special needs can be assisted by our conductor. Please identify yourself to one of our staff so that we may best accommodate you. There is no drop off at the boarding location. Everyone must walk at least 500 yards from the parking lot to the train. If you need assistance, please call (865) 524-9411 to arrange a wheelchair or golf cart to help you from the parking lot to the train.

Are there restrooms available?
Yes. There are two restrooms available in our merchandise car.

Are the cars air-conditioned?
Our express car, Resourceful, where drinks and novelties are purchased is air-conditioned. The coach car, Trustworthy, is air-conditioned with closed windows. Intrepid, the second coach car, and caboose are not air-conditioned, but they do have windows that can be opened.

What should I bring to a birthday party?
Cupcakes or cookie-cakes are more manageable for a train excursion than traditional cakes.

We may suggest that birthday gifts be opened either before or after the train ride as transporting gifts can be cumbersome for parents. Please note that children attending birthday parties must be chaperoned. You may borrow our cart, if necessary, or you might consider bringing your own.

Is Alcohol allowed?
Because our train is a family event, alcoholic beverages are not permitted aboard the Rambler.

Safety is our first priority. Therefore we remind all passengers that Rambler staff reserves the right to deny boarding or services to passengers who are impaired or causing a public disturbance.

Is Smoking allowed?
Due to the publicly shared spaces and the hazards of starting a fire on our right of way, smoking is not allowed onboard the Rambler. The only thing allowed to smoke is our steam engine.

Are pets allowed?
Only seeing eye/service dogs are allowed on the train.

Who owns the Three Rivers Rambler track?
The track is owned by the Knoxville & Holston River Railroad (KXHR) who purchased it from Norfolk Southern.


KXHR is responsible for maintaining the track and bridges and operating all the trains. The Federal Railroad Administration and Tennessee Department of Transportation inspect the track to see that it meets safety standards.

Who owns the KXHR?
The KXHR is owned by Gulf & Ohio Railways, a Knoxville based company with shortline railroads in Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Gulf & Ohio Railways is a family owned business that has been hauling freight since 1985.

What do Shortlines do?
America’s big railroads (like Norfolk Southern and CSX) are very good at hauling large trains at high speeds between larger cities. They prefer to have shortlines, like KXHR, handle the small trains that pick up and deliver freight for local customers. There are more than 500 small railroads like the KXHR in the U.S., most of which serve businesses in the outlying communities.

info@threeriversrambler.com