Is
the Rambler Handicap Accessible?
Yes. 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 handicap 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 accomodate you.
Are
there restrooms available?
Yes. There are two restrooms available in our merchandise
car.
(The restroom on our caboose is not in service, We recommend
that caboose passengers use the restrooms in the merchandise car before boarding the caboose. Once onboard the caboose, you cannot walk
through the rest of the train.)
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 managable for a train excursion than traditional cakes. If you would
like to bring a cake, Kroger’s grocery offers "Thomas the Tank" cakes in their bakery department.
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/assistance 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. The Three Rivers Rambler is run by KXHR.
Our railroad is responsible
for maintaining the track and bridges and operating all the trains. The FRA (the
equivalent to the FAA) and the TDOT 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, Kentucky,
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.
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