Tennessee Valley Railway
29th September and we are off to the Tennessee Valley Railroad for our first planned excursion. Chattanooga was once an important railroad junction and interchange point for river traffic which made the whole area a focus for the skirmishes which helped to decide the US Civil War, and this little preserved railway line climbs over the Missionary Ridge which featured in these exchanges. Railroads around here are perhaps an even more run-down shadow of their former glory than elsewhere in the USA, and little of the town's heavy industry remains for modern visitors to see, so there was something rather forlorn about this short line. It is not like the smart and really quite slick heritage railways we enjoy in Britain.
The railway's starting point is a time-capsule of a depot building; all polished wood and old typewriters, but the train is a bit of a let-down with a couple of old cars hauled by an old army diesel-electric engine. It is a sedate trundle up to Missionary Ridge tunnel which is an extraordinary narrow-bore job cut in the 1850s and very like the early railway tunnels on Britain's network. Our journey is illuminated by our conductor Curtis who gushes a torrent of facts in a Tennessee drawl, but with an enthusiasm for detail shared by train-fans the world over. So, our minds wander off a little onto the scenery outside of the car which, hereabouts, is suburban back woods and backyard South. Sporadic isolated wooden houses with their accumulated junk and peeling paint loom out of the trees and scrub between periodic bridges where the old railway crosses a modern road. The gulfs in wealth which separate Americans are (again) brought to our notice on the trip, and later in the day it was not really a surprise to learn from the local TV news that another gun-murder had taken place in this area.
East Chattanooga is the end of the line where turning the locomotive on the turntable is a big event! Here there is an interesting collection of rolling-stock including the very last steam locomotive to be built for a US railroad by the once mighty Baldwin Locomotive Company at its huge Eddystone works, but the large catalogue of vehicles in various states of dis-repair in a drab workshop suggests that this railway has the same problems of funding and manpower that dog struggling preservation schemes in Europe.
(I can't take credit for this writing or supply of information, Alan writes the technical information on my blog.)
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Saturday, 3 October 2015
Jack Daniels - 30.09.2015
One of our stops on the way to Nashville was a visit to Jack Daniels Whiskey Distillery at Lynchberg. We turned off the highway 24 at a lovely town called Manchester in Coffee County. It was a beautiful, small place with a main road full of well maintained detached houses, with neat open frontages; a prosperous place with lots of banks and finance companies. There was a large area with lots of cars a parked which could mean lots of people in jobs around the car park. The next couple of turns took us into Jack Daniels.
Jack Daniels is in the second smallest dry county. You buy the bottle and get the whiskey free. We drew into the coach park and saw a large beautiful house slightly raised with well kept front gardens.
Jack Daniels Whiskey Distillery at Lynchberg was much more interesting than I thought it would be. It was a much bigger operation than Jameson's in Southern Ireland, well the bit of Jameson's they take you round anyway. Jack Daniels was spread over (142 acres) a large garden area. It was large enough to hold 87 barrel houses. Each barrel house is 7 story's high and contains a million galleons of whiskey. The cave on the grounds surrounds the spring which is the reason Jack chose Lynchberg for his whiskey business. The water is very pure and special, 2,000 barrels of water are taken a day from the spring.
Jack Daniels is the oldest and first Whiskey Distiller to register for Tax (1866, during the Civil War). Jack's real name was Jasper Daniels and when he was 3 a neighbour used to let him watch while he made moonshine. Jack (a short adult man of 5ft 3inches) started producing good whiskey in his teens and was already earning when his father died, leaving him to raise his step sister Belle. His sister and later her family lived with Jack until his death at 61 in 1911. Jack's nephew Lem Motlow, Belle's son, inherited the business. He had been running the business with Jack for many years and was not there to help Jack open the safe one morning. Jack got very frustrated and kicked the safe, broke a toe and refused medical assistance. If only he had put his foot in his own whiskey he may not have developed gangrene and died.
The company continued with Lem following Jack's way of doing things as far as possible. Lem went on to have 5 children, his 4 sons inherited but sold to Brown Foreman in 1956 for an amount equal to £300 million dollars today. Lem's daughter is the only one left now and she is 103. The 142 acre site is now worth 2,500 dollars per acre, which was about a years salary for Jack back in his day.
Jack Daniels is in the second smallest dry county. You buy the bottle and get the whiskey free. We drew into the coach park and saw a large beautiful house slightly raised with well kept front gardens.
Jack Daniels Whiskey Distillery at Lynchberg was much more interesting than I thought it would be. It was a much bigger operation than Jameson's in Southern Ireland, well the bit of Jameson's they take you round anyway. Jack Daniels was spread over (142 acres) a large garden area. It was large enough to hold 87 barrel houses. Each barrel house is 7 story's high and contains a million galleons of whiskey. The cave on the grounds surrounds the spring which is the reason Jack chose Lynchberg for his whiskey business. The water is very pure and special, 2,000 barrels of water are taken a day from the spring.
Jack Daniels is the oldest and first Whiskey Distiller to register for Tax (1866, during the Civil War). Jack's real name was Jasper Daniels and when he was 3 a neighbour used to let him watch while he made moonshine. Jack (a short adult man of 5ft 3inches) started producing good whiskey in his teens and was already earning when his father died, leaving him to raise his step sister Belle. His sister and later her family lived with Jack until his death at 61 in 1911. Jack's nephew Lem Motlow, Belle's son, inherited the business. He had been running the business with Jack for many years and was not there to help Jack open the safe one morning. Jack got very frustrated and kicked the safe, broke a toe and refused medical assistance. If only he had put his foot in his own whiskey he may not have developed gangrene and died.
The company continued with Lem following Jack's way of doing things as far as possible. Lem went on to have 5 children, his 4 sons inherited but sold to Brown Foreman in 1956 for an amount equal to £300 million dollars today. Lem's daughter is the only one left now and she is 103. The 142 acre site is now worth 2,500 dollars per acre, which was about a years salary for Jack back in his day.
A Life Size Statue of Jack Daniels
The Spring provides 2,000 barrels of pure water a day.
Chattanooga - 29.09.2015
Public Liability (oops sorry) Public Library Michael
We encountered Michael outside the Chattanooga Public Library. He was talking to himself at quite a pace, listening to an answer and chatting some more. He did not have a mobile phone and although I am no Doctor, I sort of assumed he had a few mental health issues. My unclinical diagnosis, after a 2 minute, at a distance, 'consultation', is that Michael has schizophrenia; that he was listening and responding to a host of internal insistent voices.
It was raining and we were sheltering from the rain. We decided to sit on the small wall, outside but under the Library canopy. This was interpreted by Michael to mean we wanted to hear Michael's story and donate to his personal economy. He seemed to be having some hassles with a wheelchair bound, disabled older lady who at one time had lived 4 floors below him in his apartment block in Chattanooga. She was, Michael assured us, a racist, a card holding member of the KKK, who was accusing him of a multitude of misdeeds; such as theft, assault and rape. He had been arrested on a few occasions on the 'say so' of this vindictive women and she was always believed, over him; because the Chattanooga Police Department were racists too! Whether all this was real or imagined Michael firmly believed it. Whether Michael had a genetic/inherited disorder or whether his psychosis had been brought on by marijuana or other mind altering substances was also not evident (he was not actually using at the time). Nevertheless less this poor black man had some serious issues that were not being satisfactorily addressed and so did the disabled white lady. They were, if she was real, making each other's lives miserable. If they could see things from each other's perspective they may be able to help each other rather than do more damage. By all accounts, well actually just the one account, Michael's, the police were not helping either of them. The U.K. have similar people with these issues and we don't really deal with them any better. The police often get involved and the rule of law plays out to its conclusion. The system throws desperately ill people to the ravages of society.
We gave Michael a few dollars and we felt slightly fore lore when we left him. We were powerless to do more and sadly Michael's life would play out and conclude on his own sad path.
We encountered Michael outside the Chattanooga Public Library. He was talking to himself at quite a pace, listening to an answer and chatting some more. He did not have a mobile phone and although I am no Doctor, I sort of assumed he had a few mental health issues. My unclinical diagnosis, after a 2 minute, at a distance, 'consultation', is that Michael has schizophrenia; that he was listening and responding to a host of internal insistent voices.
It was raining and we were sheltering from the rain. We decided to sit on the small wall, outside but under the Library canopy. This was interpreted by Michael to mean we wanted to hear Michael's story and donate to his personal economy. He seemed to be having some hassles with a wheelchair bound, disabled older lady who at one time had lived 4 floors below him in his apartment block in Chattanooga. She was, Michael assured us, a racist, a card holding member of the KKK, who was accusing him of a multitude of misdeeds; such as theft, assault and rape. He had been arrested on a few occasions on the 'say so' of this vindictive women and she was always believed, over him; because the Chattanooga Police Department were racists too! Whether all this was real or imagined Michael firmly believed it. Whether Michael had a genetic/inherited disorder or whether his psychosis had been brought on by marijuana or other mind altering substances was also not evident (he was not actually using at the time). Nevertheless less this poor black man had some serious issues that were not being satisfactorily addressed and so did the disabled white lady. They were, if she was real, making each other's lives miserable. If they could see things from each other's perspective they may be able to help each other rather than do more damage. By all accounts, well actually just the one account, Michael's, the police were not helping either of them. The U.K. have similar people with these issues and we don't really deal with them any better. The police often get involved and the rule of law plays out to its conclusion. The system throws desperately ill people to the ravages of society.
We gave Michael a few dollars and we felt slightly fore lore when we left him. We were powerless to do more and sadly Michael's life would play out and conclude on his own sad path.
Friday, 2 October 2015
Coachs around Nashville 1.10.15 and 2.10.15 from Nashville to Memphis
Nashville. 1.10.15
Morning trip round Nashville to see Music Hall of Fame and RCA Victor Studios. Recording Company of America is quite a small recording studio, considering they bought the contract for Elvis Priestley from the even smaller Sun Studio in Memphis (which we tour later). We heard of a host of famous people they had recorded apart from Elvis Priestley.
Journey through Tennessee to Memphis 2.10.15
Via Jackson
We had a short comfort break, after an hour of travelling from Nashville, at The Patsy Cline and Chet Atkins rest stop. Patsy Cline was a famous country singer and Chet Atkins was the power behind RCA, which we visited yesterday because they recorded artists such as Elvis's Priestley. We all found lots of maps in the toilet area which will prove useful in Memphis.
Within 15 minutes we were driving towards Jackson on route 40. The next stop was for an early Lunch at the Birth place of John Nathan 'Casey' Jones who was an engineer/train driver who died himself but saved lives in a train crash. The railway made him out to be a hero because he told the fireman to jump, saving his life, then Casey stayed with the train to slow it down from 75 mph to 35 mph before it hit an oncoming train; thereby dying himself as he was in the front, but passengers further back were saved. The Casey Jones Train Museum has a replica of the train involved and his quite surprisingly spacious house on the site. The house has many of the original pieces of furniture and personal items used by Mr and Mrs Jones. These have been donated by the family over the years. We watched the short film meant to glorify Casey only to notice, in fact, that Casey was a stickler for being punctual and was trying to make up a 40 minute delay; already accrued when he took over driving the train that day. His train was expected late so if he had been going at a slower speed and been happy to be a little late, for once in his record, the two trains being moved around would have been cleared off the track and into sidings by the time he was 'late' expected. The small area has a museum, Casey's house, shops and restaurants named after Casey Jones. We had a buffet lunch from a family run restaurant on the site. Whilst there we got talking to a Weather Man, on his lunch break, who confirmed that hurricane Joaquín was not going to hit America. It was a very pleasant hour and a half stop on the way to Tupelo.
Morning trip round Nashville to see Music Hall of Fame and RCA Victor Studios. Recording Company of America is quite a small recording studio, considering they bought the contract for Elvis Priestley from the even smaller Sun Studio in Memphis (which we tour later). We heard of a host of famous people they had recorded apart from Elvis Priestley.
Journey through Tennessee to Memphis 2.10.15
Via Jackson
We had a short comfort break, after an hour of travelling from Nashville, at The Patsy Cline and Chet Atkins rest stop. Patsy Cline was a famous country singer and Chet Atkins was the power behind RCA, which we visited yesterday because they recorded artists such as Elvis's Priestley. We all found lots of maps in the toilet area which will prove useful in Memphis.
Within 15 minutes we were driving towards Jackson on route 40. The next stop was for an early Lunch at the Birth place of John Nathan 'Casey' Jones who was an engineer/train driver who died himself but saved lives in a train crash. The railway made him out to be a hero because he told the fireman to jump, saving his life, then Casey stayed with the train to slow it down from 75 mph to 35 mph before it hit an oncoming train; thereby dying himself as he was in the front, but passengers further back were saved. The Casey Jones Train Museum has a replica of the train involved and his quite surprisingly spacious house on the site. The house has many of the original pieces of furniture and personal items used by Mr and Mrs Jones. These have been donated by the family over the years. We watched the short film meant to glorify Casey only to notice, in fact, that Casey was a stickler for being punctual and was trying to make up a 40 minute delay; already accrued when he took over driving the train that day. His train was expected late so if he had been going at a slower speed and been happy to be a little late, for once in his record, the two trains being moved around would have been cleared off the track and into sidings by the time he was 'late' expected. The small area has a museum, Casey's house, shops and restaurants named after Casey Jones. We had a buffet lunch from a family run restaurant on the site. Whilst there we got talking to a Weather Man, on his lunch break, who confirmed that hurricane Joaquín was not going to hit America. It was a very pleasant hour and a half stop on the way to Tupelo.
Thursday, 1 October 2015
Gaylord Opryland Resort
We arrived at the Gaylord Opryland Resort Hotel about 4 pm 30th September 2015. All the suitcases were unloaded from the coach and mine was among them. I waited in the designated room but only one of our two suitcases appeared. The Hotel btw is absolutely magnificent but I could not relax and enjoy the experience because I was worried about my passport, iPad and camera chargers and 8 new outfits; which included 3 pairs of shoes I had never worn. All these said items were languishing in my missing case. On my frantic search I passed members of the group enjoying themselves, sailing on the boat (Las Vegas style) or sitting in the pubs enjoying a drink and live music or looking at menus ready to eat or leisurely looking round the shopping complex, did I say it is a magnificent place? Whilst I tried to remain calm explaining to Lobby staff (because it is not their fault and no good comes of screaming at them like a banshee) my metorphoric duck legs were paddling furiously below the surface. How was I going to get out of this country? What was I going to sleep in? The shoes I have been wearing pinch now, I need one of the others for tomorrow's excursion round Nashville.
The GAylord Opreyland Resort is a 35 minute bus ride from Nashville. If you expect it to be in the heart of the vibrant music scene of Nashville you are doomed to disappointment, as some of our group travellers are. Anyway, having involved our Tour Director (yes, I have given him a promotion from Manager, because he was brilliant) I left it in his hands while we searched out some food. Ken did not disappoint! He found us in the Irish Bar and reassured me that my suitcase was now safely in my room. After quite a lot of retracing of the Bell Boy's steps the case was found in the room next door to mine. That is an hour of Ken's life he won't get back. Thank you Ken you were a trooper.
This is the fifth time a suitcase of mine has gone missing. And no, you do not get used to it! It is not so bad if it goes missing on the airflight home. I was dreaming of my insurance claim and my new clothes when at 3am a Glaswegian taxi driver knocked on my door to return a case from the airport it had gone to instead of Heathrow. He had to drive back to Glasgow. In Turkey my case was taken off the coach and left opposite a Hotel drop off and not found for the first 3 days of the holiday. At least it didn't take so long to find this time. And yeah, Ken arranged for our meals to be Comp't (free) for the two days of our stay. Result! Compensation, that's never happened before, so thank you Ken big time.
It is time to say goodbye to the Gaylord and it's free wifi, did I say it is a magnificent Hotel. We like free wifi. We have to go on the tour coach for a long drive to Memphis today. See you there!
The GAylord Opreyland Resort is a 35 minute bus ride from Nashville. If you expect it to be in the heart of the vibrant music scene of Nashville you are doomed to disappointment, as some of our group travellers are. Anyway, having involved our Tour Director (yes, I have given him a promotion from Manager, because he was brilliant) I left it in his hands while we searched out some food. Ken did not disappoint! He found us in the Irish Bar and reassured me that my suitcase was now safely in my room. After quite a lot of retracing of the Bell Boy's steps the case was found in the room next door to mine. That is an hour of Ken's life he won't get back. Thank you Ken you were a trooper.
This is the fifth time a suitcase of mine has gone missing. And no, you do not get used to it! It is not so bad if it goes missing on the airflight home. I was dreaming of my insurance claim and my new clothes when at 3am a Glaswegian taxi driver knocked on my door to return a case from the airport it had gone to instead of Heathrow. He had to drive back to Glasgow. In Turkey my case was taken off the coach and left opposite a Hotel drop off and not found for the first 3 days of the holiday. At least it didn't take so long to find this time. And yeah, Ken arranged for our meals to be Comp't (free) for the two days of our stay. Result! Compensation, that's never happened before, so thank you Ken big time.
It is time to say goodbye to the Gaylord and it's free wifi, did I say it is a magnificent Hotel. We like free wifi. We have to go on the tour coach for a long drive to Memphis today. See you there!
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
1st Night, Day Two Chattanooga: Marriott Hotel 2 nights
Chattanooga 29.09.2015
Our aims for this segment of the journey are to:-
1. Find and see the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel
The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel was on the itinerary originally as our Hotel but taken off due to complaints from previous travellers. Instead we were put into the Marriott Hotel round the corner. We were curious to know why! We had heard about the Chattanooga Choo Choo because of the song and knew that the site was the original Chattanooga Railway Station. The station had long ago been abandoned because the line had closed. There was supposed to be remnants of the Station and some of the trains have been turned into Dining experiences. Fortuitously, our understanding Tour Manager arranged for the coach driver to swing past the Hotel to show us what we were missing. The old station house remains a delight (at least from the outside) but the accommodation looked like something from Cell Block H. In fact, from what I remember of the programme, the prison in the Australian soap looked much better. Certainly my homegrown local prison of Winson Green, Birmingham looks better kept from the outside. We didn't dally and discovered the Marriott to be a much better prospect.
2. Travel on the Tennessee Valley Railroad and the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway.
We were booked to go on these Railways after a well earned rest at the Marriott, starting out at a reasonable 9 am. Unfortunately the weather was showery and visibility at the top of the Incline was not the Lookout, or outlook, that we would have hoped. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable day trip
3. Find and see Moon Pie General Store.
I had seen Moon Pie General Store on the net and thought it an interesting place. I was not disappointed. We had a cup of coffee at the counter, on high swingy chairs, a chat to the manager and spoke to a very pleasant, all American type, waiter. He said he would like to travel to England one day. I asked for his email address so I could send him details of my home in Birmingham, England. If he ever gets the money together I can put him up for a couple of days of his holiday, save him a little bit of money. To be continued. Have to look for my case, lost in the Gaylord Hotel, Nashville???
4. Look for the Bessie Smith Curtural Centre in Chattanooga.
We did manage to find the Curtural Centre but not until it was closed. Everyone we asked had not heard of her, claiming the most famous resident born in Chattanooga had been Samuel L Jackson. Admittedly he is a famous actor but Bessis Smith was a famous Jazz singer of the 1920s; St Louis Blues fame.
Our aims for this segment of the journey are to:-
1. Find and see the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel
The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel was on the itinerary originally as our Hotel but taken off due to complaints from previous travellers. Instead we were put into the Marriott Hotel round the corner. We were curious to know why! We had heard about the Chattanooga Choo Choo because of the song and knew that the site was the original Chattanooga Railway Station. The station had long ago been abandoned because the line had closed. There was supposed to be remnants of the Station and some of the trains have been turned into Dining experiences. Fortuitously, our understanding Tour Manager arranged for the coach driver to swing past the Hotel to show us what we were missing. The old station house remains a delight (at least from the outside) but the accommodation looked like something from Cell Block H. In fact, from what I remember of the programme, the prison in the Australian soap looked much better. Certainly my homegrown local prison of Winson Green, Birmingham looks better kept from the outside. We didn't dally and discovered the Marriott to be a much better prospect.
2. Travel on the Tennessee Valley Railroad and the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway.
We were booked to go on these Railways after a well earned rest at the Marriott, starting out at a reasonable 9 am. Unfortunately the weather was showery and visibility at the top of the Incline was not the Lookout, or outlook, that we would have hoped. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable day trip
3. Find and see Moon Pie General Store.
I had seen Moon Pie General Store on the net and thought it an interesting place. I was not disappointed. We had a cup of coffee at the counter, on high swingy chairs, a chat to the manager and spoke to a very pleasant, all American type, waiter. He said he would like to travel to England one day. I asked for his email address so I could send him details of my home in Birmingham, England. If he ever gets the money together I can put him up for a couple of days of his holiday, save him a little bit of money. To be continued. Have to look for my case, lost in the Gaylord Hotel, Nashville???
4. Look for the Bessie Smith Curtural Centre in Chattanooga.
We did manage to find the Curtural Centre but not until it was closed. Everyone we asked had not heard of her, claiming the most famous resident born in Chattanooga had been Samuel L Jackson. Admittedly he is a famous actor but Bessis Smith was a famous Jazz singer of the 1920s; St Louis Blues fame.
Monday, 24 August 2015
We are off again
We are going to the states again. This time we are going on a Great Rail Train Journey to America's Musical Golden Triangle. We leave from London to Atlanta by plane. Stay at Chattanooga for 2 nights, move on to Nashville for 2 nights, then to Memphis for 3 nights. Here we visit Sun Studio, Stax Museum and Graceland. Onto New Orleans for 3 nights which includes a dinner jazz cruise on board the SS Creole Queen. Finally we spend 2 nights at Atlanta before returning to London.
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