Trains Through Appalachia Take Travelers Back in Time

As vice president of sales and recruitment and a conservative wealth management planner with the insurance product and wealth planning firm DeRosa and Associates in Jamestown, Tennessee, Chester “C. Edziu” Pacana offers conservative wealth management options to clients in Florida and Tennessee. Chester Pacana is also an enthusiastic participant in the sport of rucking and loves to travel. In his home state of Tennessee, one of the most enjoyable ways to experience the natural beauty and rich history of the nearby Appalachian region is by train.

Tennessee’s railroad system dates back to the 1840s. Today, these same railroads continue to offer travelers stunning scenery marked by vivid contrasts: the sweep of farms, grazing lands, and green hillsides alternates with the rush of rivers and a series of soaring mountain passes.

Most of the commercial railroads that offer tourist travel in the Appalachians today focus on historic small towns and mining camps in the mountains and on providing a look at spectacular expanses of greenery like the Daniel Boone National Forest. Some tours even use old-style steam locomotives, but travelers should check carefully in advance, since many others have transitioned to diesel.