To All Railroad Enthusiasts: You’re invited to Tweetsie Railroad’s Railfan Weekend, August 27th and 28th. Tweetsie Railroad has operated for nearly five decades with our two historic coal-fired steam locomotives. Riding our train is truly “A Blast from the Past”! Tweetsie Railroad is also a theme park that provides a full day of fun for the entire family. Your family can spend the day enjoying the park and other great attractions in the Boone/Blowing Rock area, while the rail enthusiast enjoys the trains. For the first time ever, Tweetsie Railroad will be operating two trains. On Saturday, former White Pass & Yukon 2-8-2 No. 190 will be pulling our Wild West Adventure ride. While former ET&WNC 4-6-0 No. 12 will be pulling a one-car train that is full of history. Coach No.5 has been renovated and put back into service just for rail enthusiast events. Originally built for the East Broad Top Railroad in 1874, this historic car is one of the oldest narrow gauge passenger cars in service today. Locomotive No.12 and coach No. 5 will both be lettered ET&WNC for this special weekend. This one-car train will perform photo run-bys fro Railfan Weekend pass holders, allowing passengers a unique opportunity to photograph an exclusively ET&WNC passenger train. On Sunday morning, both locomotives will combine for a morning of double-headed train runs with the Wild West Adventure train. Tweetsie rarely puts both locomotives together, and when we do it is a sight to see. In addition to the train, vintage ET&WNC film footage will be shown in the Tweetsie Palace Saloon. Photo opportunities will abound all weekend. Railfans will also be escorted on tours of the famous Tweetsie Railroad Shops, where steam locomotives from all over the nation and restored and repaired. Our shop staff is the best in the business, and does an excellent job of keeping historic locomotives in top condition. Tweetsie Railroad is offering a special Railfan Weekend price for both days of railroad entertainment: $40 for adults and $27 for children age 3 through 12. Only guest with a Railfan Weekend pass with be allowed aboard the special trains. Passes may be purchased in advance by calling Tweetsie’s toll-free ticket line at 1-877-TWEETSIE, or online at www.tweetsie.com. More information is available at out website, including links to lodging and area information.See you at Tweetsie Railroad in August!

Dang it, my plane comes in that following Monday night. Any chance #12 might be painted ET&WNC on that following Friday?

I highly doubt it, this is a one weekend thing.....by the next thursday she will be turned back into Tweetsie #12

Well you can count on at least two customers brought in by your posting!Although I’ve never been to a Tweetsie Railroad special event before, I’m really looking forward to this event. I had the pleasure of visiting TRR last year. I found the staff friendly and courteous and you could tell everyone from the engineer down to the cowboy tour guide really enjoyed their job. I got to see the 12 in action, and to brush her off as an amusement park train would be a mistake. Heading up the grade out of the station the little teakettle was barking like there was someone at the back door. A good show all around.This is one of those places that seems to get everything right. Friendly staff, all the amenities, a nice train, fair price and a great gift shop (although you guys could use a few more postcards…). There’s nothing I dislike more than getting socked with additional fees when processing ticket orders, or having to pay extra for parking run/owned by the event sponsor. Happily these things are not something I’ve come across at TRR. I know you guys have had 50 years of practice, but nonetheless, you’re doing a heck of a job!Keep up the good work and I can’t wait for August!Dave Crosby

I'm a huge Tweetsie fan, I own every book ever printed and have some original items fro the road (but not many). My parents were born in Elizabethton, TN and I went there almost every summer or Christmas until I was in my 20s. I'd been to Tweetsie three times in my life, the last time around 1985. I'm dying to see the place again now that I control what I do there (well, within the confines of what my wife will allow me to do, I guess) as an adult and not at the whims of my parents. I just kills me that I didn't check the schedule before we got the tickets to go out and see my folks. I'm gonna miss this by one day!Oh well, it's my understanding through the website that #12 will be running that Friday, and that is all that matters to me!

Hi Tim,Sounds like a great time coming up. I well remember the double headers we did for Train/ARM convention. Won't be able to make it but will be thinking about it. Really miss the smell of coal smoke.Dick Renker