The familiar sight of passenger trains bringing tourists to Summerville has been missing for quite sometime due to a bridge that is out of commission.  That bridge, located just outside Chattanooga is owned by Norfolk-Southern Railway and is in need of repair before passenger train excursions can continue.

Susan Locklear with Summerville Hometown spoke with the Summerville News last week and said that the fate of the passenger trains returning to Summerville really rests in the hands of Norfolk Southern who owns the bridge.

Locklear says that the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum that operates the popular excursion passenger trains is ready to resume trips to Summerville, but until Norfolk Southern clears the way for the bridge to be repaired, passenger trains can’t come to Chattooga County.

Locklear says that the Tennessee Valley Railroad does expect the bridge to be repaired and trains to resume sometime later this year.