Fall Foliage Excursion Train

Tennessee Central Railway Museum is running its Fall Foliage Excursion on Saturday, October 17 and Saturday, October 24, 2026. The train departs from Watertown and heads east out of Nashville along the old Nashville and Eastern Railroad—the former Tennessee Central Railway—winding through the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee just as the leaves are turning. The trip stops in Watertown for lunch and shopping before heading back.

The ride itself is a bit of a time machine. The museum runs its excursions on a restored classic streamlined stainless steel passenger train styled after the 1950s 'Golden Era' of American passenger rail. Depending on where you sit, the experience changes: there are dining-car tables, reclining coach seats, and a 20-seat dome car—an ex-Northern Pacific Railway dome-coach that gives you a 360-degree view of the landscape as you roll through the hills. The dining car serves 1950s-style quick-service meals, and a 'Premier Service' category adds unlimited soft drinks, catered snack boxes, freshly baked cookies, and access to an onboard bar.

It's a slow-paced way to see the fall colors, and since it's a day trip with a stop for lunch, it works as a full Saturday outing. The museum notes that the train runs rain or shine, so you don't have to worry about the weather, though they do mention that most trips sell out quickly and that all times are subject to change. If you're planning on it, it's worth booking early. The dates are Saturday, October 17 and Saturday, October 24, 2026, departing from Watertown.