The Future SARM Museum Building

We're Already Underway...

On March 6, 2000, the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum broke ground for the planned Oak Ridge Station Building (see photo at right). Representatives of CROET (Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee), DOE (Department of Energy), Congressman Zack Wamp's office, Anderson and Roane Counties, the City of Oak Ridge, Bechtel Jacobs, and many other organizations took part in the groundbreaking. Building on the success of the Secret City Scenic excursion train, the Museum's membership and Board of Directors have outlined a long-term plan for the Museum's expansion. Our plan is to build a 5000 square foot facility that will serve as a visitor's center, display area, and station. An architect's drawing of the station facility prepared for the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum by Johnson Architecture, Inc., illustrates our vision for the future.

Besides serving as a boarding area, our new facility will also house the Museum's offices, space to display the Museum's extensive collection of railroad art and artifacts, a small area to sell Museum souvenirs, and an auditorium/classroom. It will also house a library of railroad documents named in honor of University of Tennessee Professor Edwin P. "Pete" Patton, an early member of the Museum and a noted scholar in the field of railroad transportation and logistics. An essential part of the station will be a boarding platform to allow greater handicap accessibility.

The station will be located on State Highway 58 between downtown Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Interstate 40. The Museum also plans to eventually construct a rail yard and shop complex next to the station. This will allow the Museum to display equipment that is not running on our excursion train, and will provide a facility for repairing and restoring rail equipment.

How You Can Help

Our first, and most immediate, goal is to raise the funds necessary to begin construction of the station building. We have set our sites high - to create a world-class railroad museum that will preserve the traditions of railroading in the southeastern US and also benefit our East Tennessee neighbors. This is an ambitious goal, but we are already on our way to meeting it, thanks to the generosity of the Museum's friends and the local community. To date we have received both financial and equipment donations from individuals and corporations, in addition to the unflagging energy of our members who donate their time and talents.

The Southern Appalachia Railway Museum invites you to share in making our vision become reality. As we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, donations to the Museum are fully deductible on federal and state income taxes to the limits allowed by law. We will accept donations of all types: cash, surplus equipment (railroad, shop, construction, etc.) labor, and any other asset we can use or convert.

The Museum has a fundraising committee that will be glad to meet with you or the person in charge of your corporate charity program to further explain our operation, our needs, and any specific projects of particular interest. We can make arrangements for you to tour the museum site, visit our train, and perhaps even take you on a ride. We will ensure that your donation receives as much or as little publicity as you desire.

Once you experience the thrill of riding in a restored caboose or passenger coach, see the smiles on the faces of the children, and experience the beauty of the East Tennessee countryside, you will understand the allure of the railroad and why we are working so hard to preserve this important piece of East Tennessee history.

A donation form is available, or you can contact the Museum office by phone at 865-241-2140 or by mail at P.O. Box 6756, Oak Ridge, TN 37831. (Please note: Because the Museum is an all volunteer effort our phone is not answered every day. Please leave a message and we will try to get back to you shortly.) Please help us today - don't let the train leave the station without you!