Robert M. Soule Shops

From the inception of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in 1960, Robert M. Soule Jr.’s most fervent desire was to develop an operating museum, one where future generations would not only see restored locomotives and rolling stock from The Golden Age Of Railroading but experience them in all their glory. He believed, above all else, that in order for TVRM to be a self-sustaining, operating museum it MUST have its own repair and maintenance facility. To him, a proper shop facility was not a luxury but an absolute necessity. To that end, he did all in his power to see that TVRM had one of the finest steam locomotive and car repair facilities in the United States.

He spent years locating and acquiring equipment, researching, designing, redesigning, and finally supervising the construction of the shops and the installation of the machinery in the facility that presently stands before you. In typical railroad fashion, this facility contains the following shops: steam and diesel locomotive repair facilities, car repair facility, locomotive and car wheel shops, brake shop, upholstery shop, and general machine shop.

Thanks to his efforts and the efforts of some dedicated TVRM volunteers to repair the machinery to a fully functional condition, TVRM is now able to handle virtually any restoration or repair that is needed or desired. Naming this facility in his honor is in keeping with longstanding railroad tradition to name shop facilities after railroad presidents, and it is most appropriate inasmuch as this facility was the fulfillment of his lifelong dream. Robert M. Soule, Jr., Co-Founder of the Museum, served as TVRM’s second President and Chairman of the Board from 1978 until his death on February 21, 2006.

March 17, 2006
Robert M. Soule, III