If you love the romantic era of passenger trains, here's an event for you. The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is proud to announce that Steam Locomotive 4501, the star of its fleet, will power rail passenger excursions as part of Norfolk Southern's 21st Century Steam excursions this year.

The 4501 was the pioneer locomotive in Norfolk Southern's initial steam excursion program, which operated from 1966 to 1994. After seeing service on the museum's railroad in Chattanooga the strong lady sat idle from 1998 to 2012, patiently awaiting a complete overhaul. After a three-year restoration, she made her public debut at Tennessee Valley Railfest in September 2014. This summer, she will be powering excursions on Norfolk Southern main lines beginning with two excursions originating in Bristol, Virginia.

On Saturday, June 27, the 4501, along with diesel assistance, will power a round-trip steam excursion through 156 miles of beautiful countryside -- from Bristol, Va., to Bulls Gap, Tenn. -- over Norfolk Southern's Central Division main line (former Southern Railway).

For this trip, the train will depart from the old Norfolk & Western Railway (N&W) depot on the corner of State Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard in Bristol at 9 a.m. Passengers can detrain in Bulls Gap at noon for a two-hour layover, and box lunches will be provided to all riders. Return to Bristol is scheduled for 5 p.m. Passenger stops will be made in Johnson City at 10 a.m. for loading and 4 p.m. for unloading. The train will include a commissary car with light food options, and souvenirs will be sold in a gift shop.

On Sunday, June 28, the 4501, along with diesel assistance, again will power a round-trip steam excursion through gorgeous countryside -- this time, from Bristol, Va., to Radford, Va. -- over Norfolk Southern's Virginia Division main line (former Norfolk & Western Railway). In Radford, passengers will detrain and have the option to walk to one of nine restaurants in town for lunch. Meal prices are not included in the trip price.

For this trip, the train will depart from the old N&W depot in Bristol at 8 a.m. and will arrive in Radford at noon. The train will depart Radford at 2:30 p.m., with scheduled arrival in Bristol at 7 p.m. Passenger stops will be made in Abingdon at 8:40 a.m. for loading and 6:20 p.m. for unloading. The train will include a commissary car with light food options, and souvenirs will be sold in a gift shop.

Tickets for either trip cost $80 for coach class (temperature controlled modern cars with fixed back seats) or $95 for deluxe coach (climate controlled vintage cars with reclining back seats). Every passenger age 3 and up requires a ticket. The cost of Saturday's trip includes the box lunch; the cost of Sunday's trip does not include lunch. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.tvrail.com or call the museum at 423-894-8028.

Additional excursions are currently being planned for September and October 2015 with details to be announced in the near future. Included in these excursions will be Chattanooga to Cleveland, TN as part of Tennessee Valley Railfest 2016, and excursions originating in Macon and Atlanta, Georgia