Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum Completes Bridge 4 Overhaul
Published: March 16, 2026
By: Adam Burns
The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum has announced it has completed work on Bridge 4 to ensure excursions on the Calera & Shelby Railroad can continue for many years. The project included financial backing from the Susan Mott Webb Charitable Trust, the Endowment Committee of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and Shelby County. In addition, ZA Construction provided the on-site bridge contract work, Vulcan Materials donated granite ballast for the bridge decking, and McCord Tie & Timber and Dixie Trucking both donated cross ties. Please visit the museum's website to book an excursion for the upcoming 2026 season!
About The Museum
Located in Calera, Alabama, about 30 miles south of Birmingham, the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum serves as the official railroad museum of the State of Alabama and ranks among the Southeast’s premier heritage railroad attractions. Established in 1962 as the Heart of Dixie Railroad Club, the organization was founded by preservationists determined to save historic locomotives and rolling stock from scrapping during the rapid dieselization era. After relocating from Birmingham to Calera in the early 1980s, the museum secured sufficient land to develop both a permanent exhibit site and an operating tourist railroad.
Today, the museum functions as both a preservation center and a living railroad experience. Its collection includes dozens of locomotives, passenger cars, cabooses, and maintenance equipment representing American railroading from the late 19th century through the diesel era. Two restored historic depots house indoor exhibits featuring railroad artifacts, signaling equipment, photographs, and research materials documenting Alabama’s rich rail heritage.
The Calera & Shelby Railroad
The museum’s centerpiece attraction is the Calera & Shelby Railroad, a heritage excursion line operating over approximately 5.5 miles of former Louisville & Nashville Alabama Mineral Railroad trackage, originally constructed in 1891 to haul iron-making minerals to Birmingham’s industrial furnaces.
Visitors board restored vintage passenger coaches—both enclosed and open-air—for a nostalgic journey through the wooded countryside of Shelby County. Pulled primarily by first-generation diesel-electric locomotives, the round-trip excursion lasts roughly 75 minutes, recreating the atmosphere of mid-20th-century local rail travel.
Excursions typically operate on Saturdays from March through December, with departures in the morning and afternoon. Riders may also upgrade their experience with limited-availability caboose rides or locomotive cab rides, offering a rare behind-the-scenes perspective of railroad operations.
Narrow Gauge Steam
In addition to the standard-gauge excursions, the museum operates the Shelby & Southern Railroad, a short narrow-gauge line featuring a propane-fired 4-4-0 steam locomotive. Originally built as a zoo railway for Birmingham, this charming train now provides shorter rides ideal for families and younger visitors, adding a steam-era dimension to the museum’s operating program.
Seasonal & Themed Train Excursions
A major part of the Heart of Dixie’s appeal is its extensive calendar of themed excursions designed to attract both railfans and families. Popular events throughout the year include:
- Easter and Cottontail Express trains
- Wild West and historical reenactment rides
- Vineyard and wine-tasting excursions
- Patriotic and summer celebration trains
- Halloween specials
- The highly popular North Pole Express Christmas trains
These specialty runs transform the railroad into an immersive entertainment experience while supporting preservation efforts through tourism revenue.
Unlike static museums, the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum emphasizes operation as preservation. Many historic passenger cars used in excursions have been fully restored for active service, allowing visitors to experience rail travel rather than simply observe it. The organization is also an active chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and relies heavily on volunteers to maintain equipment and infrastructure.
Today, the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum offers visitors a rare opportunity to step directly into Alabama’s railroad past. Combining educational exhibits, operating locomotives, and scenic excursion trains, the museum preserves not only historic equipment but also the sights, sounds, and traditions of railroading itself. For families, historians, and rail enthusiasts alike, a ride on the Calera & Shelby Railroad represents more than a tourist attraction—it is a moving tribute to the transportation network that helped build the industrial South.
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