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Remember When, Chattanooga? Did you ride the Warner Park tour train?

Contributed photo from EPB archives at ChattanoogaHistory.com / This 1968 photo of the "Little Pelican" train at Warner Park recalls a time when the downtown park featured rides. The conductor James Walker built the train, called the "Little Pelican" after a Southern Railway train that traveled from New York to New Orleans during the 20th century.
Contributed photo from EPB archives at ChattanoogaHistory.com / This 1968 photo of the "Little Pelican" train at Warner Park recalls a time when the downtown park featured rides. The conductor James Walker built the train, called the "Little Pelican" after a Southern Railway train that traveled from New York to New Orleans during the 20th century. Contributed photo from EPB archives at ChattanoogaHistory.com / This 1968 photo of the "Little Pelican" train at Warner Park recalls a time when the downtown park featured rides. The conductor James Walker built the train, called the "Little Pelican" after a Southern Railway train that traveled from New York to New Orleans during the 20th century.

By Mark Kennedy 3 min read

Note: This story was updated on July 19 to correct the location of the train.

One of the family-friendly rides at Warner Park during the 1960s and 1970s was built by an EPB employee named James Walker.

The accompanying 1968 photo was taken by the EPB and archived at ChattanoogaHistory.com, a website that preserves vintage photos from the area. It shows a small train, dubbed the “Little Pelican,” and Walker wearing a cap with a patch that reads “Southern Railway Serves the South.”

According to the website American-rails.com, the Pelican was one of three trains operated by Southern Railway that carried passengers from New York City to New Orleans during the 20th century. The other two trains on that route were the Crescent and the Southerner. Records show the Pelican operated until 1969, the year after this Warner Park photo was taken. The website said the real Pelican was made up of Pullman cars and included reclining seats, a diner car and a cafe lounge.