Along the Tracks

Anniston AmTrack

Located on West 4^th Street in Anniston, the Cresent passenger train runs between New York and New Orleans and stops daily in Anniston. “We can serve our citizens and travelers with a 50 mile radius on a daily basis. We are now beginning to see cyclists using the rails to some and ride our Chief Ladiga Trail and Coldwater Mountain Bike Trails. This station in Anniston has appeal for those looking for work or play,” says Anniston City Planner Toby Bennington. “Trains are a great way to travel for people looking for comfort, convenience and great pricing. As gasoline becomes more expensive, more people are choosing trains. It’s much cheaper and railroads are a great way to see the landscape, relax and maybe catch up on some work.”

As one of the three stations in Alabama, with Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, the multi-modal facility also serves as the staging point for area bus activity.  “Once the trailhead nearby is done, bicyclists can end at the Chief Ladiga Trail and change to a mountain bike and ride Coldwater Mountain,” says Anniston’s City Manager Brian Johnson. Johnson also expounded upon that by saying, “One can ride into Anniston by train, ride our world class trails here and stay the night. The next day, they can ride their bike on Ladiga to the Silver Comet Trail to Smyrna, just outside Atlanta.”

The historically rich train station, built in 1925, is perfect to accommodate any weekend getaway. Follow the tracks!