The Missionary Ridge Local rolls into a depot labeled "NORTH POLE" at Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ride The Incline Chattanooga's Incline Railway boasts as much as a 72.7 percent grade on its mile-long track climbing Lookout Mountain, making it one of the steepest passenger railways in the world. Today, it's largely considered a Tennessee thrill ride. "But the original reason for this to be built was because the people who lived on top of the mountain needed to go to work," says conductor Cody Pace. "It only took them 10 minutes to ride the train down and 10 minutes to ride back up." ridetheincine.com/423821-4224. Tips For Travel Set up camp at the Chattanooga Marriott Downtown (423-7560002) when you ride the Missionary Ridge Local or Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. Reach for the Reuben at the Grand Junction Deli (423-894-8028) in the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's depot or carve into a club sandwich at the Blue Plate on Chestnut Street (theblueplate.info/423-648-6767). For dinner, stick a fork in the Jumbo Shrimp at Clyde's on Main (423-362-8335), a refreshing restaurant housed in what was once the location of a glass-repair shop.- JT March/April 2016 43http://www.ridetheincline.com http://www.theblueplate.info