Tourist
Dollywood Express
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
The engineer sounds the whistle and your 20-minute mountain excursion is under way. Our authentic 110-ton coal-fired steam engine takes you on a breathtaking five-mile journey through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains where you'll enjoy pastoral scenery and some of the most beautiful views that nature has to offer. Close your eyes and enjoy a fascinating trip back in time when travel in and out of the mountains of Pigeon Forge relied on trains like the Dollywood Express.
The Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, northeast of Knoxville, operates a 2.5 mile 36" narrow gauge tourist railroad it calls the Dollywood Express. Trains depart for the 5 mile round trip on the hour, and the serpentine route features multiple pedestrian crossings, grades in excess of 5%, and wide return loops on each end of the run. The park rosters two working ex-Alaskan Baldwin Mikados, both built for the United States Army Transportation Corps' narrow gauge operations. The narrow gauge line at Dollywood predates the park itself, opened in 1961 as the "Rebel Railroad" by the originator of the Tweetsie Railroad in nearby western North Carolina. As of 2011, an additional steamer is stored unserviceable at the Dollywood, in need of major overhaul.
1998 tourist train guide ad / collection
2006 tourist train guide ad / collection
collection
Motive Power
Dollywood Express #192
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Dollywood Express #192
"Klondike Katie"
to White Pass & Yukon, 1946
to Rebel Railroad, 1960
to Dollywood theme park, 1986
Built by Baldwin for the US military in 1943 and was one of several United States Army Transportation Corps class S118 locomotives built for the Army, #192 is slightly lighter than the other locomotives at Dollywood, being a USATC 190 Class 2-8-2, but still burns two tons of coal every day. The Army turned the locomotive over to the White Pass in 1946. She operated there until the late 1950s. She was sold to the Rebel Railroad in 1960 and began operation there in 1961, and has worked there through the various ownerships and name changes the property has undergone, known as Klondike Katie. This has earned her the position as the Express' representative locomotive, occupying the official website's photo album, most T-shirts and merchandising.
The #192 is a 2-8-2 built in 1943 by Baldwin. It has total engine weight 118,000 pounds (54,000 kg) producing 16,000 pounds (7,300 kg) tractive effort through 48 inches (120 cm) drivers. It has 16 inches (41 cm) diameter cylinders with a 24 inches (61 cm) stroke. It is a superheated with dome throttle and Johnson Bar and a 6-ET Brake Stand.
Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Dollywood Express #70
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Dollywood Express #70
"Cinderella"
to Silver Dollar City park, 1977
to Dollywood theme park, 1986
Built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in May 1938 (serial number 62234), this locomotive was the first of 4 Baldwin class 12-28 1/4 E class 2-8-2 Mikados bought for the White Pass from 1938 - 1947. It is one of Dollywood's most famous ride vehicles, and burns two tons of coal each day. #70 operated on the White Pass until 1963 when the WP&YR was replacing their steam locomotives with diesels. After retirement, #70 and the other WP&YR steamers were left on a siding to rust until it and its younger sibling, #71, was sold to Silver Dollar City TN in 1977, and became known as Cinderella and put on display at Dollywood. She was restored to operation in 1987. It was undergoing a rebuild and in 2010 went back in service.
The #70 is a 2-8-2 built in 1938 by Baldwin. It has 17" cylinder diameter with a 22" stroke. Total engine weight is 235,000 pounds (107,000 kg) generating 25,200 pounds (11,400 kg) of tractive effort through 44 inches (110 cm) drivers. It is superheated with front-end throttle and power reverse and a 6-ET Brake Stand.
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
HawkinsRails thanks railfan Jeff Hunsaker for use of his Dollywood Express #70 photos
Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Rolling Stock
rear end car / Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Ride
Depot loop overhead / Google Maps
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Return loop overhead / Google Maps
Jul 2011 / RWH
Locations
Dollywood Depot
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Click to see the depot area plotted on a Google Maps page
Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Locomotive Shops
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Click to see the shop area plotted on a Google Maps page
Locomotive shop overhead / Google Maps
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
HawkinsRails thanks railfan Jeff Hunsaker for use of his Dollywood locomotive shop photos
Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Dolly's People
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Jul 2011 / RWH
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
HawkinsRails thanks railfan Jeff Hunsaker for use of his Dollywood people photos
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Oct 2011 / Jeff Hunsaker
Lagniappe
Dolly's Little Darling
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Beauteous Baldwin
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Every Hour, On the Hour
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Alaskan Hauler
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
The Buck Stops Here
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Time to Highball Again
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Changing of the Gaurds
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Steam Brothers
Pigeon Forge, Tn / Jul 2011 / RWH
Although there may be some question about Mrs. Parton's taste in coiffures, there is no question about her taste in steam locomotives. Her smaller Baldwin looks good in business black, having shed the gaudy stack and stripes of a more kitschy era. And she's earning her keep these days: a dozen drags a day up Dolly's mountain, always on the hour, seven days a week all throughout the money-making season. Noting all the tight S-curves and hearing her dig in up some impressive grades, I had the feeling that #192 -- while a long way from her Alaska roots -- still performs on the familiar stage of her early career. Right out of the depot, the park line starts uphill. Heavy with 7 or 8 cars chock full of park people and their snacks, the fast stack talk of slipping drivers made it clear she has her work cut out for her on most runs. Fireman: "We have to put down a good deal of sand when its raining. She works hard, this one." Sure enough, and she still looks good doing her thing after all these years. (The locomotive, I mean.)
We had a great time at Dollywood, but I took an unfair amount of ribbing from my family for repeatedly sneaking away from ride lines in order to get trackside for some more Baldwin pictures. Finally, late in the day, we all boarded the train together, and the ride itself did not disappoint. The stack sounds alone, bouncing all over the ridges surrounding the park, were worth the otherwise ridiculous price of admission. Furthermore, I've got a handsome little nephew who's quite smitten with the choo-choos at this point. Hopefully the generous amount of smoke and cinders layered upon us by Dolly's star Mikado will secure his place in the railfan fold.
Pigeon Forge, Tn / May 2016
Links / Sources
- Dollywood theme park
- Wikipedia article for Dollywood Express