Dollywood Express: Alaskan Thunder in the Great Smokies

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In the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains is nestled the town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, home to the Friendliest Amusement Park in the USA: Dollywood! Dollywood, named after world famous country music singer Dolly Parton, is home to many attractions from mild to wild, and home of the Dollywood Express. The Dollywood Express is a narrow gauge railroad within the park that takes visitors on a 5 mile journey up to the higher elevations of the north side of the park. Ex-White Pass & Yukon Route USATC S118 "MacArthur" #192, affectionately nicknamed "Klondike Katie", is pulling the trains up the 5 to 6% grades that make up the Dollywood Express's route, which are even steeper than those found on the White Pass & Yukon Route! So please, enjoy the Alaskan Thunder that Klondike Katie creates, and the bellows of the beautiful 6" Crosby 3 Chime, brought to you by Blue Comet Productions!
This video was filmed on August 6th and 7th, 2013

[@DeadofWinter321]

I used to go to Dollywood once per year over Summer break growing up. I miss hearing this train whistle... Always gave me goosebumps.

[@fiddlyphuk6414]

4:34 - 5:25 Just Can't stop listening to that.

[@werewolflover8636]

Such a beautiful machine

[@Bigjimvideo]

Outstanding!! Definitely added this to my favorites...

[@SouRwy4501Productions]

I remember going to Dollywood every few months with my family back when I was younger. We would always get a ride on that train. Those were the days.

[@potatopotato7375]

Every time I'm down there, I ride that locomotive, it's my favorite thing in the park.

[@zavienschannel9688]

It’s my favorite ride at the park too

[@MrRailroadrunner]

Great whistle on it! Good to see a locomotive like this running.

[@electronicjoyride3444]

Hai rail

[@makaylalatocha-jo5oq]

Yes it is

[@makaylalatocha-jo5oq]

@@electronicjoyride3444no

[@jeremyasher297]

The 192 is a White Pass and Yukon 2-8-0 Consolidation built in 1943 by Baldwin locomotive works for the White Pass and Yukon. 192 was put in danger of being scrapped but some visitors from the Appalachians saved 192. 192 became a tourist attraction for Dolly Parton’s Dollywood. Today, 192 is operating in Dollywood.

[@FenderFoamer]

This is another Great video! I rode in the dollywood RR back in 2003 this brought back some memories!!!

[@norfolksouthern6774]

Good goob!!!

[@SJRailroader31]

Excellent Video Chad!

[@Norfolk7130]

awesome

[@frankdavidsonjr9050]

Do any of you remember when Dolly Parton bought out silver dollar city. I went there a few times when it was Silver Dollar City. Nice memories.

[@boberttrain831]

Awesome video as always, bro! I sure miss 192, and Dollywood in general. She's got quite a bark to her!

[@tnaviation562]

Did you know there is also Mikado 2-8-2 number 70 named Cinderella. It is the backup engine to Klondike Katie. But in my opinion, 192 has more power because Dollywood gave it a bigger firebox when they rebuilt the two.

[@dollywoodrailfan1051]

Reed Harrell The firebox size does not matter 192 has less power than 70

[@cwhuffman01]

Neither one got a bigger firebox size, they have the same heating and grate area they had when built, the only difference is the arch bricks in the firebox where taken out for easy of maintenance when rebuilt (that is if they had them to begin with, which I am sure they did). Having a larger firebox and grate area means you can build a bigger fire and produce more heat but that means you have to feed it more fuel and it takes longer to heat up where as a smaller firebox area is the exact opposite.

[@zavienschannel9688]

192 shoots out more steam and she’s louder

[@SouRwy4501Productions]

70 actually has a little bit more power than 192. 192’s boiler operates at a maximum of 185 psi, while 70’s boiler operates at a maximum of 205 psi. Additionally, 70’s driving wheels are 36 inches in diameter, while 192’s driving wheels are 48 inches in diameter. That means that accounting for torque effect, 70 is more powerful than 192.

[@rushs11]

Nice job, sorry I couldn't come for the ride.

[@jamessypult818]

i been to dollywood

[@indie1361]

Nice Chad!

[@marcprovost3380]

These 2 engines are beautys

[@markcinque106]

when i ever come down there that's the only ride i'm going on is the train over and over again no question about it I LOVE TRAINS!

[@markcinque106]

Russell Hester i know right?

[@markcinque106]

Russell Hester samehere

[@cwhuffman01]

They changed stuff on these engines so much on the WP&Y it’s hard to tell what is original or not. The Southern 3 chime that is currently on 192 this year is it’s original whistle it wore when it came to Tennessee. 192 and her sisters were built with long bell hooters, but where shortly replaced with whistles off the defunct Ex Rio Grande K-28s. The 70s were built with Crosby’s, and although the 6” Crosby the park often runs on these two engines isn’t its original, it’s still close enough.

[@striker9136]

Why isn't there a model train for this engine

[@dergenmusic2081]

TheGaming Lycanroc I ask that question myself lol. I don’t care if the real one is narrow gauge, I want this model in O Scale (or at least HO scale)

[@SouRwy4501Productions]

@SouthernSteam38Playzit would probably be closer to HOn3 scale. I actually once had a custom HO scale s200 locomotive. I don’t know what happened to it. I think I might have sold it.

[@PennRailVideos]

Nice video. The one 190 at Tweetsie is as equally impressive.

[@ksrebelbuck7936]

They're sister engines so it doesn't surprise me the one at Tweetsie is just as impressive 😂 both are 1943 Baldwins built for the US Army and both served in Alaska, 190 being called the Yukon Queen and 192 being called Klondike Katie

[@CullenTabaczynski]

What kind of camera do u use to shoot?

[@marcprovost3380]

SAME HERE

[@dollywoodrailfan1051]

Sir engine 70 is not a "backup" 192 was here first but are equally important and 70 is more powerful than 192 so you are wrong

[@potatopotato7375]

No, he is correct, they needed two engines to keep the line running, but, the engines take turns running, one day it's Klondike Katie (192) and the next day it's Cinderella (70), this is so the engine's parts aren't worn out to fast. Don't tell me I'm wrong... It's called ridding the trains a LOT of times. And I like reading about the trains.

[@dollywoodrailfan1051]

@megahamer788 the engines do not switch daily or even weekly most of the time one is in the shop for repair inspections etc if both are in oppositional condition it is usually monthly or 6 week rotations

[@dollywoodrailfan1051]

@WhiteStarLinePlayz not at all accurate

[@makaylalatocha-jo5oq]

I rode that with my little one and she did not like it!

[@RailPreserver2K]

does the park keep both engines original white pass and Yukon route whistles

[@radforddivisionrailfan]

Don't think so. Highly unlikely.

[@joshuaroman5410]

yes they do, infact the only thing replaced is the occasional bolt, screw, and on engine 70 the smoke stack. any other questions on engine 192 and 70?

[@RailPreserver2K]

has anyone asked to have the engines in there original white pass and yukon route livery ?

[@joshuaroman5410]

if they did they cant as the lines they ran on are US army property and has been shut down ever since they stopped using Alaska as a major military staging area in the cold war. Most of the line has been ripped up and scraped.

[@RailPreserver2K]

but images show the 192's sister engine the 190 still in WP&YR livery and i have seen images of 192 in here WP&YR livery as well i think

[@yamahaguy1732]

Isn't one of them an S160

[@dergenmusic2081]

Nah. They’re both narrow gauges engines. Smokey Mountain RR #1702 is an S160 if that’s the one you’re thinking of

[@tnaviation562]

How though?

[@dollywoodrailfan1051]

192 is a passenger train she has 48 inch wheels for speed 70 has 42 inch wheels for freight 70s boiler is a higher pressure boiler and build for pulling 70 also is heavier 230,000 lb 192 is only 219,000 lb

[@cwhuffman01]

All 4 70 class locomotives had 44" drivers, minus the tire. 192 operates happily in the 175-180ish range, where as 70 operates in the 205-210 range (I cant remember exact numbers)

[@dollywoodrailfan1051]

DW 192 just saw what i put and I knew 44’’ and put 42’’ I just can’t type

[@nudist1033]

WOW.......the open cars......YEAH...!!!!! The narrator and all the other people........NO...!!!!!!! Still, I should shut up and show up...........(8^/

[@sjtom57]

Nice ride but really lame onboard narration.