July 20, 1995 :: Thunder Express Mine Train roller coaster Dollywood

[@CJWJR]

Watching this brought back so many awesome childhood memories from the 90s. I remember when this coaster and Blazing Fury were the ONLY roller coasters at Dollywood, and I also remember when the Tennessee Tornado replaced The Thunder Express when I was in middle school. So many happy memories. Thanks for sharing!

[@kevinhundley3477]

Oh wow! I always thought that was a monster drop when I was little... oh the good ol days. Back when we had the flooded mine ride and the log flume

[@madhatter4948]

Kevin Hundley good ol days indeed! Daredevil Falls and the Tornado are great, but will never replace those 2. The log flume standing tall in the country fair area was always a sight. Memories. And that was a monster drop back in the day lol!

[@kevinthompson6986]

You still have a log flume

[@Sdority905]

I used to ride this all the time, though I didn't remember it having 3 lifts! One time while waiting in line, they closed down the ride because of rain. My friend and I waited inside the line until it was open again. A lot of people left the line and then when they opened it up again we got to ride it several times in a row. The employees made us get off the ride and get back in line and I remember running as fast as we could to get around to the entrance and back on the ride. Good times.

[@FantasticFemme]

Great video.. my wife was explaining this ride to me and I was delighted to find the video. Thank you for sharing and including the ride's relocations throughout the years !

[@BackSeatJunkie]

Had several hundred rides on this when it was at Six Flags *Mid-America* St. Louis.

[@kennethlohman1154]

River King Mine Trains other track

[@spacemandudley6237]

This was a great coaster. Lots of fun. The scenery added to it's excitement.

[@rodhutchinson1187]

I was one of the original ride operators when it opened in 89. I would love to find pictures of the crew from back then.

[@jtprescott9410]

My dad worked on this ride 1996-98 this bring back so many memories havnt been back since alot has changed flooded mine gone to

[@jonathonhicks4972]

Great video, I used to ride this at dollywood when I was a kid.

[@wessoccerplayer]

I kept looking at that thinking that looked like where Tennessee tornado was

[@baseballguy0125]

That beginning seems familiar. 🤔😂

[@Jimmietruck28]

That's because they resued the station and that workshed u pass at the beginning on Tennessee Tornado.

[@anthonymorgan1974]

Thunder Road ,Flooded Mine, Log Flume ,Slidewinder though I never road it often, ummm oh and the Tennessee twister all originals that were all diffrent in own way. Simple rides to pass the time back in the day. Least blazing fury is still there for now and rampage but hate they took the water out of fury. Good times with those rides though.

[@Dazzling_Dxisy]

Reminds me of when it used to be the second track of river king mine train at six flags mid America (which is now six flags St. Louis)

[@dmccoig25]

My 1st roller coaster

[@overbanked]

I rode this at Magic Springs as Big Bad John. It's just okay, nothing to write home for. I rode Thunderation at SDC the next day, and it put this mine train to shame.

[@abigailbrooke13]

Wow I never new this was there were Tennessee tornado is today

[@wessoccerplayer]

If you look at the land layout, you can kinda see some of the features, but that housing shed thingy gave it away for me, to realize it was where tt is now

[@MestizoFilipino]

geeze it was almost all lift hills lol

[@Metisp]

Most traditional 'mine trains' are, with the 3rd being fastest part of the ride.

[@whattheheck1000]

Sadly I never rode this. I was 2 years old when this video was made. I did ride TT several times, first on August 2, 2008. January 30, 2018 12:12 am

[@jonny-b4954]

It's wild how through the years (at least until the very end) Arrow never got any better at profiling track. It's quite absurd really when you think about it.

[@funecheeseofficial3576]

Pretty much Dollywood’s Big Thunder Mountain

[@rongorton5212]

I remember Thunder Express very well. Do any of you remember what happened on Grand Opening Day of the ride? I sure do as Me and several family members were in the loading queues when it crashed right in front of us.

[@Jimmietruck28]

What,What?

[@Metisp]

Which part of the park did this originally sit in?

[@stephenboshears4832]

The station was reused for Tennessee Tornado

[@Bossman_71]

Reminds me of the one at Carowinds in Charlotte NC called Gold Rush

[@kevinthompson6986]

I heard that’s getting taken out soon wouldn’t surprise me I don’t like the way cedar fair is running the place,heard it was gonna be taken out in 2010 only a matter of time

[@d0cktor523]

This looks the exact same as the tornado! even the shed you go under is the same!

[@jasonshepard6428]

KnoxvilleRailFan304 u go under a cave u dumb ass not a she’d get your facts straight so that means u didn’t go on it

[@seth8634]

Jeez guys it's just a roller coaster!

[@brocknash1692]

@@jasonshepard6428 stfu and stop being a dork. grow up and get a life.

[@SarahEA1]

where was this ride located at Dollywood?

[@swampfoxer]

where the Tennessee Tornado is now. In fact, TT uses the same loading platform as the Thunder Express did.

[@kevinthompson6986]

yeah i noticed That,,,,,,,LOL probably The Footers Were Reused Too But arrow Is a defunct Company all of There Log Flumes and coasters days are Numbered

[@jasonshepard6428]

Sarah Abston where tornado was

[@jasonshepard6428]

I mean where tornado is

[@wessoccerplayer]

@@swampfoxer that's what gave it away for me

[@frostedflakes6953]

they need to make their own version of the big thunder mountain railroad

[@SeaboardAirLine]

This one looked like fun I'm so sad that it was removed but me and my fam like tornado

[@Thrash2010ATL]

It's like the Dahlonega Mine Train at Six Flags Over Georgia...only less shittier.

[@Sigma69-p8g]

It got replaced for Tennessee tornado

[@kevinoverbeck4250]

It caught on fire and had to be rebuilt. it became the 'Tennessee Tornado' afterwards. The drop at the end was really fun.

[@southknoxslim]

Don't remember it being so slow and boring. 3 lift hills?!?

[@kevinthompson6986]

These mine train coasters are pretty dated

[@kensleyyyp]

Desd

[@cra-zk9gaming411]

i have never heard of this ride oh wait because its gone im here in 2019 its named the tunderhead now

[@wessoccerplayer]

No thunderhead a completely different coaster

[@kevinthompson6986]

@@wessoccerplayer thunder head is a completely rough coaster

[@Sigma69-p8g]

No, it’s Tennessee tornado now