Meet Dollywood’s 1st Female Train Engineer

Dollywood’s two coal-fired steam trains take thousands of visitors around the Tennessee theme park. They're driven by a team of seven engineers, one of whom is the first woman on the job. For eight years, Julia Collins and her team have been tasked with managing these World War II-era steam trains. The trains, nicknamed Klondike Katie and Cinderella, once served the Army. Replacement parts are hard to come by, and often have to be made on site.

[@DeltaR2023]

As I’ve always said, these aren’t just machines, they’re alive.

[@yeoldeseawitch]

no they're not they're glorified tea kettles!

[@jackiecastillo2484]

@@yeoldeseawitch lollll

[@yeoldeseawitch]

@@jackiecastillo2484 electric locomotive ftw!

[@NewEnglandFoamer]

Steam ftw. Y’all know why

[@jackiecastillo2484]

@@yeoldeseawitch yessssir

[@empath2005]

Her passion & love for the train 🚂 is awesome!!!

[@sssniperboofygoofy]

My passion is to work for FPC, first piedmont Corp and to be a water tower demolitionist

[@anaxx6229]

So proud of her! I am impressed !! ❤️❤️

[@wpflesh6510]

What an absolute southern belle….Glad East Tennessee can be on inside edition for something other than a guy holding up the papa johns off cedar bluff in Knoxville or when the the police let the lady basically die without doing anything…..more good stories from East Tennessee please

[@raysrails2164]

Thanks for sharing a great story .

[@xxgod885]

It was warm my heart to see old steam locomotives still in service

[@johnjones7137]

How about big boy 😅

[@xxgod885]

@@johnjones7137 there a locomotive who earn that name already

[@johnjones7137]

Which one

[@xxgod885]

@@johnjones7137 the biggest steam locomotives in the world!

[@johnjones7137]

Ok

[@TheAtlantaRailfan]

Its good to see more women getting into heritage railroading, train have always been traditionally a mans world but I know several wonen who love trains, and especially when it comes to heritage railroading we need all the help we can get, it may be working in the shop maintaining the locomotives and rolling stock, Running the trains, or even simply working the ticket counter, one of the biggest things that's needed is workers, it take alot to keep the old engines moving and alot of care needs to be put into the work especially since if someone screws up the engine may blow up.

[@nathanielcruz6675]

You go girl!

[@futurepresidentwilliamreed9155]

Love Dollywood!

[@5-7Farms]

If you want to see some old steam equipment, give the Nevadan Northern Railway a visit in Ely, Nevada.

[@empath2005]

Nice! 😃 I love this! Beautiful & country! 🤠

[@lynnjames6629]

Very cool ‼️🚂👍🙂

[@sydneymcclain9034]

i was just here!! the train is phenomenal and i'm sure she is a great conductor ❤️

[@jaredpower1019]

The first engineer what a history

[@himhim3344]

Ohh wow *such* an accomplishment 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Trainmaster437]

If you’re working for postwar Locomotive, I know that China still has a large amount of steam locomotives for sale.

[@yeoldeseawitch]

no they don't anymore, they're all claimed by museums now, they were surplus 15 years ago.

[@theotherohlourdespadua1131]

Most of the more famous lines that operated those have switched to either diesel electrics or electric locomotives. The remaining steam locomotives in service will be replaced soon...

[@keithscudder7136]

And you know this how ?

[@aidanBAdventures]

Wow Well done 👏

[@Kippenvel]

Omg that's epic, let's gooo! And omg gorgeous steamy!

[@walterwhite5388]

That is not a train, That’s a Locomotive

[@xochitlsanchez3704]

How awesome 🤩

[@karlaruter3221]

Cool!

[@cadespencer6320]

I would love to work there but I live in California

[@springheartedtiger]

That’s cool 😀

[@flexxgym350]

Coming here this summer

[@tiffanyferguson1989]

I love train

[@wonderglory]

Another glass ceiling has been shattered!

[@TheRManProds]

ALL ABOARD!!!!!!!!!!!

[@amandad6104]

👏👏👏

[@TheRManProds]

CHOO CHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@leonthewise5807]

WAY TO BE !!😁

[@affordablewebsiterescue]

She's so fun!

[@sssniperboofygoofy]

First female train driver

[@LL56471]

👍

[@sylvesteruchia5263]

🌟.

[@sandwiches2590]

Interesting

[@theeraphatsunthornwit6266]

Just now? Never before.? Throughtout human history.? Oh maybe 1st in dollywood

[@justinratcliffe947]

Just at Dollywood. There actually have been women train engineers since the 70s

[@ishanjani9885]

Wow wonderful but here in india we got women driving a train

[@LOPM63672]

She's so damn 😍

[@Choochookid7470]

CHOO CHOOO!!!!

[@CMFYTOfficial]

I went to dollywood on my vacation with my family. this is the first time I see a female become a train engineer

[@bracebrooks967]

Interesting story, Good for her, but I wonder how much she gets paid per year.

[@bonedxyou]

Does she ge trained

[@annhinchcliff5460]

steam locomotives not steam trains

[@28ebdh3udnav]

Steam engines is going to make a comeback. Watch my words become reality

[@charliest.kardasism9134]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@AndrewHager02]

And they say girls aren’t into trains. HA!! What do they know?

[@englishatheart]

No they don't? I have never heard that. I'm a gal, and I love old-fashioned trains. I'd prefer riding in them as opposed to driving them, but I still like them.

[@Spartan-bl4pq]

Do you guys think anybody would care about first male anything?

[@notafortnitegamer]

You’re gonna need more than a seatbelt lol

[@U2Piligrim]

🚂🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤

[@Cabbieghost]

Why was this considered newsworthy?

[@fubinoru]

All I see is another Train Engineer

[@justinratcliffe947]

That's technically a good thing. Shows that gender means nothing

[@jackiecastillo2484]

Women 🚂 so cool go women's 💪🏻🙏🏻🙌🏻

[@JoshuaRicamonte-cr4oh]

Why is a girl drove dollywood while men drove big boy 844 and the Polar Express

[@CharlotteKandy]

This must be why there have been so many train derailments!

[@williamjohnson4597]

Good thing it’s not regulated

[@philoctetes_wordsworth]

Not that I care at all, but considering the park is owned by a woman, it is sad that she is the first, and it took so long. 💐Perhaps interest in train engineering is not the most popular career choice.🌸Good for her.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@englishatheart]

Did you ever think that maybe no other women have applied? Or that the others weren't considered "qualified" enough? Dollywood being owned by a woman has nothing to do with that.

[@apemancommeth8087]

What a non story!

[@d20audioediting]

"😡😡😡😡😡😡😡" - fox news

[@jaye282]

"🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡" - CNN

[@d20audioediting]

@@jaye282 "🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑" - MAGA cultists

[@Seek1878]

Tucker carlson's probably calling it the "woke train" now lol

[@d20audioediting]

@@Seek1878 maybe we will get a calendar of train girls!

[@alphaomega5909]

@@d20audioediting Id buy one for my brother in law. Hes a retired CSX Engineer, 40 yrs. Ill bet even his Mrs would approve.

[@randez626]

Im honestly surprised its not some trans person...but congrats for her. a W for women

[@Seek1878]

lol trans people live rent free in your head

[@redacted2275]

​@@Seek1878I think the comment is just referencing the current slew of awards given to them in sports and beauty pageants.

[@randez626]

@@Carah-qk3nz damn. Cant just be happy for her smh

[@randez626]

@@Carah-qk3nz i am

[@Seek1878]

@@redacted2275 "slew of awards" You mean a handful?

[@bottleandscrap7626]

Women?

[@uncrustable9923]

Does she want a gold metal? let's see how long she lasts

[@UndeadFleshgod]

Why would I care about the gender of the train engineer

[@englishatheart]

Sex* Male/female = sex.

[@AxoBLX]

What a waste, i feel bad for the train, i know damn well it aint gonna last a month or a week. Rip Lil train

[@yeoldeseawitch]

probably gonna blow up cuz she forgot to put enough water in the boiler

[@ReedBrunson]

She’s pretending to be a conductor on the rails 🚂

[@gustoffhermann9154]

No footage of her actually driving it, just pulling the whistle and playing with brake lever 🤣

[@kevinbogert9823]

Who cares