Dollywood Express: #70 40 Year Anniversary 5-3-2026

Join this channel to get access to perks and documentaries: Follow the link below or click the join button beside the subscribe button.    / @stevensainerailroadproductions   Forty years ago, on May 3, 1986, an east Tennessee theme park would reopen for the first time ever under the name "Dollywood." And the parks original attraction would have a brand-new name: the "Dollywood Express." While originally not knowing Dollywood turned forty on the day. We made our way back to Dollywood to see the Dollywood Express once again. After hearing the news and seeing the pictures of locomotive #70 converting from coal to oil firing, we wanted nothing more than to return to the friendliest place in the smokies to see the locomotive as an oil burner. Even without coal, Cinderella put on a fantastic show. *There were many reasons why we were excited about the locomotive being converted back to oil. Here's a list of all the reasons, and a few new ones we learned about after the fact: The locomotive would now be a lot cleaner (70 especially could not keep clean as a coal burner). The box under the smokebox would be removed. 70 was fitted with accurate snifters (I don't know if they are the original ones or just the same type). The train can now run during a burn ban (oil does not put out burning embers). *Almost everyone on the crew is loving oil. Not only is it easier on the fireman, but I've been told 70 runs better as oil burner as well. Considering both 70 and 192 burned oil during the latter half of their careers on the White Pass & Yukon, converting them back to oil I would argue doesn't change the originality at all. It's the closest we've got to 70's 1950's appearance. Enjoy our look at the oil-fired 70 on the Dollywood Express 40 years in the making! #dollywood #dolly #pigeonforge #tennessee #greatsmokymountains #train #railroad #railway #steam #locomotive #steamtrain #whistle #engine #steamlocomotive #steamengine #smokies #smokymountains