Thunder Express
Steel Mine Train at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Opened 1989, closed 1998.
This ride has closed. It last operated at Dollywood in 1998.
- Height
- 32 ft
- Drop
- 41 ft
- Top speed
- 37 mph
- Length
- 2,349 ft
- Inversions
- 0
- Ride time
- 3 min
- Designer
- Arrow Dynamics
Thunder Express ran at Dollywood from 1989 to 1998. The Arrow Dynamics mine train had come from the park in Eureka, Missouri, then Six Flags Over Mid-America, where it was one of the River King Mine Train tracks. It closed in September 1998 and was sold to Magic Springs in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where it has run as Big Bad John since 2002; Tennessee Tornado took its place in 1999.
Sources
- rcdb.com/588.htm (RCDB: Thunder Express at Dollywood, removed, operated 1989 to 1998; Arrow Dynamics mine train (hybrid); length 2,349 ft, height 32 ft, drop 41 ft, speed 37 mph, 0 inversions, duration 3:00; three chain lifts and a tunnel; relocations: River King Mine Train, Dollywood, Big Bad John at Magic Springs.)
- rcdb.com/587.htm (RCDB: River King Mine Train (Eureka, Missouri), 1971 to 1987, was two side-by-side mine train tracks; one was sold to Dollywood.)
- rcdb.com/1452.htm (RCDB: Big Bad John at Magic Springs Theme and Water Park, Hot Springs, Arkansas, operating since 2002, same Arrow mine train.)
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollywood (Thunder Express, a steel mine train coaster relocated from Six Flags Over Mid-America, was built next to Blazing Fury in 1989; closed in September 1998 and sold to Magic Springs; Tennessee Tornado opened in its area in 1999.)
Numbers are from the ride's manufacturer and park where published; "n/a" means we have not confirmed that number yet. Spotted an error? Tell us.