Pioneer & Western Railroad 4-4-0 No. 3
Johnson City, TN, United States
Location: Doe River Gorge
Status: Operational
Posted: Jan 17, 2024 @ 06:01:36 by Denis Larrick
Originally built in 1964 (c/n 643736) for Vegasland amusement park in Las Vegas which did not get beyond turning the first shovel of dirt before one of the promotors ran off with the money. Was used as a steam source at Crown factory to test airbrake pumps until sold to Pioneer City in 1966. Then to Carowinds, then to Huntsville in orange and yellow lettered for Carowinds and Carolinas RR, possibly by way of South of the Border amusement park in South Carolina.
Posted: Oct 29, 2021 @ 21:10:13 by Jonah Snyder
This locomotive recently returned to operation this year, though is not yet in revenue service.
Posted: Feb 21, 2020 @ 07:02:17 by Don Ramey
Please note that Doe River Gorge is Not in Johnson City, TN but rather it is located in Hampton, Tn. in Carter county. This locomotive is being refurbished for operation.
Posted: Jan 7, 2018 @ 19:01:37 by
Please change location to Doe River Gorge in Johnson City, TN and the status to restoration.
Posted: Oct 27, 2015 @ 11:10:58 by Mike Weiss
Father and I had grown metal products number three, the Jenny Lynn built in the late 60s for a western theme park by the name of Pioneer city located 25 miles west of Fort Lauderdale Florida. The property was the last 40 acres of a cattle ranch owned by my family. She was and after my daughter and was made up of engine, tender, two passenger cars, and a caboose. It operated on three quarters of a mile of 36 inch gauge drive to and from the entrance to the town. It was an operation for just over a year before the park closed. I have a number of pictures that might be of interest to the historical background if there is interest.
Posted: Sep 20, 2015 @ 22:09:15 by Jay
The engine indeed has been sold to the Doe River Gorge railroad in Tennesse, who plans to have it operate.
Posted: Nov 22, 2014 @ 18:11:24 by
GOING TO DOE RIVER GORGE IN TENN 3 FOOT GAGE
Posted: Apr 11, 2011 @ 17:04:18 by Jay
The Depot museum says this engine came from Frontierland park in Florida...
Posted: Sep 21, 2009 @ 22:09:04 by Blake Forgione
this is a crown metal products locomotive with a 36 inch gauge
Posted: Jan 29, 2004 @ 11:01:16 by Dwayne Biggs
Yes this is Crown #3 and it is 36" gauge and not standard gauge. I'm from Huntsville and have direct knowledge of the history of the engine and it did come from Carowinds.  I hope to lead the city in a direction to have the engine in a place where it can run and come alive agian.
Posted: Oct 29, 2003 @ 12:10:14 by Ed Kelley
Scratch that, it still is 36" gauge and always has been. The turntable is dual gauged.
Posted: Aug 16, 2003 @ 17:08:07 by Ed Kelley
It may be standard gauge now but it was built as a 36" narrow gauge locomotive.  It ran at the Pioneer & Western in Davie, FL.  It was Crown Metal Products' 3rd 36" gauge engine.  It was also in storage as #3 at Carowinds, never used there.  It then went to South of the Border in Dillon, SC, apparently never used, along with Carowinds #2.  Apparently it may have gone with the #2 to Vermont at a place called Timber Rail Village.  The #2 was sold to Michael Jackson, and restored at Shop Services, Mt. Pleasant, IA and it today operates at the Neverland Valley Ranch.  Of course, the #3 sits derelect at this museum in Alabama.
Posted: Apr 19, 2003 @ 24:04:47 by Charlie Crail
Alan, all that history doesn't seem appropriate since this is a standard gauge locomotive.
Posted: Apr 3, 2003 @ 12:04:38 by denis larrick
Pioneer and Western was a short lived park in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Probably closed by 1970. I'm told the engine sat under a shed on display at Carowinds.
Posted: Sep 27, 2002 @ 19:09:07 by Alan Maples
This is a former amusement park locomotive constructed by Crown. From the parktrains yahoo group: A Short (?) History of the 36" gage Crown Metal Products Locomotives (Revised 1/1/2002) by Denis M. Larric: #3 was built for the Pioneer and Western RR (does anyone know where that was? The old newspaper picture I have shows what appears to be sandy soil). It had three Crown domes, balloon stack, and a huge box headlight with deer antlers. A 1965 period Crown catalog shows it loaded on a flatcar for shipment with several coaches, one of which was named "Prairie" (seems like that should be a clue...). I am not 100% certain where it is today, but I suspect it is the one which in the early 1970's was owned (but not used) by Carowinds Amusement Park, Charlotte, NC (their third engine). I believe it later went to South of the Border park in South Carolina (unused there also), and may be the one now displayed on the turntable at the Depot Museum in Huntsville, Alabama.