What happened to Thunder Express?

[shavethewhales]

What's the story behind the disappearance of Thunder Express at DW It looked like a fun and well-themed ride, though filled with lots of flat spaces. It looks like it was a great family coaster.

I'm assuming it was taken out to make way for Tennessee Tornado, but couldn't they have used one of their other expanses of land for it?

Here's a little info on it, and some great photos: http://rcdb.com/id588.htm

[Coaster]

^I had never heard of it before your article actually. Was it called Thunder Express as a smaller version of ThuNderaTion or was that just some name they came up with?

[sdcforever]

^^Here's the deal straight from Dollywood's website:

"1989
The $8 million Thunder Express roller coaster was added for the fourth season. (Thunder Express was retired in 1998, making room for the Tennessee Tornado which opened in April 1999.)"

^Thunder Express was a mine train coaster, but its top speed was 37 mph, much slower than TNT, and not nearly as tall on the hills.  The names are coincidence only, I think, since Thunder Express was installed 4 years before TNT.

[Coaster]

^Thunder Express was a mine train coaster, but it's top speed was 37 mph, much slower than TNT, and not nearly as tall on the hills.  The names are coincidence only, I think, since Thunder Express was installed 4 years before TNT.

Oh, I guess I didn't catch that it was installed before ThuNderaTion. Whoops! 

[Copper]

It always reminded me of some of my first Roller Coaster Tycoon coasters. Three lift hills just to get the thing back to the station. I have never heard why they removed it. Dollywood doesn’t have an intermediate coaster like TNT. hmm...

[shavethewhales]

I remember there being a deeper reason than just to make room for Thunder Express, but I can't remember much. I think it may have had something to do with the land, but it just seems odd because it was such a valuable coaster to the park from the looks of it. It would be pretty popular today.

[Swoosh]

Well Thunder Express was "used" when Dollywood got it.  It came from SFStL as the second side of River King Mine Train.  It is now at Magic Springs in Arkansas and is now known as Big Bad John

http://www.rcdb.com/id1452.htm