Steam Whistles!

Have you ever been to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee? Dollywood is the amusement park named after none other than Dolly Parton. If you have been there, you probably heard one of my steam whistles on the Dollywood Express! The whistles are on a long-term loan to Dollywood. One of the whistles is a 6-inch diameter Crosby triple-chime with a built in valve. Another is a 5-chime step-top NYC (New York Central). Also on loan is a 6-inch diameter American triple-chime steam whistle. These are some of my whistles that serve the Dollywood Express. For many years my favorite whistle was Dollywood's own ex-Southern Railway 3-chime step-top which was on locomotive 192. The whistles are switched around from time to time on the locomotives.

Dollywood is home to not only one, but two operating steam locomotives. Steam locomotive no. 70 named "Cinderella," along with her younger sister no. 192 "Klondike Kate," serve as the main motive power for the Dollywood Express. Both locomotives were used on the White Pass & Yukon Route in Alaska during World War II. They were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA. Cinderella was built in 1938, Klondike Kate was built in 1943. I plan to later include some information and pictures about my friends who work at Dollywood as well as most of the amazing history of the park itself. Did you know that Dollywood was first opened in 1961 as Rebel Railroad and the train was the only ride on the park?

Another whistle from my collection is on the Three Rivers Rambler, a 1925 2-8-0 Baldwin steam locomotive operating in Knoxville, Tennessee. The whistle is a Crosby Valveless Triple-Chime. The train ride is a scenic trip lasting about one hour and thirty minutes. You board at Volunteer Landing between Calhoun's and the Tennessee Grill and Boathouse on the river. Click here to see the webpage for the schedule and more information about the Three Rivers Rambler .

The fateful day in 1951 when engine number 70 wrecked on the White Pass and Yukon Route in Alaska. "Number 70 snags plow on guardrail." She is now serving Dollywood as one of two operational steam locomotives.

Pictured above is a three-chime steam whistle, complete with valve and handle.

Rolling down the tracks!

Blow the whistle!

Locomotive Firebox

Some steam whistles were made by steam locomotive and railroad factories and companies, such as Southern Railway. Many of these were steam locomotive whistles. Other makers of steam whistles include Lunkenheimer, Lonergan, Crosby Steam Gage (Gauge) and Valve, Star Brass Works, Powell, Buckeye Brass Works, McNab & Harlin, Schaeffer & Budenberg, Kinsley, Crane, American, Penberthy, Hancock Inspirator Company, etc. I collect them all!
Email me at steamwhistle@hotmail.com if you have any steam whistles for sale or any steam whistle questions. You can also reach me at (865) 803-5108
Maybe I can help!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION - I have catalog information of most major whistle manufacturers including Lunkenheimer, Crosby, Hancock, Star Brass, Buckeye, etc. I have scanned some of those pages and I plan to include links here. Most of them are out of business today, but they have left a lasting impact on the world. Some still survive, though whistle production was phased out of their product line many years ago. Some are even found on the Internet! Can you guess which companies still survive today? Please come back and visit the steam whistle page to learn about these companies.

The Cunningham Locomotive Works. I am in the process of building from scratch a static display of a narrow gauge steam locomotive. This builder's plate will go on the front of the steam locomotive after it is completed.

Links to other Steam Whistle Pictures

This is an example of a 3-chime brass steam whistle, complete with valve and handle.
This is a large plain bell (not a chime) 6 inch diameter Lunkenheimer brass steam whistle
Close up of the plain Lunkenheimer valve and base.

Links to other sites

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Click on the Wildcat to hear the Kentucky fight song!

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