Summer vacation this year included a trip to the Tweetsie Railroad theme park near Blowing Rock, North Carolina. It was a return visit for the Conductor and a new experience for our Engineer. I would love to say that it was exactly as I remembered it, but as my first time there was 1958 or ’59 I really do not recall much of it. So call it new for both of us. The Blowing Rock/Boone region of NC is gorgeous and we spent quite a bit of time on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Tweetsie Railroad opened in 1957 as a one-mile excursion train ride behind the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (ET&WNC) #12 narrow gauge 4-6-0 coal-fired locomotive.
In 1958 the tracks were expanded into a three mile loop around the mountain. In 1961 a chair lift up the mountain and amusement park rides were added. #12 is well known to G-scale garden train enthusiasts as the prototype for Bachmann Train’s Big Hauler engine.
On the day we visited the “Yukon Queen”, a 2-8-2 from Alaska’s White Pass and Yukon railroad was in operation. Built in 1943 she would have originally been known as a “MacArthur” 2-8-2 but more commonly now referred to as a Mikado.
The Tweetsie RR operates its own locomotive repair shop to maintain their two historic steam engines as well as performing overhauls and providing repair parts for other heritage trains at Walt Disney World, Dollywood and Busch Gardens. The shop is not normally open to visitors, however, during railroad heritage events in the fall tours are available.
Like many small heritage railroads Tweetsie adds in a “train robbery” and at one time had a (typical for the time) cowboy-and-indian show along the train ride that has become less insensitive to Native Americans and more of a generic good guys and bandits act.
Over the years they have added numerous shows, rides and amusements. The park is built on a mountain with the main western themed area at the base, amusement rides along the side and a petting zoo, live music show and more dining at the top.
We found Tweetsie to be very accessible with our mobility scooter. We were able to easily visit all of the shops, entertainment and dining facilities. Both wheelchairs and scooters can be brought onto the train passenger cars. Neither can be used on the chairlift, but there is a shuttle that runs from the lower level of the park to the upper. There is also a paved path that leads through the woods around the park that will take you to the upper level. This trail was navigable with our scooter without any issues, due to its steepness and length it would be very difficult for a wheelchair.
Dismal Creek Railroad 