By Alex Paul
Albany Democrat-Herald | Posted: Friday, November 23, 2007 12:00 am
LEBANON - The Tennessee Thunder Railroad line on KGAL Drive has closed down, a victim of anemic ridership.
Owners Elaine and Wayne McIntosh built the 4-acre theme park three years ago, after Wayne was injured and couldn't continue his job as a truck driver.
"We got the idea from a similar railroad near Lyons," Elaine McIntosh said. "We had hoped it would go over here, but it just didn't work out. We just didn't get enough traffic. We worked it by ourselves and it was a lot of work. In the summer, we had the flower beds full and in the winter we spent a month decorating for Christmas."
The McIntoshes also hosted harvest festivals, a pumpkin patch and a maze.
Included along the 1,800-foot, 15-minute route was a pond and waterfall constructed by Wayne. Water cascaded down a wall of rocks into a pool that was home to several ducks. The railroad tracks ran over the top of the pond.
Other attractions included a miner's cabin constructed from cedar salvaged from an 80-year-old water tower that was once owned by the Bureau of Mines.
The train was a one-quarter scale replica of one found on the Internet by the couple's son, Dan. Instead of being powered by a smoke-belching steam engine, its power plant was a three-cylinder, turbocharged engine salvaged from a 1987 Chevrolet Sprint.
After their ride, visitors could stop by the railroad shop, where they could browse antiques and railroad memorabilia while enjoying hot cider and snacks.
"We enjoyed this a lot and other people did, too, just not enough to make it pay," Elaine. "We apologize to anyone who planned to visit based on our prearranged advertising. We appreciate anyone who helped support us the last three years and we wish everyone a blessed Christmas season."
Reporter Patrick Lair contributed to this story.