03/08/2026
Wyatt Harless
TVRM has been asked by the owners and Foundation funders to assist in the conservation and eventual cosmetic restoration of a gas powered locomotive last used at Tracy City, on Monteagle Mountain. Known as “the Dinky” it was one of only a handful of locomotives built by the Cincinnati Locomotive Company, and it is believed to be the sole survivor.
The timber and coal industries were major economic drivers for the Cumberland Plateau with major timber harvesting taking place between 1880 and 1920. One of the largest lumber mills in Tennessee was that of the Sam Werner Lumber Company in Tracy City, where an extensive rail network brought timber to a junction with the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway’s line, known locally as the route of the Mountain Goat. This network operated on 3 foot ‘narrow gauge” and required special equipment for that size.
TVRM coordinated with Ms. Ellen Boyd Stamler and the Sam Werner Military Museum to safely remove the locomotive from its current location in Tracy City, where it has been stored for many years, and arranged to bring the locomotive to Chattanooga today. TVRM will now store the locomotive and develop plans for the future restoration of the locomotive. Once restored, and at such time as a suitable display location has been constructed at Tracy City, TVRM will arrange to return the locomotive to Tracy City.
Thanks to Randy Neal, Ryan Miller and Alan Maples for their assistance in the planning and ex*****on of this part of the project.