Silver Dollar City’s steam train reopened over weekend after train malfunction

NEAR BRANSON, Mo. (KY3) - Silver Dollar City reopened its famous steam train after a malfunction last on the tracks on Thursday.

Following an inspection, park officials revealed a rare manufacturing defect on a wheel for train car three caused the incident. Crews replaced those parts with new ones.

According to Silver Dollar City, the derailment happened Thursday around 3:50 p.m. when the front wheels of car three on the train went off the track by less than two inches, causing cars two and three to separate. Investigators say one wheel went off the track but stayed on the railroad tie, allowing the car to remain upright.

SDC says new safety protocols worked as designed, stopping the train safely and slowly with all cars remaining upright.

In October 2022, a train derailed at Silver Dollar City, injuring six people. According to a report from the Fire Marshal’s Office and Wolf Railway Consulting, there was uneven wear on a side bearing allowing carriage #3 to lean, springs in trucks were not the same height, there was a misalignment of the rails, railroad tie spacing was not consistent, and there were loose joint bolts.

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