As far back as he can remember, Alva Cunningham always wanted to be a train engineer.
He was fascinated by trains, particularly steam-powered locomotives, and has collected steam whistles since the age of 15. He says it’s been “in his blood” his whole life.
He recalls visiting Silver Dollar City (now Dollywood) with his family when he was a boy and that his favorite attraction was the train, which was the only steam engine locomotive in the area at the time. He was a frequent visitor in the ’70s and ’80s; so much so that he got special privileges such as riding in the engineer’s cab. Also, he is a Dolly Parton fan.
Cunningham grew up in Middlesboro Kentucky, but his ancestors on both sides lived in the Union County area during the Civil War. His great-great-grandfather, Mordecai (aka Mordecia) Cunningham is known to have died serving the Union Army on November 16, 1863, in Maynardville, however, his family has never been able to identify where he was buried. If any history buffs out there have any information, the Cunningham family would be happy to hear it. His father is a retired funeral director who writes and sings gospel music.
His mother’s family, the Praters, moved up to Campbell County, Tenn., then to Bell County, Kentucky. She was a nurse for 20 years, then went on to teach nursing at Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) for 20 years. After high school, Cunningham followed in his mother’s footsteps to LMU, and midway to earning his degree decided to major in mathematics with a teaching certification.
After graduation, he began teaching at the J. Frank White Academy, and also taught college level math courses and English as a Second Language to Japanese students at LMU during the first four years of his career. When a position became available at Union County High School, friends strongly encouraged Cunningham to come to Union County, and he is so glad that he did. He’s been teaching for 21 years and thoroughly enjoys it.
His advice for those interested in the teaching profession: it is great for those who are patient and love kids. It’s a lot of work to get started, but you can do it. You can earn a good living and lead a rich, fulfilling life.
Soon after he began his teaching career, Cunningham’s dream of working on a locomotive was realized when he was also hired to work at Dollywood full time during the summer and part-time on the weekends. As God would have it, this just happened to work perfectly around his school schedule. He has worked at Dollywood for 20 years now and has seen several other fellas retire through the years. Only one co-worker has longer tenure than Cunningham. This is the only ride at Dollywood that has one crew doing not only the operation but also maintenance and repairs.
Cunningham’s advice to others with a passion for operating steam engines: it is an on-the-job training gig to get started and you must work your way up to engineer. He advises that you must, “Be prepared to sweat and be able to think on your feet.”
There are two jobs associated with running the locomotives. A new hire will start learning the tasks of the fireman, and then after two to three years of mastering those basic tasks, the fireman can start training as an engineer.
Fireman Tasks:
- Perform basic maintenance (including greasing and oiling)
- Shovel coal to fuel the fire
- Keep the steam pressure up
- Keep the fire going
- Keep water in the boiler and the tender
Engineer Tasks:
- Operate, regulate speed, and stop the train
- Handle complex maintenance issues and repairs (if something breaks and you can’t repair it, you have to make a new one in the machine shop)
There are more steam engines operating today than back in the ’50s and ’60s, but not by much. Most of them got scrapped once diesel-powered locomotives came on the scene because they were not only more fuel efficient, but much less work for the crew and lower cost due to being easier to maintain.
Of the approximately 2,000 steam-powered trains still in existence today, most are on display in museums. Only a handful are still operational, which is why we are so fortunate to have one nearby at Dollywood. There are also a couple more running out of Knoxville, including Three Rivers Rambler engine 203, which Cunningham helped to restore about 20 years ago.
Cunningham’s biggest surprise? Being fortunate enough to have his dreams come true and working locomotive engineering into his schedule! He believes everyone should pursue not only a career but also his or her dreams, even if they are separate endeavors.
He is happily married with two children, Derick and Haven. Derick is 20 and works at Food City here in Maynardville and Haven is 15 and a sophomore at UCHS.
In his dual career pursuits, Cunningham has the support of his wife, Kelly, and likewise is extremely proud of her achievements. She has realized her dream of opening a delicatessen and is the proud owner of Kelly’s Deli in Maynardville. Cunningham recommends that you stop by the deli for lunch sometime and check out “The Friendliest Eatin’ Place in Town.”
Kelly’s Deli is at 3624 Maynardville Highway and is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Phone: (865)745-3149