Columbia Pictures

Update 1/11/2024: Many thanks to OregonRailfan who corrected me (see his comments below) on a couple of items.

Yeah, yeah. Four boys coming of age and learning about friendship and all that. The REAL star of this production is McCloud River Railroad #25, a 2-6-2 steam locomotive built by Alco Locomotive Works in 1925, new for the railroad. MCRRR #25 is still with us and currently operates on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.

I was fortunate enough to ride behind her during the SP&S convention at Astoria, Oregon in 2019. I have posted some pictures I took of the 2-6-2 at the end of this review.

What? The film’s main protagonists? Oh, all right. Here’s the boys in no particular order:

The main menu (seen above) from my DVD, features a locomotive that looks nothing like #25. Any guesses on which engine it might be? Big boiler. A 4-8-4 perhaps?

Singing, “The Ballad of Paladin”, the four Musketeers march down the tracks. This is the ending theme song to the TV series “Have Gun – Will Travel” (1957) starring Richard Boone as Paladin. Songwriter Johnny Western successfully sued Stand by Me’s producers for not securing his permission beforehand.

First obstacle. To cross or not to cross? From left to right, that’s Wil, River, Jerry and Corey. Nice truss bridge you got there. Exact location unknown — best guess is along the Oregon, Pacific & Eastern Railroad somewhere.

Corey (Teddy), the psycho one of the bunch, decides to play chicken with an oncoming steam engine. Finally River (Chris), has to haul Teddy’s sorry ass out from between the gauge as the 2-6-2 clanks by.

Thanks to alert reader “OregonRailfan”, the above truss bridge and locomotive has been identified as Yreka Western #19, a 2-8-2 built by Baldwin in 1915. #19 is still with us and is being restored at the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio.

Walking the tracks.

The BIG bridge and most famous scene from the film. Gordie (Wil) puts his hand on the rail to FEEL any train coming. Doesn’t work. Side view of the boys crossing the trestle. Hey, Vern (Jerry), you’re NEVER going to get across that way…

The McCloud Railroad’s bridge crosses Lake Britton near McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park in California. As of 2024, the bridge is intact, but the track has been removed.

Beautiful down-on shot of the bridge. Uh-oh. Smoke through the woods. Traaaaaaaain!!

Split screen! Consist of the train is: MRRR #25; water tank on flat car; crane; hopper car, extended vision caboose. Work train I guess. That caboose is way too modern for the movie’s time period (1959). The engine numbers are painted over on cab and tender, but some lettering is still visible on tender.

Whoa! Gordie and Vern look like goners! Filmmakers used a 600mm lens to make it look much more close. In reality, the engineer had plenty of time to see them and brake to a stop. But where’s the fun in that?

I wonder what Gordie/Vern little thin pancakes taste like? Here are two FEMALE stunt doubles jumping off the bridge abutment at the last moment.

That’s ONE way to walk the rail top. Nice water tower, too. Let’s cut across through the swamp…as storm clouds gather. Could this be a sign of upcoming conflict or emotional turmoil? You’ll just have to stream the movie to find out.

And for the finale, here’s some pictures I took of #25 at Rockaway Beach, Oregon on Friday, September 20, 2019.

Epilogue: Since 2007 the city of Brownsville, OR, which served as the setting for Castle Rock, OR, has held an annual “Stand By Me Day” celebrating the movie.

Here’s what IMDb has to say about Stand by Me:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092005/

If you have ANY information about this movie you’d like to share, please contact me at: Lindsay.Korst@gmail.com, or leave a comment.  Thanks and enjoy the blog!

THE END