Tag Archives: Columbia Pictures

The Texas Rangers 1951

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Columbia Pictures

Sierra Railroad #18 is the star of today’s feature film. This 1906 product of Baldwin Locomotive Works is painted up in a pleasing maroon and gold “Texas Central” scheme. Numbered #44, the little 2-8-0 was back dated with a box headlight and cabbage smokestack. Sierra #18 is still with us having recently (2021) been purchased with the Fred Kepner collection by the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.

The real train action doesn’t get started until the last 10 minutes of the movie. It’s a little fuzzy (free on YouTube dontcha know), but packed with action including a big fight in the cab of the locomotive. Train robbery? Check. The payroll on board? Yep. Posse of lawmen waiting in ambush? You betcha. Innocent women and children blown to bits? Well….no. That’s Blazing Saddles.

Can a reformed outlaw find true love alongside a steam locomotive at the depot? Let’s find out!

Undercover Texas Ranger Johnny Carver (played by George Montgomery) makes his way along the tender for the final showdown with the bad guys. All that wood is just for show as I’m pretty sure #18 was an oil-burner.

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Pal Joey 1957

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Columbia Pictures

Sinatra does San Francisco! Frank Sinatra plays Joey Evans, a crooning, womanizing cad, unceremoniously tossed onto a Southern Pacific train headed for the Oakland Mole. We are treated to Frank’s encounter with SP #4443, a GS-4 class 4-8-4 locomotive in Espee black/silver. In addition, is footage inside the Mole and a ferry boat ride across the Bay.

I originally reviewed just the Pal Joey movie opening credits (see bottom of this posting for link). Once I started researching the movie, however, I discovered there were additional railroad-related scenes (Berkeley train station, Embarcadero building, Alco switcher & cable cars), so I wound up purchasing the DVD for those scenes as well.

The movie itself is a lot of fun with Rita Hayworth (rahr-RAHR!) and Kim Novak (hubba-HUBBA!) as rivals for Frank’s affections. Let’s take a closer look at San Francisco rails from the last golden days of the 1950’s. Highball! (very dry, please…).

Two soldiers jog past SP #4443 as it comes to a stop with its short train (baggage car and 3 coaches).

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