Tag Archives: D&R #8

Jesse James 1939

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20th Century Fox

Nineteen Thirty Nine was a big year for train movies. Union Pacific. Dodge City. Even Gone With The Wind. Adding to the pile, is today’s feature, Jessie James. In Technicolor, no less.

Of course the star of the show is Dardanelle & Russellville #8, a 4-4-0 built by Cooke Locomotive and Machine Company in February 1888. Originally constructed as Fort Worth and Denver City #9, in 1899 it came to the Dardanelle & Russellville Railroad, a five-mile Arkansas short line between its namesake towns.

In 1933, D&R #8 was retired with mechanical problems and left on a siding at Dardanelle. Hollywood came calling in 1938, sending the 4-4-0 to Missouri Pacific’s North Little Rock, Arkansas shops for a rebuild. The locomotive (and 3 D&R passenger cars) then made its way to Neosho, Missouri where train scenes were filmed along the Kansas City Southern Railway.

(Many thanks to Larry Jensen’s “The Movie Railroads” pages 196-197 for data on the engine.)

D&R #8 is still with us. As of 2024, it is a resident of the Nevada State Railway Museum in Carson City. Image by William Acord taken May 1992 at NSRM from RRPictureArchives.net

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The Gambler 1980

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Time-Life
Columbia Broadcasting System

Today’s feature is a tale of two steam locomotives — mostly filmed at the Old Tucson Studios whose star attraction was ex-Virginia & Truckee #11, “Reno”. According to Larry Jensen’s “Hollywood’s Railroads, Volume One”, ex-Dardanelle & Russellville #8, also appeared in this made-for-TV movie and therein lies my quandary.

I can’t tell the engines apart. Both are 4-4-0’s. Both burn oil. V&T #11 was built by Baldwin in 1872. D&R #8 was built by Alco (Cooke) in 1888. From all the screen caps and pictures I’ve seen, these two could be twins.

SO. For identification purposes throughout my review, I will refer to the locomotive as it is painted — Southern Pacific Railroad #8.

Update: Many Thanks to blog reader Caldwell Butler, who has identified the locomotive below as D&R #8.

The entire 94 minute movie takes place in or around a train, so let’s explore Kenny Rogers’ journey “On a train bound to nowhere” (or in this case, to Yuma). At the bottom of this review, is a 3 1/2 minute video of “The Gambler” song on which this movie is based.

SP #8 is at full gallop with its passenger train on a nice, flat stretch of track. How about that MOD S.P.R.R. lettering on the tender? Is that a funky font or what?

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Love Me Tender 1956

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20th Century Fox

B&W Cinemascope

Elvis! Guess what the baby said! Okay, I’m already getting off track here (pun intended), but I always think of the above Apes of Wrath 1959 cartoon when Elvis’ name comes up.

Yeah, Elvis. Here he appears in his first movie as brother Clint, of the notorious, train-robbing Reno Gang. Although he isn’t shown next to a train at any point, he aids and abets his brothers in their crime spree. Actually, Elvis was brought in as an excuse to include some of his musical numbers and be the third figure in a messy love triangle. More about that later.

Today’s movie features TWO studio-owned stream locomotives: 1. Virginia & Truckee 4-4-0 #22, “The Inyo” and; 2. Dardanelle & Russellville 4-4-0 #8. Both of these locomotives are still with us and located in Carson City, Nevada.

It’s the Confederates vs. the Damn Yankees towards the end of the Civil War. Here comes the train. Time to rob the payroll!

Presented here are two contemporary views of our feature’s two steam locomotives at the Nevada State Railroad Museum. While the Inyo is operational, the D&R #8 is stored awaiting restoration.

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