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Tag Archives: Rogers Locomotive Works

The Twisted Track 1956

ABC Television

Hi-Yo, Silver…Away! Yes, the Lone Ranger rides again, this time on the small screen, in full color, no less! It’s Clayton Moore as “that masked man”, along with his faithful Indian sidekick, Tonto (played by Jay Silverheels), fighting for truth, justice and the American Way!

To quote from my book, “Hollywood’s Railroads: Volume Two”, by Larry Jensen: “It (The Lone Ranger) was the first TV series to shoot on the Sierra Railroad. The Twisted Track episode used No. 3 and cars that were still brightly painted from a recent appearance in the Alan Ladd movie, The Big Land.” Hmmm…I might have to check that movie out…

In this installment (season 5, episode 12), two ex-Confederate brothers have a grudge against the DamnYankee owner of a railroad. Mostly, their revenge consists of train robbery. Filmed along the aforementioned Sierra Railroad, we are treated to two separate attacks, and famous Sierra 4-6-0 #3 (1891 Rogers) pulling a motley assortment of rolling stock. Let’s check it out.

Pow! With an impressive puff of smoke, a bad guy offs the engineer who drops to the deck, giving us a good look at the consist and cab interior.

Behind #3 is a shorty baggage/combine (possibly #5), flat car, another baggage/combine, full coach and caboose.

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Incident on the Road Back 1961

CBS Television

Rawhide! “Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’…” Who can forget Frankie Laine howling those opening and closing lyrics…especially after the Blues Brothers reintroduced the show to a newer generation (me) in 1980?

According to my research (Hat tip to Larry Jensen – Hollywood’s Railroads, Volume 2), the production company of Rawhide spent a month in Tuolumne County filming bits of various shows for Season 3. Today’s review features Sierra Railroad #3, “shorty” passenger cars #5 & #6 as well as several stock cars borrowed from Southern Pacific Railroad.

In addition to the iconic 1891 Rogers 4-6-0, feast your eyes on one of the screens most recognized actors, Clint Eastwood, in his breakthrough role of Rowdy Yates. Two classics in one. Let’s get started…

Clint Eastwood (Rowdy) poses with co-stars Paul Brinegar (as Wishbone) and Eric Fleming (as Gil Favor) alongside Sierra #3.

Do ya feel lucky? Well do ya, punk? Rowdy waits for the train, sporting his now-famous annoyed grimace. Note the stock car on the siding and water tower in the background.

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Rage at Dawn 1955

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R.K.O. Radio Pictures

Randolph Scott stars as James Barlow, a special agent sent west to infiltrate and break up the Reno brothers gang. To that end, Scott/Barlow stages a fake train robbery to get the Reno’s attention. Once taken in the gang, Barlow stages another train robbery…but it’s all a set up, to capture the Reno’s with a spectacular trackside shoot-’em-up.

Sierra Railroad 4-6-0 #3 (built in 1891 by Rogers Locomotive Works) is the real star of this picture along with its 3 car consist. Engine and coaches are decorated for the fictitious “Ohio & Mississippi Railroad”. As a plus, both train “robberies” are filmed in wonderful low-light on the sunny side of the consist.

Come enjoy Sierra’s 10-wheeler going through its paces as Randolph Scott once again brings law and order to tame the Wild West.

“Come ride the little train that is rolling down the tracks to the Junction…” Oops, sorry. Rage at Dawn was filmed 8 years before Petticoat Junction appeared on the scene.

Having said that, Sierra #3 and shorty coach/combine #5 in this image did indeed serve as the Hooterville Cannonball for 1960s television’s most famous train.

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