Tag Archives: Sierra coaches 5 and 6

Bonanza Stallion 1972

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NBC Television

Dum-de-la-dum de-la-dum de-la-dum de-la-DAH-DAAAAHH! Ahh…that catchy theme song…which is about all I remember of this long-running TV show. Westerns just weren’t my thing, back then.

BUT – present day, there it is on YouTube (link below), albeit a rather fuzzy episode capture. But what do ya expect for free, huh? ;p Sierra Railroad #3, an 1891 Rogers 4-6-0 stars as “Virginia & Truckee #3″ pulling Sierra’s “shorty” coach #6, and a wooden boxcar with “MW24” reporting marks.

There is only one, seven minute train scene in this Season 14 Episode 9 feature, but it’s a doozy, with Little Joe (played by Michael Landon) racing his gift horse from Ben (played by Lorne Greene) alongside a speeding train. And, no, he didn’t look his gift horse in the mouth (groan).

Giddy-up!

The only down side to the train scene is almost the entire thing was filmed back-lit. SO. We’ll start things off with a couple artsy-fartsy close ups of our favorite ten-wheeler.

The cameraman zooms in on Sierra #3’s steel cowcatcher and profile up to the middle of the boiler. Nice, underside view of the flames from her firebox, though.

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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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