Tag Archives: Virginia & Truckee Railroad

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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Wrong Train to Brimstone 1971

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Universal Studios

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad #5, a 2-6-0 built in 1875 by Baldwin is the star of today’s feature. Currently restored and operating at the NCNG Railroad museum in Nevada City, California, #5 was a movie star at Universal Studios from 1940 to 1984 for countless films and TV shows.

The Alias Smith & Jones (1971-1973) western television series utilized the studio “railroad” (about 2,000 feet of track and a couple depots) at Universal for filming. Producers also dipped into stock footage from other movies for transition and action scenes.

Hats Off to Larry Jensen for all his books about Hollywood’s movie railroads, making it easier to identify what is what. All Aboard!

With a blast of its throaty chime whistle, #5 prepares to leave town. Note the star on the boiler front, elk on the headlight box, #8 on the sand dome and some sort of name plate on the cab side. It’s possible this shot is footage from another production.

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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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A Stop at Willoughby 1960

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CBS Television

How many times did they actually say “Willoughby” in this feature? I’ll have to go back and count. Update: 44 times. Reported to be Rod Serling’s favorite episode from the first season of The Twilight Zone, here’s another reviewed “movie” where we hear, but never actually see, any railroad motive power. Yep, just old passenger coaches being shoved up and down the track.

Still, trains play a major part in the story of burned-out Advertising Executive Gart Williams (played by James Daly) dreaming of a more serene lifestyle. Where have I seen this guy before? There’s a Star Trek TOS connection, natch.

Be sure to visit this blog next month when I review a Year-2000 remake movie based on A Stop At Willoughby. In color. And now, on with the show!

1960 train and 1888 train interiors. I believe the 1960 car is just a studio set at MGM where most of Twilight Zone was filmed, whilst the 1888 coach was (probably) on Paramount’s back lot. More about that later. Maybe.

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Train to Tombstone 1950

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Lippert Pictures

Oh boy, another C picture from Lippert Studios. Yippie yi yo ki yay!

Don’t let the title fool you. The star attraction is a Virginia & Truckee steam locomotive and two car passenger train filmed in Nevada in that road’s last days of operation. I was able to find several color pictures of this movie train as well as extensive details about the engine.

Coming in at less than an hour run time (56 minutes, 47 seconds), there’s plenty of action including TWO Indian attacks and a motley assortment of passengers including dance hall girls, a man of the cloth, a wheelchair-bound, but nubile young woman and her elderly, straight-laced companion, a traveling corset salesman and various ruffians and rogues.

Is there really $250,000 worth of gold (GOLD!!) in the baggage car? Read along and let’s find out!

V&T 2-8-0 #5 leads mail-baggage #23 and combination car #18 in an establishing shot that will be seen repeatedly throughout our feature. Judging from the snow-capped mountains and arrow-straight track, (and a quick peek at one of my Larry Jensen books), I believe the location to be somewhere between Carson City and Minden, Nevada. Lots of pacing shots, so there’s undoubtedly a paved road paralleling the railroad.

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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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The Tall Target 1951

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Metro Goldwyn Mayer

It’s February 22, 1861. The American Civil War is about 7 weeks from exploding on the scene, and the 16th President of the United States has yet to be inaugurated. Gosh. I wonder who the tall target is?

Filmed mostly on MGM’s Lot #2 and at RKO’s Encino Ranch (on just 1,800 feet of railroad track), today’s movie features a wonderful 4-car passenger train pulled by the venerable Virginia & Truckee 4-4-0, #11 the “Reno”.

Many thanks to Bruce Bruemmer for recommending this flick and a hat tip to Larry Jensen’s “Hollywood’s Railroads, Volume One”, for the skinny on equipment used. It’s 78 minutes of film noir murder, suspense and intrigue, onboard a speeding express bound for our Nation’s Capitol!

It was a dark and stormy night. Wreathed in steam is the wood-burning, 1872 product of the Baldwin Locomotive Works; Coming down the aisle is our hero, Sergeant John Kennedy (played by Dick Powell). Hey, that gal with the knitting on the left…that’s none other than June Cleaver (played by Barbara Billingsley)! I wonder if she spoke jive back then…

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Once Upon A Texas Train 1988

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Columbia Broadcasting System

Let’s take a ride on the Nevada Northern Railway! The star of today’s movie is NN #40, a 4-6-0, July 1910 product of Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia. Bringing up the markers, is wooden coach-combination car #06, acquired by NN second hand in 1909.

In this made-for-TV movie, #40 and combine garner about 4 1/2 minutes of screen time during the opening credits & de rigueur train robbery and shoot out. We once more see the little train as the picture wraps up…heading away from the camera this time.

Filming also features a brief cameo by Virginia & Truckee #11, “The Reno” during its residence at Old Tucson Studios. Thus, I’ll be skipping over the bulk of this 93 minute movie for some tasty steam locomotive goodness. All Aboard!

Here comes the Queen of the Rails towing her little combine with a good head of steam. As the coal-burning 4-6-0 passes, we get a view of NN combine #06.

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The Sixteenth Cousin 1963

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ABC 4 Star Television

“Somebody get me The Sarge!” Chuck Conners (as Lucas McCain) starred for five seasons of The Rifleman, blasting away on his customized Winchester 92 carbine to begin every episode. BTW, the above link (in blue) is a fascinating read — with details about the Winchester used in the series.

Anyway. Episode 159 of 168 seemed to have the most train scenes. Lucas and his boy Mark (played by Johnny Crawford) are riding the first train into Northfork (New Mexico Territory). It wasn’t until I started taking screen caps that I realized all the live train footage was lifted from other movies and stock footage.

Still, it was fun to try and identify the railroad bits — especially as locomotives and railroads would change from shot to shot (maybe they won’t notice…). C’mon, let’s check it out!

The episode opens with a short passenger train rolling through the desert (I can’t make out the locomotive except that the steam engine is producing a fine plume of smoke). Quickly, they cut to the churning drivers of a 4-4-0.

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Union Pacific 1939

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Paramount Pictures

Cecil B. DeMille’s “epic” (translation: well over two hours long) film about the building of the first transcontinental railroad did everything in a big way. Big stars, train wrecks, Indian attacks and a messy love triangle for starters. Union Pacific utilized FIVE different steam locomotives — so many trains, in fact, Paramount had to obtain a railroad operating license from the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Doesn’t sound very obscure, does it? But…1939 was a long time ago and black and white turns many people off, so let’s just imagine obscurity and review it anyway. It really was a fascinating railroad movie to study.

Many many thanks to Larry Jensen and his book, “Hollywood’s Railroads, Volume One” for helping me identify the locomotives and passenger/freight cars used — most of which originally came from the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in Nevada.

As is my wont, I will concentrate on scenes where trains are involved. Camera…ACTION!

The movie premiered in Omaha, Nebraska over several days in April 1939. The recreation of the May 10, 1869 golden spike ceremony at Promontory, Utah was actually filmed near Canoga Park, California partially as a media event to promote the film.

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