Back to the Future Movie Locomotive

Superheater · **Posted:** Sat Mar 22, 2003 10:34 pm

One of the cable channels was playing mid '80's movie "Back to the Future" with Michael J. Fox today.

Just curious-what locomotive was used in the movie-I'm assuming it was a real engine and not a special effect.

Superheater@rrmail.com

BILL · **Posted:** Sat Mar 22, 2003 10:55 pm

> One of the cable channels was playing mid
> '80's movie "Back to the Future"
> with Michael J. Fox today.

> Just curious-what locomotive was used in the
> movie-I'm assuming it was a real engine and
> not a special effect.

IIRC, it was the Sierra #3, or a real good look-alike!!!

drotarinoh@webtv.net

Rob · **Posted:** Sat Mar 22, 2003 11:00 pm

> Just curious-what locomotive was used in the
> movie-I'm assuming it was a real engine and
> not a special effect.

Sierra Railroad #3 is probably the most photographed locomotive in movies and television. It was used in such TV shows as "Little House on the Prairie", "Petticoat Junction", "Wild, Wild West", and of course the movie "Back to the Future III".

Wowak · **Posted:** Sat Mar 22, 2003 11:59 pm

> and of course the movie
> "Back to the Future III".

And, of course, it was a model that took a plunge into that ravine at the end of the scene.

I assume that if a real live steam locomotive were to have that fate befall it (pun intended) that there would be a massive boiler explosion?

Alan Walker · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2003 2:49 am

Possibly but not neccessarily. However, I think that one would be highly likely IMHO.

awalker2002@comcast.net

Natasha Bettis · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2003 3:30 am

A thread concerning the 3 on trainorders:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?f=10&i=7094&t=7094.
71446975@quixnet.net

Olaf The Red · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2003 9:59 am

> Sierra Railroad #3 is probably the most
> photographed locomotive in movies and
> television. It was used in such TV shows as
> "Little House on the Prairie",
> "Petticoat Junction", "Wild,
> Wild West", and of course the movie
> "Back to the Future III".

I have to disagree, I think the most photographed steam locomotive in Movies is V & T's 4-4-0 # 11 "the Reno". She is by far the greatest of the movie engines and a true classic. It is sad to see that this great engine is not in operation like it was in the years before the Old Tuscon Fire, which led to what I thought was her dismiss. But 11 took the stage again a few years back in the Wild Wild West and stole the show unlike the other engines in the movie she was the true star. You did not see # 3 in that movie because she could not handle it they had to bring the big girl in . Does anyone know if Old Tuscon plans to restore her?

BEDT15@aol.com

Jim Fouchard · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2003 11:29 am

The DVD version of the "Back to the Future" trilogy has a nice extra featuring the special effects shot of the engine's plunge into the ravine with a studio-built model. There's a good close-up shot of the model version of Sierra #3 prior to filming. Incidentally, I'd like to cast my vote to include Virginis and Truckee #22 "Inyo" as one of the most filmed locomotives. She was the first sold to a studio by the V&T and continued to perform before the camera up through 1965's shooting of the TV show "The Wild Wild West" (which also featured Sierra #3).

All Aboard The Wanderer!
JMFouchard@aol.com

Alan Walker · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2003 12:45 pm

If there were any plans concerning the locomotive at Old Tucson, they've either been put on indefinate hold or scuttled for now. I was in Tucson a couple of weeks ago visiting my parents and the most recent news involving Old Tucson wasn't sounding good at all. It seems that the present operator has not been paying rent to the county for some significant amount of time and refuses to pay. Pima County, Arizona actually owns the entire property (including the locomotive I believe) and leases it to for profit operators who handle the site management and day to day operations. Presently, the attorney for the county is preparing to haul the operators of Old Tucson in to court to get the rent payments that are due. Right now it looks like this dispute may turn ugly before its all said and done. At least the locomotive's in a dry, arid climate which is protecting her for now.

Taylor Rush · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2003 4:17 pm

Why would you say she was the big star in Wild Wild West? All the 11 did was sit there and get a fire-ball shot at her and have the cab blown off. I would say the "star" of that move would be the William Mason who played the Wanderer. Maybe I missed something in the film, but it didn't seem to me that the Reno had a big part. Course I'm not disputing that she's a classic movie engine and has had many major roles.

Thanks, Taylor

thrush@smt-net.com

Olaf The Red · **Posted:** Sun Mar 23, 2003 7:43 pm

> Why would you say she was the big star in
> Wild Wild West? All the 11 did was sit there
> and get a fire-ball shot at her and have the
> cab blown off. I would say the
> "star" of that move would be the
> William Mason who played the Wanderer. Maybe
> I missed something in the film, but it
> didn't seem to me that the Reno had a big
> part. Course I'm not disputing that she's a
> classic movie engine and has had many major
> roles.

> Thanks, Taylor
Oh I know the wanderer was in most of the movie but the only true star is the Reno which is the only reason why I watched the movie I could care less if number 25 not the Mason which was the name given to her in the 30's by the B & O has no ties with the west the Reno does and number 25 does not belong in a western.

On another note another great western engine is one we all know and love E&P number 4 The Eureka, which I have seen in many westerns just as I saw the reno but what I was trying to say earlier # 3 which was in the Back to the Future was back dated like typical movie engine just like the 25 . But not like the Eureka and the Reno.

BEDT15@aol.com

George Alberti · **Posted:** Mon Mar 24, 2003 7:53 am

> The DVD version of the "Back to the
> Future" trilogy has a nice extra
> featuring the special effects shot of the
> engine's plunge into the ravine with a
> studio-built model. There's a good close-up
> shot of the model version of Sierra #3 prior
> to filming. Incidentally, I'd like to cast
> my vote to include Virginis and Truckee #22
> "Inyo" as one of the most filmed
> locomotives. She was the first sold to a
> studio by the V&T and continued to
> perform before the camera up through 1965's
> shooting of the TV show "The Wild Wild
> West" (which also featured Sierra #3).
At Universal theme park in Florida; back 6 or 7 years ago there was a engine there on display that was the engine from the movie. I am guessing that this was the original but not sure.

galberti990@attbi.com

Jim Fouchard · **Posted:** Mon Mar 24, 2003 12:40 pm

I saw the display also. The loco was a full-scale prop depicting Sierra #3's conversion into a time-travel machine at the end of the picture. Combined with Industrial Light and Magic's film FX it rose up off the tracks and flew off to another time...

JMFouchard@aol.com

Tom Cox · **Posted:** Mon Mar 24, 2003 7:22 pm

Don't forget the other engine that destroys the Delorean at the end of Back to the Future Part 3 when Marty returns to 1985.

tcox@parknet.pmh.org

Ted Miles · **Posted:** Tue Mar 25, 2003 2:34 pm

At the Jamestown 1897 Park they have something that I have never seen anywhere else; a building full of railroad parts: smokestacks, side rods, tender parts, cabs, wheels etc. Also station signs and other building props. All of it made of wood and used in the various TV and Movie shots that have been made on he Sierra Railroad.

That #3 is indeed a well photographed historic steam engine!

ted_miles@nps.gov