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the train used in back to the future 3

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the train used in back to the future 3
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 10:48 PM
Those who have seen this movie know that the time-traveling DeLorean car was mounted on rail wheels and pushed to 88 MPH by a steam engine. Apparently the engine, Sierra Railroad No. 3, was built by the Rogers Works in 1891 (though the film took place in 1885), and has been at the Sierra Railroad in northern California for some time. It and that tourist line, have been used in several Western movies and TV shows over the years, including Petticoat Junction in the '60s. But before it became a movie star engine, what railroad was that engine used for? When was it retired?
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Posted by Train Guy 3 on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 8:25 PM
Well as big as a BTTF fan I am i unfortunalty don't have any information on the engine's prior use. But while were on the subject of BTTF, did anyone notice there was no device used to keep the front wheels from turning left-to-right. The DeLorean would have went off the rails.

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, March 11, 2004 7:21 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Train Guy 3

Well as big as a BTTF fan I am i unfortunalty don't have any information on the engine's prior use. But while were on the subject of BTTF, did anyone notice there was no device used to keep the front wheels from turning left-to-right. The DeLorean would have went off the rails.

SSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! You weren't supposed to notice![8D]

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 11, 2004 7:39 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Train Guy 3

Well as big as a BTTF fan I am i unfortunalty don't have any information on the engine's prior use. But while were on the subject of BTTF, did anyone notice there was no device used to keep the front wheels from turning left-to-right. The DeLorean would have went off the rails.


Well, auto rims would be a dual flange, and I guess they decided that would be enough to hold it on the rails. It might work.

And why would the stack explode? wouldn't the boiler be first?

Remember: Hollywood
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Posted by CBQ_Guy on Thursday, March 11, 2004 12:28 PM
I also noticed that standard couplers were used. The year was supposed to be 1885, IIRC. I thought I remember reading that standard couplers came into use in 1889, prior to that it was link and pin.
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 11, 2004 12:44 PM
huh, I never thought of that
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Posted by wcfan4ever on Friday, March 12, 2004 10:26 AM
What about the diesels that slammed into the DeLorean? What railroad line was used and what company's locos were used?

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 12, 2004 1:52 PM
Last time I saw it I know I recognised the diesels, I don't remember though. I think it may have been lease units.
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Posted by adrianspeeder on Friday, March 12, 2004 2:55 PM
I don't know what the switchers were, but they had a million lights on the front.

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Posted by dave9999 on Friday, March 12, 2004 11:15 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by wcfan4ever

What about the diesels that slammed into the DeLorean? What railroad line was used and what company's locos were used?


If a train slammed into a car on the tracks, wouldn't the train stop??? In the movie
the train just goes on about it's business as if nothing happened. And this is after it
has demolished a DeLorean. Dave
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 13, 2004 6:04 AM
I've been subscribing to a Back to the Future messageboard as well, and apparently the place where the DeLorean was smashed by a diesel freight train was on a branch of the former SP in Oxnard, Ca. I know I haven't seen that livery before, at least not in this area: yellow with a blue lengthwise stripe. Maybe they just painted them that way for the movie so no real railroad would get bad publicity, not stopping after smashing into a car on the tracks and all.
In the movie the steam train was on the old Central Pacific. What year did that become part of the UP?
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 13, 2004 11:18 AM
i'll have to fie up the dvd when i get back home and see what the lettering on the side of the switchers is. i know if you play itstep by step you can see some lettering.
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 13, 2004 3:46 PM
the name on the sides of the switchers is Valley Central Railway. they are ex Southern Pacific locomotives of some type, but i cant tell which kind.


maybe Alco or FM

here is a picture (if it works)
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 13, 2004 4:23 PM
Would the roadbed be commonly sand like that?
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Posted by jeaton on Sunday, March 14, 2004 12:01 AM
Actually, I thought the train not stopping after the car was smashed up was pretty reasonable. Can you imagine how much time would have been spent while the police investigated? The crew would go on hogs, the freight wouldn't get delivered, cost to the railroads in the $ Thousands... Hey, it's just a extension of the fantasy!

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Posted by kenneo on Sunday, March 14, 2004 12:15 AM
The units look like ex-SP Alco S-1's and the Holloywood Everywhere would do that to make it look like dirt. Figures that Hollywood would use switch engines for a road freight.

I think Sierra 1 came directly to the Sierra, but am not sure. At any rate, they sure have had it a long time because I think it made Black and White movies.
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 14, 2004 4:07 AM
Maybe there's a freight yard nearby (in the movie universe, not the real one; in real life apparently those tracks serve a nearby military base).
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 14, 2004 3:49 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by andyjay

I've been subscribing to a Back to the Future messageboard as well, and apparently the place where the DeLorean was smashed by a diesel freight train was on a branch of the former SP in Oxnard, Ca. I know I haven't seen that livery before, at least not in this area: yellow with a blue lengthwise stripe. Maybe they just painted them that way for the movie so no real railroad would get bad publicity, not stopping after smashing into a car on the tracks and all.
In the movie the steam train was on the old Central Pacific. What year did that become part of the UP?
either late 1800's or early1900's[8D]
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 14, 2004 3:51 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by NightCrawler

the name on the sides of the switchers is Valley Central Railway. they are ex Southern Pacific locomotives of some type, but i cant tell which kind.


maybe Alco or FM

here is a picture (if it works)

i thought they were next to a RRxing in the movie this shows a field whats the deal is this the same train or another one
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 14, 2004 3:57 PM
a little while after that movie was made they talked about it on tv the loco going off the cliff was a model they said its easyier to replace than a real steam loco
you would think they were rite


but on the Tv show MONK they showed a F7 A-B-B-A set of western pacific
loco's pullin a WP passenger train also some thing wierd was the swith on the mainline was unlocked[8D]
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 14, 2004 4:00 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by andyjay

Those who have seen this movie know that the time-traveling DeLorean car was mounted on rail wheels and pushed to 88 MPH by a steam engine. Apparently the engine, Sierra Railroad No. 3, was built by the Rogers Works in 1891 (though the film took place in 1885), and has been at the Sierra Railroad in northern California for some time. It and that tourist line, have been used in several Western movies and TV shows over the years, including Petticoat Junction in the '60s. But before it became a movie star engine, what railroad was that engine used for? When was it retired?
the RR in Petticoat Jct was C&NW according to uncle joe who was movin kinda slow[8D]




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land spreadin out so far and wide keep manhatten just give me that country side[:p][:p]
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 14, 2004 8:12 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by SLIC


here is a picture (if it works)

i thought they were next to a RRxing in the movie this shows a field whats the deal is this the same train or another one

There is the field & then the crossing. the camera is probably right at the crossing for this shot
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Posted by tree68 on Sunday, March 14, 2004 8:22 PM
Uncle Joe may have said it was the CNW, but it was the Sierra.

The little known movie "Chattanooga Choo Choo (it had Joe Namath in it, among others) was supposedly set in the east, but had definite shots of the Sierra and the CA RR museum.

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Posted by trainfan1221 on Sunday, March 14, 2004 9:06 PM
Okay, the car was smashed in front of people, who were at the grade crossing. But none of them noticed! Plus nobody cleaned up! This always amused me.
The steam loco that appeared at the end is at a park in Florida. I know this because I saw a picture of it in a relative`s photo album. It was labeled Locomotive of the future, obviously they didn``t realize what it really was.
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 14, 2004 9:32 PM
Locos not Alco S-1 units...radiators in wrong location. S-1 had radiators on the sides of the unit, rather than the front. Odd headlites do seem like pure SP, though.
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 14, 2004 11:40 PM
I belive the loco is a ventura county railroad swicher. I used to live by the VCRY tracks and I've seen that loco painted in more colors than I could ever count. I belive they promote the use of there railroad to the filming industry to this day.
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Posted by M636C on Monday, March 15, 2004 7:31 PM
Guys,

The diesel locomotives are definitely Alco and definitely ex Southern Pacific, possibly model S-5.

While on the subject of Alco, I checked my Rogers builder's list for 1891, but didn't find any locomotives built new for the Sierra Railroad.

Are we sure of the builder and date? I always thought Sierra 3 looked a lot like the old Clinchfield No 1, which I thought was a Baldwin.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 15, 2004 7:52 PM
The Alcos in BTTF 3 are ex-SP S6's, at the time owned by the Ventura County RR. The VC has been used in a lot of T.V. productions like "CHIPS" and "The Dukes of Hazzard."

Sierra No. 3 was brought to Ca. in 1897, after being brought up from the Prescott and Arizona Central, which was built by the Sierra's builder, Thomas Bullock. He purchased the 3 and two sister engines used for the P & AC in 1887. Got these facts from the TRAINS December '97 issue. HTH[8D]
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Posted by Train Guy 3 on Monday, March 15, 2004 8:19 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by trainheartedguy

QUOTE: Originally posted by Train Guy 3

Well as big as a BTTF fan I am i unfortunalty don't have any information on the engine's prior use. But while were on the subject of BTTF, did anyone notice there was no device used to keep the front wheels from turning left-to-right. The DeLorean would have went off the rails.


Well, auto rims would be a dual flange, and I guess they decided that would be enough to hold it on the rails. It might work.

And why would the stack explode? wouldn't the boiler be first?

Remember: Hollywood



Actually they replaced the auto rims with rail wheels.

Boiler explode? Stack explode? Hollywood cant get anything right. Once the bolts started blowing off the boiler I thought it would have all blown apart, lost steam or something.

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Posted by CBQ_Guy on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 1:36 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by dave9999

QUOTE: Originally posted by wcfan4ever

What about the diesels that slammed into the DeLorean? What railroad line was used and what company's locos were used?


If a train slammed into a car on the tracks, wouldn't the train stop??? In the movie
the train just goes on about it's business as if nothing happened. And this is after it
has demolished a DeLorean. Dave


That's showbiz!
[8D]
"Paul [Kossart] - The CB&Q Guy" [In Illinois] ~ Modeling the CB&Q and its fictional 'Illiniwek River-Subdivision-Branch Line' in the 1960's. ~

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