the train used in back to the future 3

[M636C]

Guys,

For those interested, Rogers delivered their locomotive No 4493 to the Prescott and Arizona Central in March 1891. It is shown as being numbered "W. H. Kelly #3", had 17"x24" cylinders and 54" drive wheels.

Peter

[Markgro]

Being a fan of the BTTF Trilogy, I've done extensive research on the trains used in BTTF III, including how and where the scenes were filmed.

The steam locomotive used for the 1885 scenes, has become a "movie star" over the decades through appearances in several movies and TV shows. It is ex-Prescott & Arizona Central Railroad Locomotive No. 3--originally built in 1891 by Rogers Locomotive Works of Patterson, New Jersey (renumbered No. 131 for BTTF III). The 4-6-0 locomotive was originally designed to run on coal, but was converted to an oil-burner in the early 1900s after being relocated to the Sierra Railway (and apparently in BTTF II, it appears to be disguised as a wood-burner) .

The locomotive is on display at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown, California. It is currently being restored, and has thus been disassembled for the time being. Among other equipment on display are the wooden passenger cars and caboose seen in BTTF III, as well (they were lettered for Central Pacific in the movie).

The climactic 1885 railroad sequence in BTTF III was filmed on the Sierra Railway, in the vicinity of Jamestown and Sonora, in northern California. In addition to using the full-sized steam locomotive, tender, and DeLorean for close-up and wide-angle shots, the filmmakers also used 1/4 scale models of the locomotive, tender, DeLorean, and unfinished trestle for other shots. Also interesting to note on the full-sized equipment, filmmakers feared running the steam locomotive forward could derail the DeLorean (and Michael J. Fox inside of it). To aleiviate that risk, they secured the DeLorean to the front of the locomotive, and then filmed the train running in reverse--thus the train was actually pulling the car. When all of this footage was put together for the movie, the footage of the train running in reverse was reversed to make it appear as if it was actually moving forward, pushing the DeLorean.

Jumping ahead to the 1985 scene...

The only shot using scale models in the 1985 scene is at the very beginning--the overhead view of the completed bridge (rather extravagant too, woth towers and suspension cables!), as the DeLorean bursts into 1985 (which is being pulled across with a wire). Everything in that scene after that shot was filmed on-location and in full-size.

The tracks belong to the Ventura County Railway Company, a 10-mile shortline running between Oxnard, and Port Hueneme, California (in metro Los Angeles). It is actually just a couple blocks away from the coast, where the tracks terminate at a large port facility. DeLorean rolls thorugh the railroad crossing on Ventura Road in Port Hueneme (the "Eastwood Ravine Bridge" in the background is just a false facade).

The diesel locomotives that plow into the DeLorean a few moments later, actually do belong to the Ventura County Railway (and were painted/lettered for it in the movie). They appear to be Alco S-6's. Two of them were used: Locomotive #9 was the lead engine and Locomotive #11 was coupled behind, followed by a short string of boxcars.

Also of note, the filmmakers used a beat-up DeLorean that was no longer in running condition, gutted it, decorated it with "time machine" parts, and cut the frame and body in stragegic places so when the train would hit, they would get the desired effect of the car quite literally bursting at the seams (had they not done that, the locomotive would have simply pushed the car down the tracks a ways). They also used a little bit of explosives planted beneath the car to help put the car in pieces.

The "field" in the screencap posted earlier in the thread is just beyond the crossing at Ventura Road--the crossing we see the DeLorean roll through (so it would be right "behind" the camera in that photo. So the field and the crossing are all in the same place, you're just looking at it from different angles. No visual/editing trickery there.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainheartedguy

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

[CBQ_Guy]

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]

[Train Guy 3]

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.

[Anonymous]

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]

[M636C]

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.

Peter

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.

[trainfan1221]

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.

[tree68]

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.

[Anonymous]

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