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The Petticoat Junction train is still rollin' down the tracks
You may not know it, but the ''little train'' in Petticoat Junction has had quite the career in Hollywood.
''Come ride the little train that is rollin' down the tracks to the junction.''
In a way, you can! The ever-popular ''Hooterville Cannonball'' that transported the cast on Petticoat Junction to and from the ''Shady Rest Hotel'' on the forgotten spur of track off the mainline, which was part of the '''C. & F.W. Railroad,'' is still riding the rails today!
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown, California located about 130 miles east of San Francisco, operates the very same train used in the show on various excursion tours.
The Sierra No. 3 steam locomotive, a 4-6-0 (wheel alignment format) ten-wheeler was built in 1891. After sitting dormant for much of the Great Depression, the Sierra No. 3 locomotive got Hollywood's attention.
In Petticoat Junction the actual Sierra No. 3 locomotive can be seen in the opening and closing credits, quite literally, rolling down the tracks. A full-scale replica train was constructed for still shots in the show, also making appearances on The Wild Wild West and the 1950 movie A Ticket to Tomahawk. The replica is last known to be on display at Santa Rita Park in Durango, Colorado.
The 1963 sitcom was just one of many screen appearances the train dubbed the ''movie star'' has appeared in.
According to ca.gov, the Sierra No. 3 appeared in ''over 100 movies and TV shows. Hollywood producers discovered Tuolumne County and Sierra No. 3, filming this steam locomotive along the scenic Sierra Railroad to satisfy America's love affair with Westerns.''
Thus, it's no surprise the Sierra No. 3 appeared in shows such as Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and Death Valley Days.
The ''movie star'' spent plenty of time on the silver screen too, catching producers' eyes in the 1929 film The Virginian, which was the ''first sound movie filmed outside of a Hollywood sound stage,'' according to ca.gov.
It would go on to be seen in High Noon, Back to the Future III and Unforgiven, just to name a few.
In the mid 2000s, a restoration was needed to keep the over 100-year-old engine operational. That's where Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood comes in.
Working with the ''movie star'' locomotive on Rawhide and his 1992 movie Unforgiven, Eastwood was a big advocate for restoring the classic engine, and was involved in the fundraising process.
According to the Online Archive of California, the Sierra No. 3 was certified as restored, and was ''officially returned to service July, 2 2010 at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park.''
Railtown 1897's website has Eastwood quoted as saying, ''Having this locomotive in operation will give filmmakers another reason to stay in California, as demonstrated by the hundreds of productions Sierra No. 3 has appeared in over the years.''
It stayed on track in Hollywood much longer than plenty of actors throughout the years, and has one of the longest careers Southern California has ever seen.
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park tells MeTV that the No. 3 has been out of service for the last several months to receive maintence, but will return to the rails in the future.
Every Hollywood star has to keep up on their looks and wellbeing, and the Sierra No. 3 engine is no exception!
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105 Comments
Lollypop as sung by Shirley Temple in the 1934 movie called BRIGHT EYES.
Of Petticoat Junction and I saw
The Last Appearance of Homer Bedloe where he becomes a nice
guy at the end of the episode.
Granny (Irene Ryan) of The Beverly hillbillies sent a cake to Hooterville
And Homer Bedloe got drunk when
he ate Granny's cake
The last scene is where the cake exploded in Homer Bedloe s face.
And Homer Bedloe canceled all of
his plans to get rid of The Cannonball.
And Charlie Pratt after Bea Benadaret passed away in 1968 and
Smiley Passed away in 1967?
Also on season one only there were
Two Characters:
Herbie BATES played by Don Washbrook and Junior HOCKER played by Russ Horton.
Was there ever an explanation on the disappearances of Herbie BATES
And Junior HOCKER?
Newt Kiley (Kay Kuter) vanished from BOTH Green Acres and Petticoat Junction at the same time.
Where 3 animated persons are
marching playing drums?
From Adam West (Batman)
And this Hooterville Hop episode has The Last Appearance of Junior HOCKER played by Russ Horton
Herbie BATES played by Don
Washbrook and Junior HOCKER
Russ Horton were seen on
Petticoat Junction for season
One ONLY.
Dance and do is Do The Fonzie.
Hooterville really Swings with
The Hooterville Hop!!
Also, can someone explain the 4-6-0 wheel alignment format? Does that mean 4 small wheels upfront and 6 big ones in the back with no extra wheels after that?
A trivia point for you. When you watch the show, you can tell the REAL train from the model (both large AND small) BY the drive wheels. There is a GAP between the 2nd and 3rd drive wheels on the real train, putting the last set of wheels under the BACK of the cab, while the models have all three sets of wheels next to each other, putting the last set of wheels at the FRONT of the cab.
Sitcom in TV History!!!!!
HOOTERVILLE FOREVER!
PS I enjoyed watching Hooterville Residents dancing
To The HOOTERVILLE HOP
Dance on Season one of
Petticoat Junction.
The Virginian? Did his character
Actually have a name besides
The Virginian?
My MeTV Affiliate goes local at that time, so I don't get PJ. I wish MeTV would move PJ to a time that the affiliates don't go to local programming or infomercials.