MovieChat Forums > The Iron Horse (1925) Discussion > What locomotives were used in this film?

What locomotives were used in this film?


I know this film claims the original Promontory Point locomotives were used, but there is other info out there that would make this incorrect, that the Jupiter and the 119 were both scrapped prior to 1910. (I find it interesting that they use the #116 and not 119 in the film, so I am leaning toward the latter.)

Does anyone know what locomotives DID actually participate in this film, and are they still around?

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1. It's Promontory SUMMIT, not Promontory Point. This is a common mistake, occuring in a number of films.
2.The two locomotives at the Promontory ceremony barely made it into the 20th century. The UP 119 was scrapped in 1903, the CP Jupiter in 1910. Your information is correct.
3. No idea about which locomotives were actually used in the film, but the California State Railroad Museum has in it's collection a locomotive named the JW Bowker, which appeared in the CB DeMille film, "Union Pacific". The Bowker wasn't used to portray one of the locomotives at the ceremony, but was in the film, nonetheless. The Bowker was also used in both the Will Smith film, "Wild, Wild West" and in the TV miniseries, "Into the West". In both films the Bowker portrays the CP Jupiter. It has since been repainted in it's original colors. The JW Bowker has a rather rare configuration. Unlike the 119 and the Jupiter, both of which are 4-4-0 wheel configuration, the Bowker has a 2-4-0 wheel configuration.

Probably more than anyone wants to know, but I love this stuff.

"It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's living!!!"
Augustus McCrae

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Certainly not more than I want to know! I love the old steamers. I thought perhaps they might have used an old V&T 4-4-0 in the film, but I don't think V&T started selling off their locomotives to Hollywood until the 1930s. The "INYO" made appearances in many films for Paramount, and was also in "Union Pacific" with the JW Bowker. Funny, JW Bowker was in the film version...the INYO made appearances in the television version of "Wild Wild West". She did portray "Jupiter" at a ceremony held at the Golden Spike National Historic Site, as well as in a great television commercial for G.E.

It's too bad that many of these old locomotives were destroyed by Hollywood...I love finding the ones that are still with us.

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kkcowgirl,
Sorry for the tardy reply. I don't know if you ever make it to Sacramento, CA, but if you do, let me know before you arrive, and I would be pleased to usher you into the California State Railroad Museum as my guest. We have a fine collection of old steamers, as well as some nice vintage passenger cars and some diesel electrics, as well. I'd be pleased to have a fellow steam locomotive enthusiast be my guest. I'm a middle-aged married man, so I have no underhanded motives here. But if you are in town, please give me a holler.

"It ain't dying I'm talking about, it's LIVING!"
Captain Augustus McCrae

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