In 1972, Sam Peckinpah released “Junior Bonner,” a warm and gentle story about a slightly over the hill rodeo cowboy. After failing to ride the bull, Sunshine, Junior “JR” Bonner returns to his hometown of of Prescott, Arizona. He finds his brother bulldozing the family home to construct ranch style homes and his parents are estranged. This is a very gentle movie, unlike most other Steve McQueen movies. The movie was a flop at the box office though, mainly because of poor advertising. Producers were making promises that this was another tradition McQueen action movie, when not a single shot was fired in the entire movie. I have not seen the movie, but from what I hear, its a quite a movie, the kind that makes you think.
Lets get on to the Train Station Scene. The scene was filmed at the Prescott, Arizona Santa Fe Railway station. The station was built in 1907 by the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railroad, and in 1911, the line became part of the Santa Fe Railway. The station stood at the end of a branch line, that was built to serve mines in the area. Today, the station still stands, but the railroad to the station has been abandoned and rails torn up. As of last mention, the station now houses a Pizzaria. If anyone can confirm this, please send me a message!
A set of light engines move past the scene...
The first locomotive that passes by the camera is Santa Fe Railway GP35 #3358. She was built by the Electro Motive Division of General Motors in La Grange, Illinois in May of 1965. She carries Serial #30072 and Frame #7786-9. However, she was not built as ATSF 3358. She got the number in a 1970 locomotive renumbering. She was originally built as ATSF #1358. She spent her entire career on the Santa Fe. In August 1982, the locomotive was completely rebuilt and renumbered again, this time to Santa Fe #2858. During her Santa Fe days, she wore 3 paint schemes, the original dark blue that is seen in the movies, the yellow bonnet and the Kodachrome Scheme that she acquired in 1985, in anticipation for the reject Southern Pacific-Santa Fe (SPSF) merger. In 1995, the Santa Fe railway, as historic as it may be was merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad, to create the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Co. After the merger, she gained her current road number, BNSF 2558. She is still employed by the BNSF, and nearing 50 years old, the locomotive continues to perform local switching for the giant BNSF railway.
Here’s a Photo of 3358 as ATSF 2858 in the Kodachrome Scheme: http://www.trainpix.com/atsf/EMDORIG/GP35/2858B.HTM
Here’s a photo of the 3358 as she looks today: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=805360
I was unable to locate photos of this locomotive wearing the numbers 1358 and 3358.
ATSF 3456 is the 2nd unit to pass the camera
The 2nd locomotive seen in the shot is Santa Fe GP35 #3456, Also built by EMD in La Grange, Il. The locomotive was built in November 1965, with Serial #30931 and Frame #7829-7. Built as ATSF 1456, the locomotive was also renumbered, like the 3358 in the 1970’s Locomotive renumbering project. She was assigned to 3456. She carried this number until 1983, when she was rebuilt in the railroads GP35 rebuild program. She came out of the shop with the road number 2956. 2956 roamed the system until 1995, when the Santa Fe was merged in to the Burlington Northern to form the BNSF. When she was eventually renumbered, the locomotive was assigned to BNSF #2650. Like the 3358, the locomotive is still in current, everyday service on the giant BNSF system. However, in 2011, the locomotive was rebuilt again, by BNSF, and upgraded to GP39-3 specifications, and today, is wearing the official paint scheme of the BNSF Railway. She is currently performing yard switching and local train duties to keep the railroad going.
Here’s a photo of ATSF 3456 as she appeared in the Movie: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=374163
Here’s a photo of 3456 after being renumbered to 2956: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=68422
Here’s a photo of 3456 as she currently looks on the BNSF railway. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1700143
This movie was requested by Len Torny.
I hope you enjoyed the latest of The CineTrains Project. If you have any requests, let me know! You can find out how to submit an idea to me by looking at the “Submitting Ideas” section!
Please note, one of my biggest sources of information, Wikipedia, will be Blacked out tomorrow, 1-18-2012 to protest the SOPA Bill (abill I am also against) so there will be no blog posts posted for 1-18-11.
Happy Railfanning!
The CineTrains Project - Trains in the Cinema and TV 