THE TV TRAINS
For the original 1960s television series "The Wild Wild West", CBS Studios used the Virginia and Truckee locomotive No. 22 "Inyo" (a 4-4-0) and V&T cars owned at the time by Paramount Studios. Express Car No. 21 served as Lab Car and Coach No. 4 portrayed the Varnish Car. They are now on display at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, Nevada. Stars Robert Conrad and Ross Martin appeared with the train on location in the episode "Night of the Double-Edged Knife", shot on Sante Fe's San Jacinto branch near Menifee, California. Filming took place between June and August of 1965.Various scenes were filmed with the crew off-loading West's and Gordon's horses from the stable car- and it is the only episode that featured Orrin Cobb, the engineer of "Wanderer".The engine was numbered "8" to make it easier to use reverse shots as stock footage in future episodes of the series- a trick that has been used more than once as "movie magic". The train was also shot with special filters on the camera lenses to simulate night for various scenes to be used in later episodes.
Robert Conrad as James West and No. 22 "Inyo" as No. 8 "Wanderer" (Left)
Jim on the rear platform of "Wanderer"& Tennyson w/ Artie’s Horse (Right)
The pilot episode "The Night of the Inferno" featured shots of Sierra Railroad No. 3 (a 4-6-0) and was filmed in Jamestown, California with Combine Car No.5 and Coach No. 2. This train also bore the name "Wanderer" for the filming in December of 1964. Interestingly, there are more than a few episodes where stock footage of BOTH trains was edited in, sometimes in consecutive shots!
No. 3 was also an old veteran of many films and TV shows. In the 1960s, it was also being featured on the TV shows "Petticoat Junction", "Iron Horse", "Cimmaron Strip", "The Big Valley" and "Gunsmoke" at the same time it appeared on "The Wild Wild West"!
Old meets new on the Union Pacific-
V&T No. 22 and West's Private Train loaded on flat cars en route to location filming at Menifee, California
The interiors of the cars were created at CBS Studio City on a soundstage, and were designed by Art Director Albert Heschong, with Set Decoration by Raymond Molyneaux. The studio interior set, which included a parlor, galley, gun room/laboratory and bedroom reportedly cost $35,000.00 to build (in 1965). Secret gadgets included a swiveling billiard table that featured billiard balls that emitted gas and exploded, decorative mounted pistols that could aim and fire via hidden foot pedals, a gun rack that slid down from the ceiling behind the carrier pigeon coops (the eggs were really bombs), and a 75-mm. cannon that was hidden aboard the train (never seen in the show).
Rear Platform of "Wanderer"
Galley (Kitchen) Set
Lab Room with Pigeon Coops, Gun Rack and Sliding Wardrobe
Parlor of the "Wanderer"
INTERIOR SETS FOR THE "WANDERER" AT CBS STUDIO CITY
“Inyo” as Engine #8 pulling the “Wanderer” on location at Menifee, California
COLOR SEASON INTERIOR SETS
Re-designed Parlor of the "Wanderer"
For the opening of the show's second season in 1966, the interior was redesigned to include a larger parlor area with double gold velvet settees, a desk with a set of trick books that concealed the telegraph set, and a large fireplace that provided a quick escape hatch for West and Gordon. The sideboard cabinets also concealed a gunrack, map of the United States, along with a statue that flipped around to reveal a loaded pistol. The interior finishes were changed from a deep mahogany wood color with gold-tone inlays and trims to a lighter blonde-toned woodwork with embossed wallpaper panels, accented with gilt trims. The bedroom was never shown on the series, although corridor shots of the interior set show a series of doors, one which probably led into the stateroom(s). An interior set of the Lab/Stable Car was also built and appeared in various episodes throughout the series, sometimes with horse stalls and others decorated as Artemus' Lab and Wardrobe Room.
"Wanderer' with West and Gordon aboard racing off to another mission!
THE TV MOVIES TRAIN
For the TV Movies "Wild Wild West Revisited" and "More Wild Wild West". Exterior filming of the train was shot at Old Tucson, Arizona using ex-Virginia and Truckee locomotive No. 11 "Reno" with V&T Baggage Car No. 1 and an ex-Central Pacific Coach.
Sierra RR #3 (left) and w/ Combine #5 and Coach #2 as the “Wanderer” (right)
Interrior of Lab/Stable Car (left) & Lab/Gun Room in Varnish Car (right)
Secret Fireplace Escape (left) & Hidden Gun Rack in Sideboard (right)
Lily in the Galley (left) & in Varnish Car Corridor (right)
VARNISH CAR SET USED
IN OTHER TV SHOWS
The interior sets built of the Varnish Car and the Lab/Stable Car were also used in a number of other TV shows in the 1960-1970s. These include “Gunsmoke” (“Death Train”), “The BigValley” (“Last Train To The Fair”), “Get Smart”, and “Barbary Coast”.
Scenes from “Barbary Coast” (1975), starring William Shatner. Many consider this show a direct steal from “The Wild Wild West”, and in this episode it physically maifests itself in the use of West and Gordon’s private car!
Scenes from “Last Train to the Fair” episode of “The Big Valley”. Extensive footage through the entire episode, which takes place in the first season set of the Varnish Car, showing what the interior looked like in color.
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Scene from an episode of “Get Smart” using the Varnish Car. Set Decorator redressed the overmantle decor but failed to cover up “JTW” West monogram over door!
Scene from an the “Gunsmoke” episode “The Bullet” (1971) using the Lab/Stable Car Set. Heavily redressed as a baggage car.
