THE GREAT LOCOMOTIVE CHASE

    Both the Movie and Television "Wanderer"s starred in the classic 1956 Walt Disney Civil War movie "The Great Locomotive Chase". The Disney Studios arranged to rent the ex-Virginia and Truckee No. 22 "Inyo" from Paramount Studios as well as Baltimore and Ohio No. 25 "William Mason" from the B&O Railroad Museum. The locomotive "Lafayette", portraying the "Yonah", and additional freight and passenger cars from the B&O were also used in the filming. Disney also built five box cars especially for the production.

    The film portrayed the true to life adventure involving the raid by undercover Union Army soldiers, led by Federal spy James J. Andrews (portrayed by Fess Parker), crossing behind enemy lines into Georgia and capturing the locomotive "General". Their goal was to travel north along the Western and Atlantic Railroad, tearing up track and burning bridges as they went, eventually meeting up with Union Army General Mitchell and his troops in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Their mission was foiled due to the incredible determination of young Western & Atlantic conductor William A. Fuller who, along with Foreman of Engines Anthony Murphy, pursued the stolen "General" by foot, push car, and locomotives until its recapture north of Resaca, Georgia after a chase of over a hundred miles. In the film the "William Mason" portrayed the stolen locomotive "General" and the "Inyo" represented the "Texas", which was the final locomotive used in the pursuit of the "engine thieves", as they were called. Although both the real "General" and "Texas" still exist, neither was in operating condition at the time the film was shot. Today the "General" may be seen at the Big Shanty Museum in Kennesaw, Georgia and the "Texas" at the Cyclorama Building in Atlanta, Georgia.

    Much of the filming was shot on location in Clayton, Georgia along the Tallulah Falls Railroad. Both engines logged in over a thousand miles of running, often at high speeds (for Civil War times). The "Texas" pursued the "General" in reverse for the entire chase, a dangerous feat in those days without the use of air brakes, as well as the fact that the 4-4-0 "American" class locomotives of the day had no trailing truck wheels to help guide them around curves and through switch points. Actor Jeffery Hunter, as conductor Fuller, did many of his own stunts; hopping on and off the moving train. One scene had him executing a "flying switch": uncoupling and switching a string of freight cars from a moving train.

    During the course of filming the intense action scenes, such as when the "Texas" goes into reverse with wheels spinning, the "Inyo" suffered a crack in one of the spokes of its large driving wheels.

    The film features some of the best live action railroad shots ever. It is currently available on DVD, also on VHS if you can find a used one for sale.

"Inyo" (TV "Wanderer") as the "Texas" (left photo)

"William Mason" (Movie "Wanderer") as the "General" (right photo)

"Texas" pursuing in reverse (left photo) "General" at the bridge with burning box car (right photo)

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