August 12, 2018 - JAMESTOWN, Calif. – California State Parks, the California State Railroad Museum Foundation and Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown are excited to present entertaining and new “Robbery on the Rails” theatrical steam train excursion ride experiences over the extended Labor Day Weekend, September 1-3, 2018. Designed using some Hollywood-style creative license to add to the fun, four 45-minute family-friendly excursion train rides will be offered each day at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., and will be appropriately pulled by the famous Sierra No. 3® “Movie Star Locomotive.” Throughout the weekend, entertainment will be provided by Sierra Nevada Guns for Hire, Congressional Gunfighters of America and Old West Legends.

Tapping into the Wild West portrayed by the film industry, “Robbery on the Rails” train ride guests will be transported to a time when train robberies were the talk of the town, gritty outlaws were on the run from the law, and the local marshals managed to apprehend the villains and restore order. Although many of the tales of the Wild West live in the imaginations of filmmakers and storytellers, some were rooted in fact. Outlaws were indeed part of the make-up of the west, and trains were known to have been robbed on the railroad.

Thanks to the film industry’s enduring fascination with trains, entertaining stories of heroes and villains are intertwined with the rich history of Railtown 1897. In fact, Sierra No. 3® has starred in more than 100 movies and television productions. The famous locomotive appeared in The Virginian with Gary Cooper in 1929, the very first sound movie filmed outside of a Hollywood sound stage. The locomotive then starred in The Texan, but as the Depression began, Sierra No. 3® was sidelined while the Sierra Railway went through bankruptcy and reorganization. The prized locomotive later appeared in more than 30 movies, including High Noon, The Great Race, Bound for Glory, Back to the Future III and Unforgiven. As television grew in popularity, Sierra No. 3® entered living rooms everywhere in commercials and as a TV star (Lone Ranger, Tales of Wells Fargo, Petticoat Junction, Rawhide, Death Valley Days, Lassie, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Wild, Wild West, and Little House on the Prairie), and many others.

Given America’s lasting love affair with westerns and the Wild West, these limited-time train ride experiences are expected to sell out quickly. All “Robbery on the Rails” train ride tickets include Park admission and cost $20 for adults, $14 for youth ages 6-17 and are free for children five and under. For advance tickets or more information about “Robbery on the Rails” at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, please visit www.railtown1897.org.
Source: Railtown 1897, Image Credit: L Hogue