My name is Thomie
and I'm visiting the 'Back to the Future' filming locations.
Part XI: Hill Valley 1885 and the Steam Engine
Our time travel to the Wild West went almost according to plan.
We've arrived in the year 1897.
Only 12 years off for the Wild West from BTTF III.
But this is exactly where - or when - we want to be.
Here at Rail Town 1897 State Historic Park, we visit the old steam engine.
Don't let the number 3 fool you.
In the film, the locomotive was dressed up.
Like all the actors.
And this engine is a true actor.
It starred in almost 100 movies and TV series since 1920.
They say it's 'the most photographed locomotive in the world.'
Here's its tender.
Guide: ... The director said cut and they'd stop filming, put this stack on, and started filming again.
And you thought it blew up, it's your imagination.
Tourist: Oh for crying out loud!
Other tourists: Hahaha!
(Thomie again:) The guide just explained
how they often used a fake smoke stack while filming.
Some of them are here.
Also some cow catchers, also used in films.
On the wall, all appearances of the engine are listed.
These smoke stacks were used in BTTF III.
The left one had a pipe for the colored smoke.
The right one was used after the explosion.
It's funny how these two pieces of movie history just stand around in here.
And here's the red carriage
where Marty and Doc jumped onto the train.
They've installed this piece onto a flatbed wagon.
That's the actual thing Michael J Fox was on.
Let's have a closer look.
Beside the poster from BTTF III,
there's the headlight with the number 131
and the cow catcher used in the film.
So many photo opportunities!
There's also a panel and a piece of storyboard
that explain the carriage bit.
And a dedication plaque which had better days.
On this turntable, the engine and carriages
are put on the tracks that lead to the roundhouse.
The museum also consists of a station
and the old blacksmith's shop.
Everything here looks like it comes from the Old West.
Here are some more carriages and the station.
Hill Valley from 1885 was somewhere around here.
Unfortunately, no-one at the state historic park knew the exact location anymore.
There's nothing left from back then anyway.
The film crew left the movie set like it was when they left.
The young people liked to party there.
Then, everything burned down
when a bolt of lightning struck – the irony!
The leftovers were carried away by locals.
I've put a railroad crossing into the satnav to have a look at the tracks.
The area looks the part!
Especially when I swing the camera over here.
This really could be Hill Valley from back then.
In spite of all the research, I couldn't find the railroad junction
where Doc and Marty stopped the train
and kidnapped the engine.
We're stopping at the Visitor Center.
Maybe someone in there knows more.
Okay, the man behind the counter was very kind
and is proud of the filming they did around here.
But he had no clue either where the exact spot is.
We're running out of time anyway.
But he insisted that I take a photo with his movie poster.
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park
is located at 18115 5th Avenue in Jamestown.
About 5 hours away from Los Angeles.
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In it, I visit the railroad crossing.
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