"The General" movie locomotive

RichardWilliam · **Joined:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:57 pm **Posts:** 58

In the 1927 movie, "The General'" with Buster Keaton, I doubt that that was the original/real General locomotive. Correct?

WVNorthern · **Posted:** Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:07 pm

No, the original locomotive could not be used, so another locomotive stood in for it. You might find this link interesting concerning the General film (lots of trivial facts). Hey, if it's on the internet it's gotta be true, right? http://www.angelfire.com/indie/busterkeaton/Trivia.html

RichardWilliam · **Joined:** Wed Jan 05, 2011 5:57 pm **Posts:** 58

Thanks for the info and the link. Lots of fascinating stuff there.

Charlie · **Posted:** Thu Jul 07, 2016 10:14 pm

For the record, Oregon Pacific & Eastern #4 (Cooke 1886) portrayed the "General" in the movie. The "Texas" was played by two locomotives, OP&E #5 (Baldwin 1881) and Willamina & Grand Ronde #2 (Baldwin 1892) which was bought for the wreck scene. However, it was found that the #2 was in better shape so it became the main "Texas" and the OP&E #5 got the wreck scene. Both the OP&E #4 and the W&GR #2 were sold the following year while the wrecked OP&E #5 remained in place as a local tourist attraction until it was cut up in 1941 for the war effort.

All of this info is from the 1983 book "Oregon Pacific & Eastern Railway" by Fred A. Stindt.

wesp · **Posted:** Thu Jul 07, 2016 10:33 pm

The American Film Institute magazine ran a cover story about this subject in the 1970's including now and then photos.

Wesley