Nostalgia & History > Union Pacific and the Bandit

Don't know if I should have posted it in the Western Board or Nostalgia Booard, but since it involves a movie, released back in 1980, I went with the earlier...

Was watching "Smokey and the Bandit Part II" the other day and saw again the opening shot, of the two "schemers" Big and Little Enos Burdette (Pat McCormack and Paul Williams) on a UP train for the Big Enos' campaign for governor. Then at the end, both get a nice drop of "airmail" from some crop duster pilots... Given the beauty of High Definition, noticed the engine pulling it, is UP #3655, a brand new SD40-2 in the "We Can Handle It" scheme and the passenger car is UPP #114, none other the "Feather River" itself.

Although the scene is set in Texas, it was filmed in Nevada IIRC, outside of Las Vegas on some UP trackage. What trackage was that, and is it still in existance?

Thought I would pass that info along... As for the movie itself.... doesn't hold a candle to the first "Smokey and the Bandit", an American Classic. And don't even mention the third sequel.... there was one sadly!



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/17 17:30 by bodkin6071.

That scene was filmed on what is today the Nevada Industrial Switch (NIS) railroad.  Its connects with the Union Pacific's Caliente Subdivision (Las Vegas-Milford) mainline at APEX, which is northeast of Las Vegas.  The NIS runs about 11 miles out to a Pabco Gypsum Mine.  The tracks are still intact and last I heard the railroad was still in operation.  From what I gather, the line was originally operated by Union Pacific under contract, but in the last 15-20 years, the NIS has become a seperate, industrial railroad.