Last month Patrick and I ventured back to our home state of Oregon for his sister’s wedding. We decided to drive, taking some of California’s lovely backroads through gold country, and stopped at Railtown 1897, a wonderful rail museum nestled in Jamestown.

While central and northern California are well known for their gold, the area also provided the much needed timber for the growing populous. For over 60 years the Sierra Railway transported freshly cut trees to nearby lumber mills, but it would also serve another purpose. As early as 1919 it began appearing in film, eventually earning the moniker the “Movie Railroad.” The traintracks passed through many different landscapes, and provided the growing movie, and later television, industry with perfect backdrops. Classic westerns ranging from 1952’s High Noon to Unforgiven 40 years later were filmed here using one or more trains. When it comes to TV, a range of westerns including Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and Little House on the Prairie made use of the tracks and trains, as well as non-westerns such as Petticoat Junction, Lassie, and The F.B.I. But perhaps the most famous and beloved movie to film here is Back to the Future Part III.

My favorite TV show, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., also filmed here, using the number 3 engine seen above, but another, more unique piece still lingers. Tucked inside their movie exhibit you’ll see a massive timeline of the various projects that filmed there, along with a handful of props, including a piece from The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. During the pilot, a backdrop painter pulls a Looney Tunes style gag on a train, by painting the side of a rock to appear invisible, as a result the train runs right into it, coming to a halt so the bad guys can break out the rest of their gang. The original painting rests inside the filming exibit and filled me with such joy, since so little of Brisco remains. Below you can see how it appeared in the show.

The museum is available to wander on your own, but you can also wait for a guided tour, which is what we did, and we were so lucky that we were the only ones on it! Our guide was fabulous, filled with incredible knowledge about the area, trains, and movie magic, and cracked quite a few jokes along the way. If you want to get more up-close and personal with the trains, wait to do a guided tour!

The museum also offers excursion rides, and various events, including a Polar Express event during the holiday season. So if you’re looking for a unique Christmas outing, it sounds like a magical time!

Railtown 1897 is located at 10501 Reservoir Road in Jamestown. For details on visiting and upcoming events at Railtown 1897, visit their website.