Engines

The Story of Engine No.5

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Engine No. 5 was built in 1875 as a 2-6-0 mogul by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Carson Tahoe Lumber & Fluming Company in Carson City, Nevada. The 26 ton locomotive was named “Tahoe” In 1899, John F. Kidder, president of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad, purchased the engine and renumbered it as NCNG No.5,
On August 30, 1915, an early morning fire started at the Grass Valley depot.  Engine No. 5 had its cab and running boards burned off. Evidence of the fire is quite visible today with the notable wavy pattern in the sheet metal on the sides of No. 5’s tender.
In 1940, No. 5 came close to being burned again when a tank car full of hot asphalt caught fire after a blowtorch was applied to it to speed up the heating process. By this time, No. 5 had been relegated to helper service.
It was at this time that Frank Lloyd Productions in Hollywood was shopping around for a narrow gauge locomotive to use in an upcoming movie  production. No. 5 was again rebuilt and was loaded on a truck and then transferred to a flat car at Colfax for the trip to Hollywood and her new career in motion pictures.
In 1942, engine No. 5 was in the opening scene of the movie “The  Spoilers” starring John Wayne, Marlene Dietrich, and Randolph Scott. With whistle blowing and bell ringing, she flashed onto the screen evoking memories and romance of steam trains in the gold rush era.
After 1977, Engine No. 5 sat somewhat neglected on the Denver Street back lot of Universal Studios, beside the train station set. The locomotive and one of the stock cars were used in one more bit spot in “Twilight Zone-The Movie”,  starring Vic Morrow in 1979. In all, Engine No. 5 was used in over 100 movies and television series.
In August of 1983 the Nevada County Historical Society formed the Friends of the Narrow gauge. The group’s vice-chairman, John Christensen, began searching for narrow gauge artifacts and equipment. He began writing to Universal Studios about acquiring Engine No.5. In 1985 the NCHS negotiated a museum loan for the locomotive and six other pieces of equipment. On May 10, 1985 Engine No. 5 returned to Nevada County. The museum had a 75 year lease
from Universal Studios. The studio retained movie rights to the locomotive. In 2018, the Museum was granted full ownership of Engine No.5, In February 2019, restoration efforts began to replace its boiler.

Over the next three years the chassis was totally dismantled, repaired, upgraded and restored. The new Dixon boiler was installed. The engine and tender were plumbed to fire diesel oil as fuel. The steam powered air compressor, throttle, brake valves, and firebox were reconditioned.

On the July 4th weekend of 2022 the Engine #5 appeared in the Carson City, Nevada, Great Western Steam-Up. It ran as the Tahoe with its sister engine the Glenbrook. The engine has returned to the shops to be outfitted with insulation and jacketing around the boiler.

Watch for #5 to operate on the third Saturday of each month in 2023.

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