This beautiful locomotive is a special treat, as she is not only one of the oldest steam locomotives still running, but also one of the last original operating standard gauge wood burners. With the exception of a few odds and ends, she is all original, including her boiler! Not too many steam engines still running can make that claim! She is an American Standard 4-4-0, what most people would consider the classic American locomotive. She herself is probably the one of the most recognized locomotives, made famous by the many movies she appeared in. Resplendant with lots of brass and ornamentation, she was known as the "Brass Betsy".
She was built in 1875 by Baldwin Locomotive works for the Virginia & Truckee, she started out as a switch engine in Gold Hill, and then later taking passengers from Reno to Virginia City. The V & T liked their passenger engines to be gleamingly polished and brightly decorated, and so she was! By the 1930's, however, the INYO was rarely used, and in 1937 was sold to Paramount Pictures to begin a career in the movies. And what a career! She starred with Joel McCrae in "Union Pacific", along side John Wayne in "Red River", and also had roles in a dozen others like "High, Wide, and Handsome", "The Great Locomotive Chase", and TV's "Wild, Wild West".
She also played the part of the "Jupiter" at the Golden Spike National Historic Site in Utah.
In 1974, the State of Nevada brought their famous locomotive home, where the INYO was painstakingly restored to her 1893 appearance and to operable condition. She had been converted to burn oil during her years in Hollywood, but even that was corrected! She took part in Expo86 in Vancouver, and in Railfair '91 in Sacramento, California. She now resides in the Nevada State Railroad Museum, where she is kept in tip-top shape, a beautiful, polished museum piece.
But, on Independence Day, all that brass and bright paint comes to life as she greets her public again, and parades proudly on the track surrounding the museum.
More Inyo photographs and some videos here!
Click HERE to see Inyo's page on the Friends of the Nevada State Railroad Museum site!!