Draft:Virginia and Truckee 21 J.W. Bowker

Virginia and Truckee 21 J. W. Bowker
V&T 21 Great Western Steam up 2022.
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Serial number 3689 Build date February 1875 Total produced 1
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-4-0 Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 48 in (1.219 m) Fuel type Wood Boiler pressure 130 psi (0.90 MPa) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 14 in × 22 in (360 mm × 560 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 9,900 lbf (44.04 kN)
Career Operators Virginia and Truckee Railroad Numbers V&T 21 CP 60 Official name J. W. Bowker Current owner California State Railroad Museum, loaned to the Nevada State Railroad Museum until 2024 Disposition On static display at the Nevada State Railroad Museum

Virginia and Truckee 21 J. W. Bowker is a 2-4-0 steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in February 1875 for the Virginia and Truckee Railroad and named after Virginia & Truckee's master/chief mechanic John William Bowker. However, in 1876, John Bowker was fired for drunken, disorderly conduct. Four months after the engine arrived, it was renamed Mexico, so as not to give the railroad a bad reputation. It is one out of two sole surviving Baldwin 2-4-0’s in existence. The other is Old Sydney Collieries No.25, currently located in Delson, Quebec, Canada. The locomotive was featured in many films such as Union Pacific, Rock Island Trail, the locomotive participated at the California State Railroad Museum in railfair 1981, 1991, and 1999 with the other engines and then the locomotive appeared in the final movie Wild Wild West as the Jupiter. On July 2022, V&T 12 Genoa and V&T 21 J. W. Bowker were loaded on flatbeds and headed off to the Nevada State Railroad Museum for the Great Western Steam Up until heading back to the California State Railroad Museum in 2024 while Santa Fe 1010 is being restored into operating condition.

History

Virginia & Truckee's second 2-4-0 as it appeared fresh from the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

Virginia & Truckee No.21 named, J.W. Bowker is a 2-4-0 steam locomotive, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in February 1875 for the Virginia and Truckee Railroad and named after Virginia & Truckee's master/chief mechanic John William Bowker. However, in 1876, John Bowker was fired for drunken, disorderly conduct. Four months after the engine arrived, it was renamed Mexico, so as not to give the railroad a bad reputation. The locomotive was assigned as a switcher in Virginia City and around the Comstock Mines. In 1896, the engine was sold to the Sierra Nevada Wood and Lumber Company in Truckee, California, and renumbered No.3. In 1917, the locomotive was retired and stored in the Hobart Mills engine house for twenty years. It was donated in July 1937 to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society Inc. who restored No.3 to her original identity as V&T No.21.

World's Fair, pageant.

In 1939-1940 it went to the New York World's Fair to participate alongside with Stourbridge Lion, John Bull (locomotive), John Hancock (locomotive), Daniel Nelson (locomotive), P&R 3 Rocket, The General (locomotive), William Mason (locomotive), B&O 147 Thatcher Perkins, MT. WR 1, B&O 305 Ross Winans, MNP 1 Minnetonka, B&O 600 J. C. Davis, V&T 12 Genoa V&T 21 J. W. Bowker, Rio Grande 169, C&S 9, PRR 1187, CB&Q 35, DeWitt Clinton (1893 Replica) NYC 999, PRR 7002, DL&WR 952, PRR 3768, NYC 4697, B&O 5404, Lafeyette (1927 Replica), Best Friend of Charleston (1928 Replica), NYC 2998, PRR 6759, N&W 1206, CN 6400, B&O 5600, LMS 6229 Duchess of Hamilton, UP 2906, NYC J-3a Hudsons 5449, 5451, 5452, 5453, 5454, and 5455, NH 1400, CP 2850, DLW 1939, John Bull (1939 Replica), John Stevens (1939 Replica), PRR 6100, and PP&L Co. 1. In 1948-1949, the locomotive went to Chicago alongside with Atlantic (1836 Replica) John Hancock (locomotive), Pioneer (locomotive), CVRR 13 Pioneer, The General (locomotive), William Mason (locomotive), William Crooks (locomotive), The Yankee (locomotive), B&O 147 Thatcher Perkins, Reuben Wells (locomotive), B&O 305 Ross Winans, NP 1 Minnetonka, V&T 12 Genoa, V&T 18 Dayton, V&T 21 J. W. Bowker, V&T 22 Inyo, IC 201, D&RGW 268, CB&Q 35, BM 494, CB&Q 637, DeWitt Clinton (1893 Replica), NYC 999, AT&SF 5, MCRR 248, PRR 7002, BW&Co. 801, C&EI 327, PRR 3768, NYC 8000, B&O 5302, Best Friend of Charleston (1928 Replica), CN 6408, John Bull (1939 Replica), UP 4022, B&O 7603, AT&SF 5020, PRR 6200, DRB Class 42, PRR T1 Duplexes 5502, 5513, and 5549, NYC Niagaras 5500 and 6007, CRI&P 5118, Rogers (1948 Replica), and NKP 779.

Virginia and Truckee 21-J. W. Bowker and SF-1- City of San Francisco 1944.

It last operated in 1953, when it was retired and presented to the California State Railroad Museum some time later. The locomotive had a starring role in one episode of the "Casey Jones" TV series with Alan Hale Jr., as an obsolete locomotive that Casey is ordered to deliberately wreck as part of a plan to catch a dangerous gang of outlaws (Season 1, Episode 18: "The Marauders" 9/21/1958). The episode featured night footage of the Bowker under steam, but it is unknown if this was stock footage from a previous filmed appearance or the engine was actually operated for the episode. There the J. W. Bowker has been on display since 1976. On May 1981 the locomotive participated at Railfair 1981 alongside with MCL Co. 2, D&R 8, BHL Co. 1, ATSF 5, SP 1269, Tom Thumb (1927 Replica), HL Co. Ltd. 10, SP 4449, UP 844, Jupiter (locomotive), Stephenson's Rocket (1979 Replica), and a newly restored UP 3985 where Gov. Stanford, C. P. Huntington, V&T 13 Empire, V&T 12 Genoa, NPC 12 Sonoma, NSL 1, ATSF 1010, NWP 112, UP 4466, and SP 4294 live, while UP 4466 is undergoing restoration into operating condition. On May 1991, the locomotive participated at Railfair 1991 alongside with V&T 22 Inyo, UP 1243, SERA 3, Dunrobin (2nd), GNR 1247, HLC 9, IID 151, JK&Co. Gwen, Tom Thumb (1927 Replica), Lafayette (1927 Replica), SP 4449, UP 3985, UP 844, Locomotion No. 1 (1975 Replica), and especially two newly restored steam locomotives SP 2472, and Eureka (locomotive) where Gov. Stanford, C. P. Huntington 1, V&T 13 Empire, V&T 12 Genoa, NPC 12 Sonoma, NSL 1, AT&SF 1010, NWP 112, UP 4466, SP 4294, AT&SF 2925, and AT&SF 5021 live. In June 1999 Along the way SP 4449 and MEL Co. 1 had to stop for a picture to pose right next to MCRR 25 and then they set off again to the California State Railroad Museum.

Railroad Museum display item.

In Sacramento, the engine participated at Railfair 1999 alongside with Eureka (locomotive), ERM&L Co. 1 Falk, BHL Co. 1, SCLL 4 Denna, F&W Co. 1 Sespe, ML Co. 1, MSVR 3, JK&Co. Gwen, SERA 28, PM Co. 1, MEL Co. 1, GCRR 1925, H. RY. Co. 5, Best Friend of Charleston (1928 Replica), KFR 6, De Arend (1939 Replica), John Bull (1939 Replica), SP 4449, UP 3985, UP 844, AT&SF 3751, John Molson (1970 Replica), and a newly restored SP 2467 where Gov. Stanford, C. P. Huntington, V&T 13 Empire, V&T 12 Genoa, NPC 12 Sonoma, NSL 1, AT&SF 1010, NWP 112, UP 4466, GR Co. 10, SP 4294, AT&SF 2925, and AT&SF 5021 live. SP 1233 had to pull a mixed freight train. UP 4466 did a last year run before being retired and put back on display. The shay locomotives were having the great shay race. Everything went well then suddenly UP 844 had suffered a tube and at the end, UP 3985 had to take UP 844 home dead in tow back to Cheyenne, Wyoming for an overhaul restoration into operating condition. On 1999 the locomotive appeared in the final movie Wild Wild West starring Will Smith alongside with V&T 11 Reno.

Virginia and Truckee 21 J. W. Bowker.

After the Wild Wild West V&T No.21 J. W. Bowker was on static display at the California State Railroad Museum, and has been restored to it's 1880s - 1890s cosmetic appearance. On May 10, 2017, the 148th Anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, and to help celebrate the occasion, the city of Sacramento, Union Pacific, and the California State Railroad Museum held an event. The locomotive come out in the sun, with a compressed air supply hooked up to blow the whistle and ring the bell. On July 2022 the locomotive and V&T 12 Genoa were on temporary loan to the Nevada State Railroad Museum for the Great Western Steam Up alongside with V&T 11 Reno, V&T 12 Genoa, V&T 18 Dayton, V&T 22 Inyo, NCNGRR 5, The Glenbrook, Eureka (locomotive), DS&C.V.R. 1 Joe Douglass, D&R 8, A&W 1, V&T 25, SCPC Co. 2, SP 18, BM&S 1, and V&T 1 Lyon (2020 Replica). As of 2024 the locomotive and V&T 12 Genoa are about to head back to the California State Railroad Museum while Santa Fe 1010 is being restored into operating condition.

Movie Appearances

Virginia and Truckee 21 J. W. Bowker has appeared in three movies.

• Union Pacific 1939 starring Joel McCrea and Barbra Stanwyck.

• Rock Island Trail 1950 starring Forrest Tucker and Adele Mara.
• Wild Wild West 1999 starring Will Smith and Kevin Kline.

TV appearances

Virginia and Truckee 21 J. W. Bowker has also appeared in one television show.

• Casey Jones 1957-1958 starring Alan Hale Jr.