This light-heated action-adventure-science fiction western starred Bruce Campbell as Brisco County Jr, a man seeking revenge for the death of his father while on a quest to obtain the mystical "orb" that gives unusual powers to those who wield it. Throughout the run of the show, we are treated to some great steam train scenes. 

Right off the bat in the pilot episode, we start off with Marshal Brisco County (R. Lee Ermey) transporting prisoners on a train. Instead of retrofitting actual railroad cars, the production opted to recreate Sierra Railroad's Engine #3 and movie coaches in miniature for moving shots. The actors were filmed inside Coach #6 on the Jamestown line. 

The Sierra's steam railroad today is owned by CA State Parks and a visit to Railtown 1897 State Park will not disappoint. One shed is devoted to props and setpieces from film productions, and Brisco is not left out! One scene features the bad guys comically painting a landscape on a boulder to block the tracks. This painting can be seen as part of the exhibit. 

Here we finally get to see the actual Sierra #3 and movie coaches #5 & 6 as Bly's gang attempt a rescue. 

Later in the episode, we catch up to Brisco and Bowler (Julius Carry) tied to the tracks with #3 barreling down on them (in a classic serial cliffhanger). This appears to have been shot in the same location where another water tower stood for Man of the West.

GPS Coordinates: 37.866861, -120.487323

The Professor (John Astin) helps Brisco catch the escaping train with the help of his convenient new invention - a rail-mounted rocket. This was filmed on the north side of the Railtown yard in Jamestown. 

GPS Coordinates: 37.949213, -120.417886

The production getting their money's worth out of the miniature #3...

...and the real deal on location in the Red Hills. 

We get a nice horse transfer shot to Caboose #7 (not the first time!) and nice passby shot of #3 as Brisco bears down in the rocket sled. 

Next we get some great stunt work as Brisco climbs across to the caboose. It should be noted that (although they are not used as often today) Engine #3, Coach #6 and Caboose #7 are all still at Jamestown at Railtown 1897 so it's well worth the trip!

Back to the miniature for shots on the bridge (no such trestle still exists on the line to my knowledge) and the orb's fall into the river below. 

Annnnd some of the more obvious miniature work as the train runs out to the edge of a cliff. 

In episode 11 - "Deep in the Heart of Dixie" - we are treated to some more steam action, this time on the Fillmore & Western Railway in Fillmore, CA. The train is being pulled by Great Western #51 (also seen in Young Indiana Jones), which got sold off into private ownership and now resides in Colorado. 

Here we get yet another horseback-caboose transfer as Brisco and Dixie Cousins (Kelly Rutherford) escape the bad guys. This was filmed on the Fillmore & Western line between Santa Paula and Fillmore as it winds through citrus groves. Here's hoping that one day this line will reopen again to tourist trains!

The chase continues as they run along atop the cars, but eventually the bad guys catch up and Brisco is tied up and dragged along behind the caboose. It doesn't take long for them to get out of this scrape and ride off through the orange groves. This caboose (former Union Pacific FL7 1547J) is now owned by Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society.