Part of historic train may get movie role

Walt Disney Pictures is interested in using items off an historic train engine that sat in Hillcrest Park for more than 50 years in a movie.

File photo

The railroad retired and donated engine number 9005 to the city of Clovis in 1954, after nearly 50 years of service. The steam engine was moved to Clovis Depot Train Museum in December.

Phil Williams, owner of Clovis Depot Train Museum, said the motion picture company contacted him two weeks ago regarding the 1906 steam engine sitting in front of his business.

Williams said the movie about the Lone Ranger, being filmed in Albuquerque, has a train scene that features a model engine the same vintage as switch engine number ATS 9005

"They wanted to borrow some equipment from the cab to install in their model, so it would be correct and look authentic," Williams said.

Walt Disney Pictures offered to dismantle the parts it requested, recondition them for use in its model train, and then reinstall the restored parts in engine ATS 9005, in mid-August.

"It's a good way of getting professionals to help us do some of the restoring," Williams said.

Williams said engine ATS 9005 is the last of a series of 38 that were built in 1906. "There's none left but this one," Williams said. "The others got scrapped for metal."

The railroad retired and donated engine number 9005 to the city of Clovis in 1954, after nearly 50 years of service. The steam engine was moved to Clovis Depot Train Museum in December.

Williams said the engine is being restored as donations allow.

"The tender box has been sandblasted and primered," Williams said. "We're cleaning rust and using old parts as templates to fabricate new parts." A missing headlight has been restored and is on display in the museum, Williams said.