Then there was the smoke.
The locomotive was presented as a wood-burning engine, and viewers could clearly see chopped firewood piled aboard.
But it frequently produced thick black smoke more characteristic of another type of fuel.
The series even offered a convenient explanation early on: the Cannonball was supposedly burning old railroad ties.
The locomotive itself wasn’t always consistent either.
Different filming circumstances meant viewers weren’t necessarily seeing precisely the same train in every shot, with production techniques and mock-ups helping create the illusion.
Even the Cannonball’s number mysteriously changed.
During the black-and-white seasons, viewers could spot the number “3” on the locomotive.Classic TV actors
When *Petticoat Junction* transitioned to color in its third season, the locomotive became No. 8.
No elaborate explanation was necessary.
This was Hooterville, after all.
One of the sweetest stories surrounding the series happened away from the cameras.
Linda Kaye Henning’s Betty Jo eventually fell in love with Steve Elliott, played by Mike Minor.
