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Closely watched trains . . . in the movies

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  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Chicago, Ill.
  • 2,843 posts
Closely watched trains . . . in the movies
Posted by al-in-chgo on Thursday, November 8, 2007 10:12 PM

This is of little consequence but it has been bugging me.

In the MGM musical film The Band Wagon (1953, Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, dir. Vincente Minnelli), three locomotives appear briefly in the picture to indicate that the plot's play-on-tour is playing in multiple towns (after all, this is a musical).

The three are nicely mixed:  one appears to be a GG-1 in the old New Haven livery (it being 1953), although it could be a Tuscan red Pennsy.  One is a rather "generic"-looking steam engine (Kind of Pennsy K-4ish IIRC); and the third is a diesel-electric loco, probably out of EMD, with a genuine Mars light in its nose. 

I'm dubious on the first lcco, highly doubtful on the second, and just plain ignorant on the third.  And these film clips take place at night!

Is anyone familiar with this now-classic musical who knows or wants to better guess what the motive power is?

Thanks 

al-in-chgo
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,840 posts
Posted by wjstix on Friday, November 9, 2007 7:30 AM
Well since only the Pennsylvania had GG-1's (at least until Amtrak) I would be a little dubious of a New Haven GG-1 too!! Smile [:)]
Stix
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: WV
  • 1,251 posts
Posted by coalminer3 on Friday, November 9, 2007 9:46 AM

Good Morning:

Be very skeptical of the first one as NH never had G motors.  Had to be P Company. Sorry if I appear to be piling on but previous post hit just as I poseted mine

work safe 

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