Trains on TV

[michaeljy]

Has anyone been watching Encore's reruns of the 60s western series "Cimmaron Strip?"  They seem to be very conscientious about giving the railroad an appropriate role in storylines.  Marshal Crown has spent time down at the depot talking to a special agent and a postal inspector about security, and while the train is in town a uniformed trainman can often be seen on the streets, carrying his lantern in the crook of his arm.

In one episode in which Broderick Crawford played the bad guy, the plot turned on the retrieval and proper display of a ball signal from an abandoned depot to stop a special train.  In the final scene, shot in what I at first thought was a studio set, the bad guy dies on the tracks, and four heavy burn marks are clearly visible on the rail heads, obviously made by slippage of two sets of drivers.

I guess in the 1960s railroads were still enough a part of public awareness, and consultants knowledgable in such things were still available.  After all, even "Petticoat Junction's" portrayal of the "C&FW," especially evil trainmaster Homer Bedlow, was right on target.

[route_rock]

 Havent seen that but thanks for the heads up! I saw ( at Wal Mart I think)  Petticoat Junctions the first season. Wouldnt you know I didnt buy it and now I cant find it!

[passengerfan]

Petticoat Junction was filmed at Jamestown. Not sure where the other was filmed but Hollywood used Jamestown quite often for older train sets.

Al - in - Stockton

[michaeljy]

I've been waiting for Nickelodeon to run it from Episode 1, but haven't caught it yet.  Don't miss it if you get the opportunity... the series started at the height of passenger train-offs and as a kid I thought Bedlow must have been a ringer for D.W. Brosnan of the Southern.  I've never seen such a great parody of a crusty, mean, heartless railroad official of the 1960s, right down to the rumpled black suit, narrow black tie, horned-rim glasses, and fedora with the little feather decoration.  Fortunately, the president of the C&FW came to the rescue, a courtly, kindly, gentleman railroader.  And life came to imitate art, since he was a ringer for Graham Claytor.