Railroads in the movies

[Anonymous]

"In The Heat of the Night", great scenes on the GM&O, and in the abandoned roundhouse at Sparta, Illinois (I believe), great film and great acting too. ( S. Portier-R Stieger) "This Property is Condemmed" lots of railroad action, with Robert Redford-Natilie Woods-Charles Bronson.

[dknelson]

I have not scrolled through every reply, but three films I think any railfan would enjoy
1. The Great Locomotive Chase (Disney) -- the General and Texas. Somewhat hokey acting but not bad at all and pretty accurate.
2. The General. Buster Keaton. A loose retelling of the General/Texas race. Great locomotive shots, great stunts and comedy by Keaton, and a genuine collapsed bridge scene that has to be seen to be believed. Some have said this movie is like seeing a Matthew Brady civil war photo come to life. Silent. Most commercials versions have hokey music. Until I saw this movie I never understood how kerosene headlights worked.

3. The Train. Burt Lancaster, Jeanne Moreau. I think this is the all time greatest railroad film ever made. European trains but you'll soon forget that. Some fine acting, a gripping story, great action shots, an actual bombing of a French railyard -- and I seem to recall that some camera men were killed or injured filming derailments right at spike and tie level! Seeing Burt Lancaster fix a drive rod or slide down the ladder from a yard tower is worth the price of admission. Somewhat violent for kids.
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

End Of The Line is available at Amazon.com

[Anonymous]

Amazon.com has it for sale. $29.95 + tax & shipping

[Anonymous]

He plays a Navy Seal pretending to be a cook.

[Anonymous]

DO YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN BUY THE MOVIE DANGHER LIGHTS???????

PLEASE TELL ME A.SAP


THANK U,

Ryan

[edahrenhoerster]

As I recall the last Pentrax catalog had a full page list of movies featuring trains.
Also, there is a series of British comedy films based on the St. Trinians cartoons of the 1950s. the first 3 are still pretty funny. The 4th in the series, "The Great St. Trinians Train Robbery", was only mildly funny but did feature quite a bit of British RR action, including a chase involving a passenger train, a freight train, a motor car and a hand car. They are hard to find, though I did finally get all of them through a Canadian company that I found on the net.

[Anonymous]

Last i heard was that the wreck is still there, but the locomotive has been gutted out.

[Anonymous]

The best realistic railroad movie i've seen is "END OF THE LINE", with Wilford Brimley, and Levon Helm in it. Almost the whole movie is on or around the train and the yard. The movie is about the Railroad they work for is going to air frieght, and they "borrow" a yard geep, and leave out to go do something about it.
Awsome railroad movie!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the title. For those who get the "Independent Film Channel", it was shown a few months back, and will probably be shown again. I think I did see an ad for it in either "Trains" or possibly "Railfan & Railroad", so it should be available for anyone interested in it. Ron H.

[citidude]

The name of this movie is "The Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day". This is one of the finest train movies I've ever seen. After seeing the movie, I checked out a Yosemite Valley RR website and found that the dates cited in the movie were accurate. To the credit of the filmakers, a photo of the real Merced Station was used. Some actual Yosemite Valley RR film was used, too.

It was also pleasurable to see a derailment in a movie instead of a spectacular wreck. This was not a violent movie (which is also important to me) but the sex scenes may offend some viewers.

As a single guy, I also enjoyed watching the ultimate railfan date - the protagonist taking a woman on a private railroad car.

This movie is available as a video for purchase, but I cannot remember the firm who sells it. - Dave

[Anonymous]

Sorry about all those spelling errors, I just woke up.

[Anonymous]

I meant "The Fugitive"...oops..

[Anonymous]

One movie that features a railroad is "The Fgitive" starring Harrison Ford, although the train part is short, the wreck really took place, the Great Smokey Mountains RR said they could wreck one of there trains. I dont know if they finnaly cleaned up the wreck, but if you take the train you could maybe see it. All of this took place in North Carolina near Fontada dam(the dam was also in the movie), it took place in a small town where my uncle had a creek house(the town was also in the movie). You just have to board the train and it will take yopu to the site of the wreck(if its still there).

[alangj]

Glad to be of help!

Yes, I watched the trailer on "imdb" tonight after I saw your reply and have to admit that the ending fight scene on the piece of snow equipment is the ONLY scene that I DO remember from when I saw the movie on TV a few years back, other than remembering that the outdoor shots of the train going through that canyon were pretty impressive for the rugged scenery in winter.

Alan

[Anonymous]

I just checked out the imdb site. Did you watch the trailer? The end of it shows Dennis Quaid and Danny Glover falling out and fighting on the end of that snow thingy as the train is approaching
a tunnel.Thanks Again for all of the info.

[Anonymous]

!!!YESSS!!! Thats it!!! THANKS for the info!!!

[alangj]

!!! FOUND IT !!!

The title is "SWITCHBACK", with Danny Glover and Dennis Quaid (among others), and was released in 1997. You can find a fairly complimentary review on-line at "http://us.imdb.com/title?0119210" Another, rather harsh review is on-line at
"http://www.cd.columbus.oh.us/news/movies/swit1031.html"

Alan

[alangj]

Is it in the fight scene at the end of that Danny Glover movie where somebody's (Glover?) hanging off the blade of a snow/ballast spreader as the train is winding its way through a canyon? I recall that the spreader was coupled at the very back end of the train, and that the blade was swinging apparently uncontrolledly out over the steep canyon. I remember seeing that movie on TV a few years back, but can't come up with a title for it, either. I've checked on Glover's listings in some of the online movie info databases, but can't come up with anything with a matching plot description.

[Anonymous]

There is one I've seen lately, maybe somene can help with a name. Danny Glover is driving a white
Caddy with the interior done in pinups. He picks up a hitchiker,they head to Colorado. Danny Glover
is an ex railroad man whose also a murderer and a kidnapper. The FBI is on his case, he frames the hitchiker. They hook up with his buddies on the
D&RGW, lotta good winter action in the mountains.
There is a stabbing, and a fight on the train, Danny Glover falls off into the canyon,everyone lives happily ever after.
One of the best train movies I've ever seen is
the 1945 MGM musical "Harvey Girls" with Judy Garland. It takes place at one of Fred Harveys
hotels. The score was written by Johnny Mercer and
Harold Arlen. The song "The Atcheson Topeka& Santa Fe" won an oscar in 1946. Some good Santa Fe steam action and depot scenes.

[Anonymous]

Not to be critical, but its Wilford Brimley (Quaker Oatmeal Man). Any way I caught this movie last week on the SAT. Just goes to show you that the little guy can win out with a little persaverence and tenacity.Hope they ran that air freight guy right out of business. One thing I couldn't figure out tho is how they got all the way to Chicago on the MoPac without running over another train?

[Anonymous]

Is this the one I'm thinking about with Steven Segal playing a cook?

[Anonymous]

"The General" with Buster Keaton, from 1927. This was a comedy film version of Anderson's Raid from the Civil War. Probably one of the best silent film comedies ever. There's also a Little Rascals (anyone remember them?) short from 1929 called "Railroading." Funny, with a great runaway train sequence. Lots of Santa Fe steam from the Los Angeles area. The opening scenes in a Santa Fe engine yard will make steam fans drool.
Don't know if these movies are available at your local rental place, but they are in print, and you may find them at your local library.

[Anonymous]

I hope I didn't give the impression that I thought you were a "know it all". In fact, I was aware that the 1976 version was filmed in Canada, but didn't know it was due to AMTRAK not allowing their equipment to be used. Thanks for that bit of info.

Since this forum appeals to a wide range of ages, my comments about the earlier "Silverstreak" was merely intended to point out to the younger readers that an earlier movie of the same title does exist. Ron.

[Anonymous]

I didn't mean to sound like a "know it all" but I was talking about the 1976 version.

[Anonymous]

Some of the younger readers may not be aware that there are two "Silver Streak" movies. There is the 1976 version with Gene Wilder and Jill Clayburgh, and the one made back in the mid-1930's which featured the Burlington Zephyr. Other than the title, there is no similarity between the two movies. Ron.

[Anonymous]

Starz/Encore is running the movie "Tough Guys" with Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster (1986), Which involves two former train robbers who are released from prison, have a hard time adapting after 30 years in prison and decide to rob the train again. Basically, not a real good movie, and the train action is all in the last 20 minutes or so, but what they wind up doing to the 4449 is downright obscene. Doyle McCormack appears briefly as the engineer. Ron.

[Anonymous]

a little fyi on the movie "silver streak" they wanted to use amtrak engines but amtrak thought it would make them look bad. so most of the movie was filmed in canada because cp rail let them film their engines with no problem. but anyways a good movie to watch is "end of the line" howard brimley is the star of the movie. there is a ton of shots in the engine. if you can find this movie, I highly recommend buy it or at least rent it. I think it was filmed in 1987. jim lammon

[Anonymous]

I saw the same movie a month or so ago on the "Independent Film Channel". I also can't remember the name of it, and the title gave no indication that railroads were involved. Another movie where the trains supported bad writing and acting. Ron.