Trains.com

Best Railroad Movies (topic rehashed)

32600 views
507 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 23, 2004 3:14 PM
Reading about all these great movies on here has lead me to start trying to track down copies of some of the ones that I haven't seen yet. I just recently bought copies of The Train, Von Ryan's Express and Silver Streak from ebay. I'm very glad I did!!!!!!! All are now new favorites mine! After having seen Silver Streak, I'd like to try and make a custom HO model of the train from the movie. I doubt I'd get to that project in the near future, but it's something I would like to accomplish some day.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 23, 2004 3:14 PM
Reading about all these great movies on here has lead me to start trying to track down copies of some of the ones that I haven't seen yet. I just recently bought copies of The Train, Von Ryan's Express and Silver Streak from ebay. I'm very glad I did!!!!!!! All are now new favorites mine! After having seen Silver Streak, I'd like to try and make a custom HO model of the train from the movie. I doubt I'd get to that project in the near future, but it's something I would like to accomplish some day.
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: US
  • 695 posts
Posted by rixflix on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 7:59 PM
"In the Heat of the Night" is really promiscuous (check your dictionary. Doggy) era-wise, but a great film anyway. After basic training in Fort Jackson NC I haven't had an inclination to go too far south lately, but I would like to ride that GM&O semi-streamliner depictedi in the movie. Gosh it was beautiful in crimsom and orange behind an E.
They put it together for the flick but does anyone know from what equipment?
g'day
Captain Video aka Rixflix

rixflix aka Captain Video. Blessed be Jean Shepherd and all His works!!! Hooray for 1939, the all time movie year!!! I took that ride on the Reading but my Baby caught the Katy and left me a mule to ride.

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: US
  • 695 posts
Posted by rixflix on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 7:59 PM
"In the Heat of the Night" is really promiscuous (check your dictionary. Doggy) era-wise, but a great film anyway. After basic training in Fort Jackson NC I haven't had an inclination to go too far south lately, but I would like to ride that GM&O semi-streamliner depictedi in the movie. Gosh it was beautiful in crimsom and orange behind an E.
They put it together for the flick but does anyone know from what equipment?
g'day
Captain Video aka Rixflix

rixflix aka Captain Video. Blessed be Jean Shepherd and all His works!!! Hooray for 1939, the all time movie year!!! I took that ride on the Reading but my Baby caught the Katy and left me a mule to ride.

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: West Coast
  • 4,122 posts
Posted by espeefoamer on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 9:11 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Does anyone have any idea of what the most recent movie is that was made involving any decent amount of trains? I was just wondering. [:)]

The most recent movie with a lot of train action was "The Station Agent".It is about a railfan who inherits a station in New Jersey. Well worth Watching.{tup}
Ride Amtrak. Cats Rule, Dogs Drool.
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: West Coast
  • 4,122 posts
Posted by espeefoamer on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 9:11 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by jhhtrainsplanes

Does anyone have any idea of what the most recent movie is that was made involving any decent amount of trains? I was just wondering. [:)]

The most recent movie with a lot of train action was "The Station Agent".It is about a railfan who inherits a station in New Jersey. Well worth Watching.{tup}
Ride Amtrak. Cats Rule, Dogs Drool.
  • Member since
    August 2001
  • From: US
  • 48 posts
Posted by citidude on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 9:53 PM
My favorite railroad movie is "Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day". It is about a young dude who tries to save the Yosemite Valley Railroad from abandonment. Although much of it was filmed on the Sierra Railroad, there is a movie clip of the YVRR! Also shown is an SP Daylight 4-8-4. The plot may be slow for some people's tastes, but I appreciate that there are no spectcular train wrecks. Instead,a derailment shuts down the line for a day. After seeing the movie, I logged onto a Yosemite Valley RR website and concluded that the filmakers obviously researched this line's history. How many movies can you say that about!? The main character takes a woman for a date on a private railroad car!!! By the way, the movie, made in 1996 or 1997 is filmed entirely in black and white.

Another pleasant suprise is the "Metroland", in which the main character is writing a book for railway enthusiasts about a metroplitan rail system in England.

"Mobilus Strip" is about a subway train which disappears from the Buenos Aires subway system. The disappearing subway is a metaphor for the disappearance fo political prisoners in Argentina. There are many subway scenes. Apparently the budget for this film was so low that the director had to have his students film studies studies shake a subway car to simulate motion! After seeing this movie at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, I had the pleasure of hearing the director discuss the making of the movie.

"Switchback" could have been a very nice movie if it wasnt so violent. It alluded to the camraderie among railroad workers and the Rio Grande is always a wonderfully scenic railroad, but it violence detracted from this movie.

The best movie I've seen about railway labor is "The Navigators" which is about a group of track workers attempting to cope with privatization of the British Railway system.

"Matewan" has a brief shot of Nickel Plate 765.

The "Ice Storm" has a couple of views of a New Haven electric car.

I saw all of these movies in Pittsburgh.

Dave

  • Member since
    August 2001
  • From: US
  • 48 posts
Posted by citidude on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 9:53 PM
My favorite railroad movie is "Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day". It is about a young dude who tries to save the Yosemite Valley Railroad from abandonment. Although much of it was filmed on the Sierra Railroad, there is a movie clip of the YVRR! Also shown is an SP Daylight 4-8-4. The plot may be slow for some people's tastes, but I appreciate that there are no spectcular train wrecks. Instead,a derailment shuts down the line for a day. After seeing the movie, I logged onto a Yosemite Valley RR website and concluded that the filmakers obviously researched this line's history. How many movies can you say that about!? The main character takes a woman for a date on a private railroad car!!! By the way, the movie, made in 1996 or 1997 is filmed entirely in black and white.

Another pleasant suprise is the "Metroland", in which the main character is writing a book for railway enthusiasts about a metroplitan rail system in England.

"Mobilus Strip" is about a subway train which disappears from the Buenos Aires subway system. The disappearing subway is a metaphor for the disappearance fo political prisoners in Argentina. There are many subway scenes. Apparently the budget for this film was so low that the director had to have his students film studies studies shake a subway car to simulate motion! After seeing this movie at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, I had the pleasure of hearing the director discuss the making of the movie.

"Switchback" could have been a very nice movie if it wasnt so violent. It alluded to the camraderie among railroad workers and the Rio Grande is always a wonderfully scenic railroad, but it violence detracted from this movie.

The best movie I've seen about railway labor is "The Navigators" which is about a group of track workers attempting to cope with privatization of the British Railway system.

"Matewan" has a brief shot of Nickel Plate 765.

The "Ice Storm" has a couple of views of a New Haven electric car.

I saw all of these movies in Pittsburgh.

Dave

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • 1,634 posts
Posted by pbjwilson on Thursday, February 26, 2004 7:55 PM
"Fester, Pugsly to the train room!"

Every week on T. V. Gomez was wrecking trains on "The Addams Family"

Paul the Painter
"the fumes are gettin to me"
  • Member since
    January 2004
  • 1,634 posts
Posted by pbjwilson on Thursday, February 26, 2004 7:55 PM
"Fester, Pugsly to the train room!"

Every week on T. V. Gomez was wrecking trains on "The Addams Family"

Paul the Painter
"the fumes are gettin to me"
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 27, 2004 9:25 AM
It's pretty clear to me that the producers of the US Marshal flicks (The Fugitive, US Marshals) have a train thing going on there. US Marshals has the best movie stunt ever, in my humble opinion, where the bad guy (except he's a good guy, really) jumps off the top of a building, zips across what must be about three city blocks and ends up on top of a moving (I'm sure it's not AMTRAK) train where he sullenly stares up at his pursuer. (Tommy Lee Jones is remarkably restrained- if it had been me, there would have been a lot of stomping around and some really colorful language, plus a real quick call into my dispatcher.)

PBJWilson also brings to mind the scene in "The Addams Family" (the movie) where Gomez is doing his anger management exercises using a really neat Lionel train set- what looks like an old Trainmaster playing chicken with a Hudson (I think). Wish I had a train set with THOSE sound effects...
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 27, 2004 9:25 AM
It's pretty clear to me that the producers of the US Marshal flicks (The Fugitive, US Marshals) have a train thing going on there. US Marshals has the best movie stunt ever, in my humble opinion, where the bad guy (except he's a good guy, really) jumps off the top of a building, zips across what must be about three city blocks and ends up on top of a moving (I'm sure it's not AMTRAK) train where he sullenly stares up at his pursuer. (Tommy Lee Jones is remarkably restrained- if it had been me, there would have been a lot of stomping around and some really colorful language, plus a real quick call into my dispatcher.)

PBJWilson also brings to mind the scene in "The Addams Family" (the movie) where Gomez is doing his anger management exercises using a really neat Lionel train set- what looks like an old Trainmaster playing chicken with a Hudson (I think). Wish I had a train set with THOSE sound effects...
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Smoggy L.A.
  • 10,743 posts
Posted by vsmith on Friday, February 27, 2004 9:32 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by rixflix

vsmith, I can sense you're a man of discernment.
Call me at area code 202 with info from my bio and I'll send you a copy of "La Bete Humaine"
Raves for"Silver Streak" and "Runaway Train"?

Now Really!!!
Let's grow old together!!!

Captaim Video aka Rixflix


Rixflix, cant find any # on the profile, would like a copy of the movie though, send me an e-mail and we can exchange information, maybe a movie swap, I have a spare vhs copy of the funniest Jerry Lewis movie ever made "The Bellboy" but you probably already have it.

   Have fun with your trains

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Smoggy L.A.
  • 10,743 posts
Posted by vsmith on Friday, February 27, 2004 9:32 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by rixflix

vsmith, I can sense you're a man of discernment.
Call me at area code 202 with info from my bio and I'll send you a copy of "La Bete Humaine"
Raves for"Silver Streak" and "Runaway Train"?

Now Really!!!
Let's grow old together!!!

Captaim Video aka Rixflix


Rixflix, cant find any # on the profile, would like a copy of the movie though, send me an e-mail and we can exchange information, maybe a movie swap, I have a spare vhs copy of the funniest Jerry Lewis movie ever made "The Bellboy" but you probably already have it.

   Have fun with your trains

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 27, 2004 1:59 PM
Almost forgot what must be the all time favorite of any MOW worker... Bridge over the River Kwai. They just don't crash em like that anymore.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 27, 2004 1:59 PM
Almost forgot what must be the all time favorite of any MOW worker... Bridge over the River Kwai. They just don't crash em like that anymore.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 27, 2004 2:12 PM
...and AMTRAK hasn't even come close to sinking to the standards of passenger service Peter O'Toole exhibited in "Lawrence of Arabia". Come to think of it, AMC also ran "The Man Who Would Be King"... a glowing tribute to first class accomodations on the 4:20PM Mawha Junction express.... haven't heard of any first class passengers being expelled from AMTRAK via the windows lately.

Time to go catch the bad guys.

Erik
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 27, 2004 2:12 PM
...and AMTRAK hasn't even come close to sinking to the standards of passenger service Peter O'Toole exhibited in "Lawrence of Arabia". Come to think of it, AMC also ran "The Man Who Would Be King"... a glowing tribute to first class accomodations on the 4:20PM Mawha Junction express.... haven't heard of any first class passengers being expelled from AMTRAK via the windows lately.

Time to go catch the bad guys.

Erik
  • Member since
    August 2002
  • From: Memory Lane, on the sunny side of the street.
  • 737 posts
Posted by ironhorseman on Thursday, April 15, 2004 6:05 PM
Just saw a movie on TV today: "The Tall Target." Here's the description from www.imdb.com :

"The story of a (historically doubtful) plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln as he travels on the Ohio & Baltimore Railway to his inauguration in 1861. A discredited detective tries in the face of disbelief to foil the plotters, who hate the President's policies."

The Ohio & Baltimore??? Someone's not paying attention.

Anyway, it's a pretty good film from 1951 starring *** Powell. Almost the entire movie takes place on the train. Very interesting and entertaing. Full of plot twists.

***** W A R N I N G --- P O S S I B L E - S P O I L E R S - F O L L O W*****

Got a big laugh out of the part after the train was delayed in the middle of the night the engineer picked up speed to make up time. The conductor climbs across the tender into the cab and tries to order the engineer to slow down. The engineer said something to the effect the locomotive is his business and the conductor's business is to tend to the passengers.

Another funny moment was when they get to Balitmore they had to uncouple the engine tow the train and locomotive through town because of some law that they passed to prevent engine smoke from polluting their town.

Don't know how historically accurate this film is and it doesn't matter, it's very entertaining. Will have to see if the video store has a copy, I missed the first several minutes.

Overall good movie, it's worth seeing. [:)]

yad sdrawkcab s'ti

  • Member since
    August 2002
  • From: Memory Lane, on the sunny side of the street.
  • 737 posts
Posted by ironhorseman on Thursday, April 15, 2004 6:05 PM
Just saw a movie on TV today: "The Tall Target." Here's the description from www.imdb.com :

"The story of a (historically doubtful) plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln as he travels on the Ohio & Baltimore Railway to his inauguration in 1861. A discredited detective tries in the face of disbelief to foil the plotters, who hate the President's policies."

The Ohio & Baltimore??? Someone's not paying attention.

Anyway, it's a pretty good film from 1951 starring *** Powell. Almost the entire movie takes place on the train. Very interesting and entertaing. Full of plot twists.

***** W A R N I N G --- P O S S I B L E - S P O I L E R S - F O L L O W*****

Got a big laugh out of the part after the train was delayed in the middle of the night the engineer picked up speed to make up time. The conductor climbs across the tender into the cab and tries to order the engineer to slow down. The engineer said something to the effect the locomotive is his business and the conductor's business is to tend to the passengers.

Another funny moment was when they get to Balitmore they had to uncouple the engine tow the train and locomotive through town because of some law that they passed to prevent engine smoke from polluting their town.

Don't know how historically accurate this film is and it doesn't matter, it's very entertaining. Will have to see if the video store has a copy, I missed the first several minutes.

Overall good movie, it's worth seeing. [:)]

yad sdrawkcab s'ti

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • From: Independence, MO
  • 1,570 posts
Posted by UPTRAIN on Thursday, April 15, 2004 10:11 PM
Union Pacific's Triple Track Mainline...Pentrex (c) 2000

Pump

  • Member since
    June 2002
  • From: Independence, MO
  • 1,570 posts
Posted by UPTRAIN on Thursday, April 15, 2004 10:11 PM
Union Pacific's Triple Track Mainline...Pentrex (c) 2000

Pump

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, April 17, 2004 8:39 AM
Pentrex has 5 Steam videoes on sale for $12.95. Each one of them is over an hour long so this is a good price on them. I have one or two of them already.

http://www.pentrex.com

Now you can get them out too. [;)]


  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, April 17, 2004 8:39 AM
Pentrex has 5 Steam videoes on sale for $12.95. Each one of them is over an hour long so this is a good price on them. I have one or two of them already.

http://www.pentrex.com

Now you can get them out too. [;)]


  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 19, 2004 12:43 AM
I vote for "Runaway Train" with John Voit and Eric Roberts (Julia Roberts brother who can act:) I know it doesn't focus strickly on railroads, but the story is great and the ending with John Voit riding off into the whiteout on top of the locomotive is awsome!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 19, 2004 12:43 AM
I vote for "Runaway Train" with John Voit and Eric Roberts (Julia Roberts brother who can act:) I know it doesn't focus strickly on railroads, but the story is great and the ending with John Voit riding off into the whiteout on top of the locomotive is awsome!
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Monday, April 19, 2004 10:09 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by dbubbad

I vote for "Runaway Train" with John Voit and Eric Roberts (Julia Roberts brother who can act:) I know it doesn't focus strickly on railroads, but the story is great and the ending with John Voit riding off into the whiteout on top of the locomotive is awsome!


You are so right about "Runaway Train"[8D] It IS a very good train related movie.
And you are also right about Eric Roberts: to phrase in the language of kids today:
he is SO WAY BETTER than his little sister. I've never cared for her acting at all.[xx(]
Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Monday, April 19, 2004 10:09 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by dbubbad

I vote for "Runaway Train" with John Voit and Eric Roberts (Julia Roberts brother who can act:) I know it doesn't focus strickly on railroads, but the story is great and the ending with John Voit riding off into the whiteout on top of the locomotive is awsome!


You are so right about "Runaway Train"[8D] It IS a very good train related movie.
And you are also right about Eric Roberts: to phrase in the language of kids today:
he is SO WAY BETTER than his little sister. I've never cared for her acting at all.[xx(]
Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: West Coast
  • 4,122 posts
Posted by espeefoamer on Monday, April 19, 2004 3:40 PM
The new Disney movie ,Home on the Range, has trains in it.[:)] Remember, in a cartoon anything can happen.[:D]
Ride Amtrak. Cats Rule, Dogs Drool.
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: West Coast
  • 4,122 posts
Posted by espeefoamer on Monday, April 19, 2004 3:40 PM
The new Disney movie ,Home on the Range, has trains in it.[:)] Remember, in a cartoon anything can happen.[:D]
Ride Amtrak. Cats Rule, Dogs Drool.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy