toy trains in movies

[Brutus]

There was a separate thread on this, but I'll add Superman Returns - widow's husband had a huge setup in the basement, very very cool.  Best part of the movies almost.

There was a Donald Duck cartoon where he's putting in a garden railroad and the chipmunks move into one of his model houses!  Hilarious!

[Anonymous]

This has got to be the ultimate toy train movie, A Holiday Affair, starring Robert Michum.  He is selling Lionel trains in a department store, circa 1950, I think.  A woman buys a set, returns it the next day, Michums character dates her, finds her son thought he was getting the train, Michum buys one for the kid for christmas.  The layout in the store is impressive, the very beginning and end of the movie are also excellent.  (I wont spoil it and tell you how it ends, I didn't begin to scratch the surface of the plot)

[jmpmap]

Has anyone been able to find a copy of the movie "Four's a Crowd"?. It starred Errol Flynn. There was a prewar garden railway that displayed hudsons and other prewar trains running. This has to be my all time favorite. I saw the movie many years ago on TV, but have not been able to locate a copy on DVD or VHS. It was also mentioned inside the cover of one of the later prewar catalogs. Great movie.

[statistician]

I really can't believe that no one mentioned a movie called The Billion Dollar Hobo with Tim Conway. The entire movie is about both real and Lionel trains.

It was a children's film in the 1980s that I remember watching as a kid, and in fact Lionel was thanked for their help in the production of the movie. There is a scene where Conway enters a white room (Carrail??) that has nearly every vintage Lionel model in full view.

I vaguely remember a scene where the railroad tycoon character in the movie tries to teach his bumbling assistant how to operate a Lionel layout, but can never seem to get it right.

A great film to watch if you like Lionel Trains and Siberian Huskies (of which I like both)!!!

[macdannyk1]

Stuart Little has the G-Gauge trains in the basement, where George and Stuart get to start liking one another. One of the Wallace and Grommitt shorts has the ever expanding train set in it.

[Anonymous]

I just thought of some other movies featuring toy trains that I didn't remember when I first posted in this topic.

The Electric House (1922): This old Buster Keaton short film has Keaton outfitting a house with all sorts of modern conveniences. This includes a Lionel standard gauge train that brings meals from the kitchen to the dinner table. The train consists of a No. 38 electric and gondola cars. Naturally, derailments do occur.

Jingle All The Way (1996): Arnold Schwarzenegger sneaks in the his neighbor Phil Hartman's house to steal a Turboman action figure from underneath his Christmas tree. For a brief second, a train is shown running around the tree, which I'd be willing to swear is the O gauge version of the Ives Prosperity Special!

The Man Who Saved Christmas: This was a made-for-TV movie from a few years ago about A.C. Gilbert. It takes place during the First World War, long before Gilbert gained control of American Flyer. The man is played by Jason Alexander, of all people (yes, George from Seinfeld!). Twice Lionel standard gauge trains are seen. In a toy store window, there is a set from the late 1920's or 1930's running. Also, an earlier set appropriate for the time period of the movie is seen in a play area at the Gilbert factory for employees' children.

[thatboy37]

could be wrong but noboby said the movie the Toy with richard pryor in it if you havent seen it. it is a must see because it has a toy train layout that was showed many of times from different angles and you really get a great look at the setup its in the little boys bedroom. i thought it was really cool and thats one of the reasons i bought the movie. i remember seeing the movie when i was a child and just recently purchased it well not recently in november. they sale it at wal-mart in the 5.99 to 9.99 section of movies hope you get a chance to see it

[ironhorseman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sask_Tinplater

Originally posted by jimhaleyscomet


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In Throw Momma From The Train (1987), there's a very quick scene with Danny DeVito running postwar Lionel trains on the front porch of his house. A diecast steamer pulls a three-dome Gulf tank car and a maroon LV hopper car around an oval of track. There are a gateman and a 252 crossing gate which aren't hooked up. DeVito pushes the crossing gate down himself. You can also see some orange and blue Lionel boxes lying around.

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Yes! Throw Momma From The Train! Funny stuff!

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