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Did Hollywood get this wrong?

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  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Utica, OH
  • 4,000 posts
Posted by jecorbett on Sunday, March 22, 2015 12:48 PM

rrinker

 Manufacturing plants also used big steam-type whistles to signify shift changes and alert for emergency situations. Now, if they were showing F units, or a GP30 going by and there was a steam whistle....

                 --Randy

 

I thought about that but these happened in two different locations, one a rural setting. It seemed to be the warning whistle of a steam locomotive approaching a grade crossing.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Sunday, March 22, 2015 12:42 PM

 Manufacturing plants also used big steam-type whistles to signify shift changes and alert for emergency situations. Now, if they were showing F units, or a GP30 going by and there was a steam whistle....

                 --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 384 posts
Posted by Redore on Sunday, March 22, 2015 12:37 PM

In 1964 the common low hood diesels would have been some GP 20's, GP 30's, and GP 35's.  There were also some low hood Alco's and maybe some very early GE's.  The confounding factor would have been that Southern and Norfolk and Western went out of their way to continue ordering high hoods back then.

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    August 2013
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Posted by ACY Tom on Sunday, March 22, 2015 11:50 AM

Answer:  Probably.  The Mississippian Ry. in NE Mississippi kept steam at a late date, but I doubt they continued steam as late as 1964.  I'm prepared to be proved wrong, but I don't know of any in NW Mississippi.

Tom

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Utica, OH
  • 4,000 posts
Did Hollywood get this wrong?
Posted by jecorbett on Sunday, March 22, 2015 11:17 AM

Without even knowing I would guess the answer is probably yes. I could write a book about railroad inaccuracies in movies.

Last night I was watching Mississippi Burning, the story of the 3 slain civil rights workers in 1964. It is set in the northwest corner of Mississippi. Twice during the movie, there was the unmistakable sound of a steam locomotive whistle in the background. I know that no major carriers were still operating steam in 1964. Were any shortlines still operating steam locos in that area back then or is this just another case of a director not knowing/caring about railroad accuracy.

Later in the movie there was a chase scene in which the FBI agents were stopped at a crossing by a freight train and it was a diesel. I just caught a glimpse of it but it was a low front hood diesel but I couldn't tell which kind so I don't know if it was one that would have been running in 1964. I believe the movie came out in 1988 so I'm sure they just used what was running back then. 

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