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Model trains used as visual effects in movies

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  • Member since
    November 2001
  • From: US
  • 1,720 posts
Posted by MAbruce on Saturday, October 24, 2009 5:17 PM

lisican

The Fugitive. In a scene where Han Solo is running and a train crashes off the tracks behind him, that's a model.

 

Seriously, Han Solo??  Laugh

That would be Harrison Ford as Deputy Marshall Sam Gerard. 

The scene was inter-cut between models and 1:1.  In fact, I recently saw some posted pictures of the rusting loco shell and the bus (in Dillsboro, North Carolina) where the live action from this scene was filmed.  They just left them there after staging the crash.

I read that the landscapes overflown in "Flight of the Intruder" were all done in N-scale.

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Southeast Kansas
  • 1,329 posts
Posted by wholeman on Saturday, October 24, 2009 4:55 PM

I thought the Fugitive used a real train.  I would like to learn more though.  That is interesting about the Titanic movie.

Now that I think of it.  The movie Speed used a model to film the part of the subway crash.

Will

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Hollywood
  • 101 posts
Posted by lisican on Saturday, October 24, 2009 4:51 PM

The Fugitive. In a scene where Han Solo is running and a train crashes off the tracks behind him, that's a model. I don't know the scale, but the guage looks like its about 10", and the engine looks like it was 30" high. I know those numbers aren't right, but I've only got a small picture to look at, and there's a guy kneeling down with an engine that goes up to his chest.

 In Titanic, there's a scene with the boat at the dock, and a train and some buildings in front of it. The buildings are models, but the train is made from photo cutouts because it was too expensive to buy a lot of large models, so they bought a few, took photographs and could then duplicate as many cars as they needed.

http://www.1223artistry.com http://www.ohnoamonster.com
  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: Southeast Kansas
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Model trains used as visual effects in movies
Posted by wholeman on Saturday, October 24, 2009 4:37 PM

I was thinking back to all of the places I have been to and one particular trip got to me.  It was in the summer of 2001, and I was on a trip to Florida with my parents and grandparents.  We stopped at a hotel/casino resort in Tunica MS.  I remember the name of the casino was the Hollywood.  They had a bunch of memoribilia from various movies.  I have pictures of some of the artifacts stored away somewhere.

I remember one particular display that caught my eye.  It was models of trains that were used as backups for the movie Under Siege 2 starring Steven Seagal.  It is a great movie.  The models of the passenger cars were about 5 long and were extremely detailed.  The tank cars were a little shorter and carried a small tank that held butane for the explosions.

Any other movies that employed the same kind of technique with model railroading?

Will

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