The best railroad movie ever made

[Anonymous]

What's your favorite? My personal choices are "The Emperor of the North Pole" with Lee Marvin as #1 hobo, battling Ernest Borgnine, bad-*** freght conductor, and "The Train", with Burt Lancaster,saving French art from the retreating ***.

[MisterBeasley]

We went through this a few months back, but yeah, the consensus seemed to favor Emporer of the North Pole. As a subway freak, I liked The Taking of Pelham 123.

[Anonymous]

I can't remember the title, but it was one of those made-for-TV movies (filmed in the early 1970's) about a special D&RGW 'ski excursion' train, pulled by a pair of GP30s, that loses its brakes during its return trip down the slopes. Can't even remember the entire plot (whether the brakes failed by accident or sabotage), but some helper units raced up behind the runaway train, coupled to it, and applied full reverse power - stopping the train just in the nick of time, naturally. (If I watched it today, 30 years later, I'd probably laugh thru the whole thing!)

If somebody has seen this and knows the title, could you share it with us?

[Anonymous]

I'll toss my hat in for The Polar Express.

[Anonymous]

Oh, not all over again! This stuff sure gets repeated regularly. Boring.

Bob Boudreau

[gvdobler]

Ken Larsen

That's the one I remember, but can't think of the name. Ben Johnson was the chase engineer. I've never seen the movie again on TV or video rentals.

Jon - Las Vegas

[Anonymous]

"De Wissel Wachter" or in English "The Pointsman"



From the back of the cover...

"***1/2 A most unconventional and beautiful film." - New York Post
" Poetic, romantic, disturbing... Visually it's a stunner." -The Hollywood Reporter
Internationally renowned, award-winning director Jos Stelling (The Illusionist) brings to life a stunning portrait of the intricate complexities of human relationships.
In the dead of winter, a beautiful woman mistakenly alights from a train in the Scottish Highlands, only to find a isolated railway outpost the only shelter for miles. There she meets The Pointsman, a quirky, mysterious recluse, and sole inhabitant of the building. As a string of wierd yet comical events keep her "prisoner" there, a strange friendship developes, transcending all cultural and language barriers. But as the seasons pass, the ill-fated friendship explodes with unexplored emotions and unexpressed desires.


Their words folks, not mine!

In my words, It's a trip!

[Anonymous]

KEN, I saw a movie somewhat similar to that., but I don't think it was the one.
These smugglers were trying to smuggle an atomic bomb on this freight to Denver from like, the Midwest. It gets up into the Rockys, and it loses it's brakes. The officials say they can't stop it and there going to crash it on the outskirts of Denver. One of the smugglers snaps and tells everyone. Then this guy commands these two helpers to try and stop it. But they can't get it stopped. So there is one grade before Denver. They almost stop the train. But the helpers don't know and they smash right through the caboose and accidently shove it down the grade. It hits a sharp turn, derails,blows up, and annihilate Denver! It was pretty cool. It was called "Atomic Train".

[Anonymous]

The original "Silver Streak," was made in the 1930's and the plot was getting a special serum (drug) to save the lives of people with a rare disease. The "Star" of the movie is the C.B. & Q. Zephyr (articulated streamlined consist) which has the "high ball" between the two cities for the emergency delivery. The action shots, for that time, were sensational. The movie was very old when I saw it on early T.V. (1950's). As I recall, the acting was laughable, plot was preposterous and the "effects" were great considering its' age. Probably, it isn't available anymore.

The later "Silver Streak" (comedy) with Eddy Murphy had an awesome wreck scene at the end but too little train action over-all.

[selector]

Was that the same Ben Johnson who was banned from sprint competition for using roids? No wonder that guy was the Chaser!!! [(-D]

[twhite]

Ah, back to this, again, are we? Well, as a Classic Film buff, I nominate:
THE TRAIN
UNION PACIFIC
WHISPERING SMITH'
A TICKET TO TOMAHAWK
DENVER AND RIO GRANDE
Saw EMPEROR OF THE NORTH--great train shots, but awfully foggy Oregon countryside. Borgnine's a mean SOB, though--lots of fun.
Tom[:P][:P]

[Anonymous]

Thomas the Tank Engine

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Ted D. Kramer


The later "Silver Streak" (comedy) with Eddy Murphy had an awesome wreck scene at the end but too little train action over-all.

Unless they've made another "Silver Streak", the one you are referring to starred Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder, not Eddie Murphy.

Rob

[ereimer]

Once Upon a Time in the West
finally released last year on dvd :)

[jwr_1986]

I personally liked the great train robbery. Then again I seem to love anything that Sean Connery does. Donald Sutherland is also a fovorite and Lesley-Anne Down finished out the set of three nicely. As a side note this marks my hundredth post I just wish I could have found another DCC question to answer instead. Whats life without the fun topics anyway.

Jesse

[Pruitt]

"The Train" with Burt Lancaster

[Anonymous]

bibfortuna yes, you are absolutely correct; they have NOT made another "Silver Streak." Once in a while, I suspect that few folks read the previous responses before sending a reply. I'm happy to know that I was wrong about that too. Good going bibfortuna!

[topcopdoc]

Silver Streak with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor was great especially when they crashed the train into the station just like the real PRR GG-1 which crashed into Union Station in Washington, DC. It had good railroad scenery and plenty of interior details of the passenger cars and the engine. The plot was good and Wilder and Pryor were hilarious. I have watched it many times over.

[Anonymous]

I too saw that Denver ski train movie many years ago on TV, but don't know the name of it.

My two favorite train movies were Runaway Train with Jon Voight (about an escape from an Alaskan prision ) and Switchback with Dennis Quaid and Dannny Glover (an FBI agent looking for his son ends up on a Denver to Oakland freight).

I highly recommend both.

[retsignalmtr]

ben johnson was the engineer of the runaway train in that ski movie. i believe the brakes froze on the trip back. union pacific and denver and rio grande were good ones. does the up have licensing rights to the movie? does anyone know if the old tv series casey jones was ever put out on video tape? i think alan hale jr (the skipper) played casey jones.

[Hudsonmike]

The original 1930 Silver Streak and 1930 Danger Lights with John Armstrong
You Know the guy from the orginal King Kong Movie.
Although the acting is poor the train scenes are great with lots of steam Engines.
Oh by the way I have copys of both these films.
Mike

[Anonymous]

What about Mission Impossible ?? or Under Siege 2 ?? Both had really good train Scenes in them ??

[Anonymous]

Can't remember the title, but Gene Hackman was in a pretty good thriller with a chase scene on the roof of a streamliner in the mountains. Very improbable but entertaining, especially when they went through a tunnel near the end.

[jjdjr]

[2c]

Unfortunately, I have not seen "Emperor", but for my money "The Train" with Bert Lancaster and a host of european character actors gets my vote. Set in July 1944 outside of Paris, the film shows the effects of sabotage against the Germans trying to supply their troops and steal valuable art from french museums to take back to Germany. The film was photographed in black and white by John Frankenheimer, noted for his realism in films. A number of operating french locomotives and rolling stock were used to stage some graphic train wrecks. Actual french railroad workers were used as extras to add more realism.

If you saw Frankenheimer's Grand Prix you know how much a stickler for detail he is.

[vsmith]

I cant beleive NO ONE mention THE BEST train movie EVER!!!!

The General, with Buster Keaton!!!!

If you havent seen it go get it!!! its the greatest trian movie ever made!!!!

My top list in no particular order

The General (naturally)
Our Hospitality , another Keaton /train flick
The Train
Emporer of the North
Runaway train (while not specificly ABOUT trains has great story)
Union Pacific, eh'Bucko!
The Titfield Thunderbolt (another if you havent seen it, FIND it)

other good'uns...

La Bete (the Beast) French 1930's great trains in action scenes
Number 17 (early Hitchcock, terrific chase between a train and a bus)
Silver Streak, Wilder/Pryor version
Denver and Rio Grande
Disaster on the Coastliner (TV movie with Bill Shatner and a great ending)
Von Ryans Express
Polar Express

Worst of list...

Under Sludge 2, WOW did this one stink!
Cassandra Crossing, OOOH the Pain!!!
and my all time biggest doodie-droping ...

Atomic Train, my vote for most idiotic movie of the decade! OMG LMAOROF I howled thru this turkey bomb! The mastercopy should be buried in atomic waste and burried in Yucca Mountain!


BTW the TV movie no one can remember the name of is "Runaway!" about the ski train.

[jjdjr]

You really must tell us how you really feel!

[DavidBriel]

Breakheart Pass with Charles Bronson and The Great Locomotive Chase with Fess Parker

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

I'll toss my hat in for The Polar Express.

[#ditto]
I took my son to see it....GREAT MOVIE

[retsignalmtr]

nobody mentioned vonryans express.

[MidlandPacific]

Or "Denver & Rio Grande," which I've been trying to find on DVD or VHS for years.