Model trains depicted in the Entertainment industry, Movie or TV. Good, Bad, and the Ugly?

[Kenfolk]

Spoiler Alert: If you haven't seen the Twilight Zone episode, read no further.

 

There was an eerie "Twilight Zone" [the original--hosted by Rod Serling] episode in which the drama ended with the "world" in the drama  actually a young boy's layout. (I hate giving away the ending).

 

[Medina1128]

The movie mentioned earlier by rtpoteet about the Jewish U2 pilot is John Goldfarb, Please Come Home.  Seeing as we got off into animation with "Chip 'n Dale", I'll mention the classic Wallace and Gromit short, The Wrong Trousers.

Thanks to twhite for identifying the Cary Grant movie with the trains.  I'm a big Cary Grant fan, and I've never seen People Will Talk.  I knew The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer didn't have the trains.  What it did have was a teenage Shirley Temple with a crush on Carey Grant.

Speaking of Cary Grant and trains, in a recent blog post I wrote about about North by Northwest, how Cary's character rides the 20th Century Ltd. in that movie, and about the unusual SP consist used in the final scene.  I'd be grateful for comments if anyone knows anything about that SP train used.

Best!

Randall, didn't they also play a football game against an Arab team vs. Notre Dame in that movie?

[Dean-58]

There was a hospital series, can't remember if it was St. Elsewhere or ? but Mandy Patinkin used to run some of his huge personal Lionel collection on his office floor.

 

That was Chicago Hope...and Mandy Patinkin is an avid Lionel collector from what I have read...I also remember a Dudley Moore movie that had a Lionel layout...I think it may have been Arthur...

Yes, Fireman, that movie was "Arthur"--and the amiable and wealthy drunk had an extensive vintage Lionel layout.  I was born less than a hundred yards from the Milwaukee Road's double-tracked Milwaukee-Twin Cities main line and spent the next 13 years less than a block away, so I sorta absorbed railroading from the air I breathed, as well as the trains that rushed past in front of my eyes.  My eldest brother had a prewar Lionel train set, set up on a 4x8 that came out of storage in the winter and went back in the spring.  I didn't realize until later that this was a top of the line set--among the stamped sheet metal offerings--with magnetic uncoupling.  But it still ran on 3-rail track, which offended my prototype sensibilities when I inherited it after he went off the the Air Force during the Korean War.  Mom sold it to my aunt, for her little boy, for TWELVE BUCKS, and when we moved to a larger house with a full basement, I asked for an American Flyer set for the next Christmas because it was 2-rail.

But as I grew older, I came to enjoy those old tinplate trains, even the Marx stuff--and when I looked up that old Lionel of my brother's, I was shocked to find the loco alone was worth (I think) $750.  When a friend and I went to see "Arthur" in the theater and saw that huge collection of prewar collectible Lionel stuff, I was blown away!  I seem to recall reading somewhere that all those goodies were borrowed from someone in Hollywood for the movie, so they had to take very good care of it because it was worth a fortune.  In the last 20 years or so, I've come to regard that old tinplate stuff the same way I regard Ferraris: I wouldn't mind owning--but I certainly wouldn't buy it!  I think I'm gonna check and see if "Arthur" is available on DVD...

[twhite]

Speaking of Cary Grant and trains, in a recent blog post I wrote about about North by Northwest, how Cary's character rides the 20th Century Ltd. in that movie, and about the unusual SP consist used in the final scene.  I'd be grateful for comments if anyone knows anything about that SP train used.

Best!

Randall--

That final scene, with the SP train going into the tunnel is of the SAN JOAQUIN DAYLIGHT.  Reportedly, one of Hitchcock's assistants said of that sequence, "That's pretty--uh--'suggestive,' Mr. Hitchock, don't you think?"  Hitch stared at the assistant and said, "ANY idiot could figure that out." 

Tom

[mr moto]

Okay, I'm dating myself by the shows I watched in the '70's, but hey, I was just a kid.  There was an episode of Ellery Queen where the clue to a guy's murder was found in the tunnel on his model railroad.  If I remember right, Ellery stuck a piece of gum to the front of an engine and ran it through to collect the all important evidence.

[fireman216]

There was a hospital series, can't remember if it was St. Elsewhere or ? but Mandy Patinkin used to run some of his huge personal Lionel collection on his office floor.

 

That was Chicago Hope...and Mandy Patinkin is an avid Lionel collector from what I have read...I also remember a Dudley Moore movie that had a Lionel layout...I think it may have been Arthur...

[Randall_Roberts]

The movie mentioned earlier by rtpoteet about the Jewish U2 pilot is John Goldfarb, Please Come Home.  Seeing as we got off into animation with "Chip 'n Dale", I'll mention the classic Wallace and Gromit short, The Wrong Trousers.

Thanks to twhite for identifying the Cary Grant movie with the trains.  I'm a big Cary Grant fan, and I've never seen People Will Talk.  I knew The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer didn't have the trains.  What it did have was a teenage Shirley Temple with a crush on Carey Grant.

Speaking of Cary Grant and trains, in a recent blog post I wrote about about North by Northwest, how Cary's character rides the 20th Century Ltd. in that movie, and about the unusual SP consist used in the final scene.  I'd be grateful for comments if anyone knows anything about that SP train used.

Best!

[NEMMRRC]

Here's a spoof about model railroads found in YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC8VzVmNPOI

It is actually listed in www.imdb.com:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417276/

Jaime

[NEMMRRC]

There is a Splke Lee movie about a gansta, I believe the name is Clockers. The gansta has a Lionel layout in his house. He is shown playing with the trains in several scenes.

Plot summary for Clockers (1995) (http://www.imdb.com)

Strike is a young city drug pusher under the tutelage of drug-lord Rodney Little, who, when not playing with model trains or drinking Moo for his ulcer, just likes to chill with his brothers near the benches outside the project houses. When a night man at a fast-food restaurant is found with four bullets in his body, Strike's older brother turns himself in as the killer. Det. Rocco Klein doesn't buy the story, however, and sets out to find the truth, and it seems that all the fingers point toward Strike & Rodney.


Jaime

[trainfan1221]

QUOTE: Originally posted by myred02

Well, there is this stupid Burger King commercial that usually airs on "Nickelodeon" and other kiddy channels (my brother watches them, and I'm on the internet sometimes and I glance over and watch this commercial). In it, a few kids are playing with a pretty well-done O gauge layout with one Lionel steamer hauling two passenger cars. It goes over a bridge, which has a section missing, and just before the train goes over it, a sock puppet that looks like "The King" shows up out of nowhere and brings the train to a sudden and violent stop. Then it goes into the whole "Now at Burger King! New Superman Returns Toys in every Big Kids Meal!" At the end, another kid throws a toy at the train and knocks it off the track. [banghead][censored][banghead][censored]

I wouldn't let those kids anywhere near my layout!

-Brandon

Yeah,seen that one. People love to destroy model trains for effect.

[twhite]

QUOTE: Originally posted by APG45

There was a good movie with Cary Grant (the biggest male heartthrob of the 60s), IIRC it was the "Batchelor and the Bobisoxer". Cary Grant plays a respected pediatrician and one of his hobbies is operating lionel trains with his friends---other doctors and a judge. Of course this movie was made back in the sixties or so.

How about Mr. Rogers??? I always considered the trolley to be a model railroad. I don't think you could get any more positive than that, even if it didn't actually display prototype modeling.

That Cary Grant film you're thinking of is a real favorite of mine: PEOPLE WILL TALK, made around 1952 or so. In one scene, his new wife, Jeanne Crain goes to a department store and tells the salesman that she wants a very elaborate train set for a birthday present. The salesman asks, "And how old is the boy?" Crain answers, "40. He'll be 41." The actual train sequence, with track all over the second story of the house is run on a "Beep", "Beep-Beep", "Beep-Beep-BEEP!" set of signals between Grant, his father in law and a fellow professor. It's a really funny sequence, especially when the "Beeps" get mixed up and Lionel carnage ensues.
Terrific movie.
Tom

[myred02]

Well, there is this stupid Burger King commercial that usually airs on "Nickelodeon" and other kiddy channels (my brother watches them, and I'm on the internet sometimes and I glance over and watch this commercial). In it, a few kids are playing with a pretty well-done O gauge layout with one Lionel steamer hauling two passenger cars. It goes over a bridge, which has a section missing, and just before the train goes over it, a sock puppet that looks like "The King" shows up out of nowhere and brings the train to a sudden and violent stop. Then it goes into the whole "Now at Burger King! New Superman Returns Toys in every Big Kids Meal!" At the end, another kid throws a toy at the train and knocks it off the track. [banghead][censored][banghead][censored]

I wouldn't let those kids anywhere near my layout!

-Brandon

[trainfan1221]

Don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but a model layout is used as a sight gag in the Superman movie. I always enjoy movies about trains in general just so I can pick out inaccuracies in them.

[MAbruce]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Medina1128

MABruce, as far as an actor taking on a role, in which the main character could promote model railroading and NOT be a psycho, maybe Michael Gross (Family Ties) would be interested. I understand that he is SO into trains, that he and his wife recently sold their own short line RR. I have seen many video productions that Mr. Gross has appeared in, and I've always been impressed.

Yes, Mike has been a great promoter for this hobby over the years. While I think he's a talented actor, his recent notable roles are not exactly along the lines of the type of character that I'd like to see associated with MRR. I can only be relieved that ‘Burt’ the survivalist/gun freak didn’t have a layout in his fortified basement. [:D][;)]

Sorry to carry on about this subject, but I am someone who someday hopes to write and direct movies. So if the opportunity ever comes up, I’ll do my best to incorporate this hobby into a movie in a positive way. But it will have to be in N-scale… [:p][:D]

[Medina1128]

Lbeach, I don't remember the show, but it sounds interesting.
MABruce, as far as an actor taking on a role, in which the main character could promote model railroading and NOT be a psycho, maybe Michael Gross (Family Ties) would be interested. I understand that he is SO into trains, that he and his wife recently sold their own short line RR. I have seen many video productions that Mr. Gross has appeared in, and I've always been impressed.

[Anonymous]

I maybe dating myself on this one, Does anyone remember a TV show, "The Wonderful World of Trains". As I recall it was a show that promoted Lionel trains. Dates back to at leaste the 60's.

[MAbruce]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CNJ831

Over the last couple of decades one increasingly sees model trains on the silver screen as the province of extreme eccentrics, megalomaniacs, and down right mental degenerates! Trains are not used for the fun of it or as an artistic expression but rather to create scenes of distruction and mayhem. ...

Sadly, the common presentation, in fact almost uniquely so today, is seen in the new Superman, the Adams Family, and such other more recent films. Here the owner is played as suffering from some form of insanity. I'm not sure whether this concept derives from the film maker's view of the hobby or is actually how the general public sees us. Either way, this view is re-inforced in films today and is highly degrading. Who among teens or 20-something adults would wi***o consider our hobby after seeing it ridiculed in such a manner on the screen?

CNJ831

I totally agree. Hollywood tends to use our hobby as a device to underscore a characters eccentric nature. It’s now cliché that all megalomaniacs have their own little world in model trains.

I also believe that this sort of portrayal has had a negative impact on the general public’s perception about our hobby. Wouldn’t it be nice for a change to see a popular actor take on a well adjusted and likable role who was into model railroading?

Overall, while many here might be looking for any sign of model trains in movies/TV and how well the layout is done, I am far more concerned about how it’s portrayed. This hobby could use some positive characterization in the mainstream media for once. Imagine the interest that could generate.

[Anonymous]

I remember a BNSF layout in a movie call The Westing Game

[Medina1128]

I remember the opening credits for the TV series, The Fugitive (the 1st season), it was an obvious model railroad that they show "jumping the tracks" and subsequent smoldering train. Others that come to mind are the scenes in Von Ryan's Express where the train flying through a yard is being bombed by the allies. I think this movie and Walt Disney's The Great Train Chase, starring Fess Parker, had as much to do with me getting into model railroading as the trainsets my dad bought for us when we were kids.

[snowey]

this doesn't really have much to do with the topic; but in the movie "Von Ryans Express" with Frank Sinatra, I heard once (on AMC back when they were a GOOD channel. Now I don't even watch them; I'd MUCH rather watch TCM) anyway, that the director-John Frankenheimer-coordinated (planned) the train scenes with model trains.

For those who never saw the movie, I highly reccomend it. It's a WWW2 action-adventure.

[Benjamin Maggi]

I was just watching the third Harry Potter movie (Harry Potter and the Prisoner from Azkaban) and there is a model train in it. In one scene where Harry is talking to the wizard teaching the "Dark Arts", a rotating display of the universe is shown with all of the planets and such. And, also part of that rotating contraption is a model train. Not EXACTLY a model train layout, but at least it is there.

[snowey]

QUOTE: Originally posted by canazar

There was the opening scene in Beetle Juice. A decent HO layout is used throught the movie. been forever since I have seen it, but the "Dad" who works on it, if I remember correctly, was protrayed as pretty normal guy.

that wasn't a layout; it was an HO scale diorama. And; the "Dad" was played by Alec Baldwin.

[leighant]

Maybe a model railroader needs to create a story with a model railroader as hero. How about a normal everyday model railroader who, while taking a train ride or researching a model, stumbles upon some horrendous crime or plot to destroy the world. Using the knowledge, skills and perception derived from years of modeling, the train nut--OOPS, I mean hero solves the mystery and saves the world.

There could even ben a series of such mystery books, just as there is one about a rabbi who solves cases using rabbinical knowledge, etc. etc.

[garya]

Anybody ever see a show called "Strip Mall" on Comedy Central a few years ago, with Julie Brown and Victoria Jackson? Julie Brown's character was married to a model railroader. Somehow he fell and crashed a train into his head, and forever after he had a model loco sticking out of his head.

Gary

[rfross]

I remember an episode of The Man From Uncle where Napolean Solo (Robert Vaughn) was captured and he had to direct two model trains around a layout so that they wouldn't collide. He couldn't control the speed or stop them. He could only throw switches to keep them from colliding. If they did crash a vial of deadly nerve gas that was being carried on a flat car was going to spill and would kill him.

The web is a wonderful tool for finding details on things from a long time ago. Go here: http://www.manfromuncle.org/episode2.htm if you want the details of Episode 41 titled The Children's Day Affair which ran in season two in 1965 - 1966.

Yeah, I'm old enough to remember that episode!

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by canazar

There was the opening scene in Beetle Juice. A decent HO layout is used throught the movie. been forever since I have seen it, but the "Dad" who works on it, if I remember correctly, was protrayed as pretty normal guy.

Saw this recently....The layout in Beetlejuice is just of the buildings in the town, no trains...guess thats why he's portrayed as "normal"[;)]

[Renegade1c]

Its not really a model Railroad "layout" but in Under Seige 2 they use models (larger than G guage) to do the train crash scene off of a large steel trestle. it is a pretty spectacular train wreck.

Also Back to the Future 3 has a model railroad that they use to plot Marty's return to 1985 from 1885.

[Anonymous]

There is a Christmas Lionel scene in the beginning of "A Christmas Story."


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/



Matt

[Anonymous]

Anybody mention Gomez Adams' layout? Let's not forget him.

[aloco]

How about Roy Neary's layout in Close Encounters of the Third Kind? An Amtrak F7 plows into a DL&W 40' box car.