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Hollywood and railroads.

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Posted by Firelock76 on Thursday, December 21, 2017 8:16 AM

A few years back I read a magazine article about a big World War Two re-enactment, don't remember where it took place, but anyway the action was going hot and heavy, Americans versus Germans, and then a Japanese Zero (one of the "Tora-Tora-Tora" modified T-6's) showed up and began "strafing" the Americans!

No problem, a P-51 Mustang arrived just in time and took care of the Zero!

Not authentic of course, but played for laughs and the crowd of spectators just ate it up!

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Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, December 21, 2017 8:03 AM

Stukas at Midway? Doesn't everybody know that the Japanese were aware that they would lose many planes and pilots there so they persuaded Adolf to send the Stukas, with pilots?Smile

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Posted by tree68 on Thursday, December 21, 2017 3:14 AM

Semper Vaporo
The TV show "Emergency" about Fire Department Paramedics was set in the 70's, yet in any scene involving railroads, there were always steam whistles and chuffing sounds in the background. 

At least the railroad stuff was shot in LA...

One thing about that show was that anything fire or medical related was accurate, at least for the time.  The technical advisor (Jim Page - after whom "Johnny Gage" was named) ensured that was the case.  The fire station used (LACoFD 126) still stands as a fire station.

Other stuff, not so much.  I recall episodes when the squad magically acquired a Federal "Q" (wind-up) siren.  OTOH, the reason Roy always drove wasn't because he was senior.  It was because he was driving the day they did all of the stock shots...

Murphy Siding
Hellcats chasing Stukas at Midway!Grumpy

Footage from the movie "Tora Tora Tora" has found it's way into a number of movies about WWII since it came out.  Kind of odd seeing cranes in the middle of the ocean...

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Posted by kenny dorham on Thursday, December 21, 2017 1:33 AM

BaltACD

Just watched an episode of 'Big Valley' from 1966 'Last Train to the Fair'.

Departure from realities.

Car was cut off on the fly - as if it was link & pin, with knuckle couplers visible, as well as air hose visible on both cars at the coupling.

Car rolls to a stop, without the person that initiated the action using the stem winder hand brake.  Balance of train continues without noticing the missing car.  No protection is provided for the car against a following train.

Ultimately train returns for the car, backs to a coupling, without anyone visible to make the coupling and no more does the head end contact the car than the train is pulling away with it.

Poetic License indeed.

 

 

Are you new to Movies.?
They miss the facts about every subject.....from Knitting Needles to Jet Planes.

There is nothing special about trains, that Hollywood would get right at the expense of every other category under the stars.

"Hollywood" Movies are  about entertainment, not documentaries. Smile

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Posted by tdmidget on Thursday, December 21, 2017 12:14 AM

gmpullman

Major news outlets are just as guilty. How often do you see an item about — say — a grade crossing accident in Texas (insert your own scenario) and the accompanying photo is an Amtrak Acela train in WUT.

Just sayin...

Ed

 

"WUT"???????????

 

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Thursday, December 21, 2017 12:13 AM

The TV show "Emergency" about Fire Department Paramedics was set in the 70's, yet in any scene involving railroads, there were always steam whistles and chuffing sounds in the background.  Mind you, I loved the sound effects, but they just didn't go with the Dismals in the scenes.

 

Then there is a magazine that I won't mention the title of, but it had to do with everything Scientific in America.  I loved reading that mag... felt like whatever subject an article was about I had really learned something... then one month they had an article about a subject I was considered an expert in... Oh dear, if what I learned about nuclear power and bird song and coal mines was of the same caliber, I have to say that I bet birds in coal mines are nuclear powered.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 9:58 PM

jeffhergert

 

 
Firelock76

Reminds me of a series that was on "The History Channel" a year or two ago called "The World Wars."  A pretty good action-packed series if you didn't know what you were looking at.

Unfortunately, I knew what I was looking at.  Too many failed attempts at authenticity to list here.  Oh well.

 

 

 

Just be thankful they were trying to do something related to history.  It used to be my favorite channel.  I hardly ever watch it anymore.

Jeff 

 

Tonight on The History Channel, it's the History of Alien programming on The History Channel marathon.Dead

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Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 9:38 PM

Several years ago, I saw a movie that was presumably set on the Sunset Limited--and the sleeper passengers had keys to their rooms. The only sleepers I ever rode which had room keys were on VIA Renaissance cars, between Montreal and Halifax.

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Posted by jeffhergert on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 8:22 PM

Firelock76

Reminds me of a series that was on "The History Channel" a year or two ago called "The World Wars."  A pretty good action-packed series if you didn't know what you were looking at.

Unfortunately, I knew what I was looking at.  Too many failed attempts at authenticity to list here.  Oh well.

 

Just be thankful they were trying to do something related to history.  It used to be my favorite channel.  I hardly ever watch it anymore.

Jeff 

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Posted by Murphy Siding on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 7:53 PM

Firelock76

Reminds me of a series that was on "The History Channel" a year or two ago called "The World Wars."  A pretty good action-packed series if you didn't know what you were looking at.

Unfortunately, I knew what I was looking at.  Too many failed attempts at authenticity to list here.  Oh well.

 

Netflix currently has a series like that. It's made up of colorized film from WWII. That part is a sight to see. If only they'd dedicated that much effort to the writing and editing. Hellcats chasing Stukas at Midway!Grumpy

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Posted by Firelock76 on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 6:19 PM

Reminds me of a series that was on "The History Channel" a year or two ago called "The World Wars."  A pretty good action-packed series if you didn't know what you were looking at.

Unfortunately, I knew what I was looking at.  Too many failed attempts at authenticity to list here.  Oh well.

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Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 6:17 PM

Major news outlets are just as guilty. How often do you see an item about — say — a grade crossing accident in Texas (insert your own scenario) and the accompanying photo is an Amtrak Acela train in WUT.

Just sayin...

Ed

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Posted by ChuckCobleigh on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 6:11 PM

samfp1943
They must think that folks will not notice some details...

Most folks don't.

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Posted by rdamon on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 3:16 PM

Season 1 Episode 2 - Project Phoenix

The multi-million dollar Phoenix, prototype for a revolutionary new car, disappears from a non-stop train en route to Boston - flat-car included. Banacek is called in to find the missing vehicle before a huge insurance claim must be paid.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0518366/

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Posted by 54light15 on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 2:56 PM

There was a pretty good TV show in the late 60s or early 70s called "Banacek" with George Peppard. Set in Boston and one episode involved transporting a racing car on an open flatcar (like that's gonna happen) and it gets removed from the flat car and the flat car is dumped in a lake with no one noticing. Also, I really didn't know that the Santa Fe served New England, such was the lettering on the locomotives and the caboose. 

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Posted by samfp1943 on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 2:50 PM

Norm48327

"Hollywood takes a lot of license with factual information."

Absolutely, agree...I would add also the People who Produce Television Programs, as well ! Grumpy

 SoapBox   They must think that folks will not notice some details....Specifically, the Programs on the Travel Chanel...Mysteries at the Museum, and some of their other programming...Historical representations of rail travel sequences, about travel in AMERICAN hISTORICAL VIGNETTES...  Why do they seem to think no viewer will notice Historical British Steam Engines, and British passenger cars, shown to represent an American scene?AlienAlienSighSigh  

I guess I'm picking nits??? But sometimes, I think they are mocking their viewing public....Bang HeadBang Head

 

 


 

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Posted by Norm48327 on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 1:38 PM

Hollywood takes a lot of license with factual information.

Norm


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Hollywood and railroads.
Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 12:03 PM

Just watched an episode of 'Big Valley' from 1966 'Last Train to the Fair'.

Departure from realities.

Car was cut off on the fly - as if it was link & pin, with knuckle couplers visible, as well as air hose visible on both cars at the coupling.

Car rolls to a stop, without the person that initiated the action using the stem winder hand brake.  Balance of train continues without noticing the missing car.  No protection is provided for the car against a following train.

Ultimately train returns for the car, backs to a coupling, without anyone visible to make the coupling and no more does the head end contact the car than the train is pulling away with it.

Poetic License indeed.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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