Trains.com

Trains in old movies but not necessarily train movies

49968 views
553 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 7:53 PM

"Ahhhh-- you're a native Space-Time-rrr..."

Could work.

Of course the original song was NOT very flattering to native New Yorkers... or, in fact, male New Yorkers...

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 8:19 PM

Penny Trains

Why, and better yet HOW, do people keep putting tenders on backwards!?!?  Confused

 

Yeah, that's a head scratcher, ain't it?

I guess Lionel didn't mind as long as the name was recognizable!

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • From: I've been everywhere, man
  • 4,269 posts
Posted by SD70Dude on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 8:25 PM

Must be a wishful attempt at design improvement. 

The water tank is closer to the firebox so the water can be preheated before being added to the boiler!

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 10:06 PM

SD70Dude
The water tank is closer to the firebox so the water can be preheated before being added to the boiler!

And the coal is more accessible to be used in the stove that no doubt goes with the short-wheelbase archbar truck on that passenger car...

  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 5,017 posts
Posted by rcdrye on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 7:50 AM

Ward Kimball's engine "Emma Nevada" was the model for Casey Jr. Walt Disney is suposed to have said "Make it like your engine, Ward".

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • 1,692 posts
Posted by Erik_Mag on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 1:50 PM

Having seen the "Emma Nevada" up close several times, the resemblance may be fair at best. The coach behind Casey Jr strongly resembles Ward's C&C (SP ng) coach.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 5:14 PM

It's possible  Casey Jr.'s based on "Emma Nevada," but if that's the case it's very loosely based.  "Emma's" a 2-6-0, Casey's a 2-4-0.

Just how much of "Emma" Walt Disney might have seen is questionable.  Ward Kimball purchased "Emma" in 1938 for scrap value and began restoration that year, the engline wasn't fully operational again until 1942.  "Dumbo" came out a year earlier. 

All speculation on my part.  Where there's NO speculation is the fact Walt was a railfan from way back, hence his insistance of live steam railroads at Disneyland and later at Disney World. 

Anyway, here's the whole "Emma Nevada" story.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grizzly_Flats_Railroad  

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 5:45 PM

I always enjoyed seeing those SP Black Widows in the old Frank Sinatra movie "Suddenly".

 

And the CGI T-1 in the movie "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events"  was a pleasant yet unfortunately brief surprise.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 7:01 PM

Good movie, "Suddenly!"

The "Black Widows" are cool, but what really surprised me was the rifle the assassin played so well by Sinatra was going to use, a German G-43 semi-automatic rifle.  It's been called "Hitler's Garand." *  

It's very  unusual to see those rifles in any films, including war films. 

After the American M-1 rifle of WW2 fame, also called the "Garand," after it's inventor John C. Garand.

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 7:12 PM

I think it was "Suddenly" where I first really tuned into Willis Bouchey as an actor. Prior to that I always just saw him as some bit actor I had seen play gruff authority figures dozens of times, but never really  paid attention to because usually he was just tangential to the actual script.

But after I saw him in Suddenly, I started taking more notice when I would see him elsewhere.

 

Whole movie right here, free of charge   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MBLJcr-dt0

Those old Nash squadcars are kina spiffy too.

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 7:30 PM

Nashes seemed to be the most used police cars in old films like Suddenly. Most any film noir set in L.A. in the late 40s and early 50s, the cops drove Nashes. 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 7:48 PM

There's another veteran character actor in "Suddenly" named Paul Frees.  You may not recognize the name but listen to him closely when he speaks and you might just recognize the voice.

Frees was one of Hollywood's favorite "go-to" guys when it came to voice-overs and characterizations, especially for animated features.  His most famous voice?

Boris Badenov!  

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • From: I've been everywhere, man
  • 4,269 posts
Posted by SD70Dude on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 7:57 PM

Ah look Natasha!  Moos and Sqvirrel!!!

Greetings from Alberta

-an Articulate Malcontent

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • From: Parma Heights Ohio
  • 3,442 posts
Posted by Penny Trains on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 8:41 PM

 

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 9:22 PM

Nice finds Becky, especially the Christmas card!

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 10:16 PM

Convicted One
And the CGI T-1 in the movie "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events"  was a pleasant yet unfortunately brief surprise.

Not unfortunately brief to the kids in the car, though...

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • 1,692 posts
Posted by Erik_Mag on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 10:19 PM

Becky,

Second picture is of the "Chloe" which is now on display in the Grizzly Flats Enginehouse (AKA Carbarn 7, also AKA Jimminy Cricket) of the Orange Empire Railway Museum. Spent most of my weekends 1991-92 assisting with the finishing of the building.

The Chloe is also the prototype of the LGB model.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, April 9, 2020 10:38 AM

I just remembered this one, keeping with the theme of trains in movies that aren't train movies.

Anyone remember the John Wayne movie "The Sons Of Katie Elder?"  The opening credits have some nice run-bys of a Durango and Silverton train running through the Animas River canyon.  Actually, I think it was still the Denver & Rio Grande Western at the time, the movie was filmed in 1965. 

Anyway, if you don't mind the credit overlays, here you go.  Wait for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4KUMb41lqs   

One of the best Western movie themes, EVER!  

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:19 AM

Speaking of John Wayne, I recall some interesting use of trains (and train depots)  in the movie "Three Godfathers"

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:21 AM

And that Glen Ford movie "the Sheepmen"...although the involvement of trains is minimal, I've found the confrontation scene where they are unloading the sheep from the train to be enjoyable.

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:25 AM

And what about that improbable scene from the Harrison Ford remake of the Fugitive  where the wrecked plane is sitting in the path of the train?  The scene where the derailed train pursues him over the bridge abutment always  opens up my adrenaline ports.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:45 AM

Convicted One
And what about that improbable scene from the Harrison Ford remake of the Fugitive  where the wrecked plane is sitting in the path of the train?

You mean the one where he winds up crouching under the very recognizable axle and gear of a demotored truck?  Devil

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:53 AM

How about the train scenes in "Bad Day at Black Rock".

 

York1 John       

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:54 AM

 

"You mean the one where he winds up crouching under the very recognizable axle and gear of a demotored truck?"

I always felt that the way the train plowed up dirt was just a little too "CGI ish" as well. But hey it's not a documentary, it's entertainment. Let's try to avoid the "that's not the way you connect brake lines" type rivet counting. Angel

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Thursday, April 9, 2020 11:07 PM

I need to see Bad Day again. Borgnine in his meanest role since Fatso Judson. 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, April 10, 2020 9:33 AM

Actually, I think Ernie Borgnine's meanest role was as "Shack" the sadistic conductor in "Emperor Of The North."  My God, he's so terrifying in that role I've only watched the movie once, and never again.

Shows just what a good actor Ernest Borgnine was, all those who knew him said he was an absolute prince and one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet.

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Friday, April 10, 2020 2:39 PM

Oh yeah, forgot about Shack. I wasn't too crazy about that movie- it's of the 1970s with the split-screen gimmick of which I've never seen the point. But he was scary as hell. He said his best scene in "Eternity" was when Pruitt stabbed him in the alley and he said, "You've killed me. What did you want to kill me for?" That scene was filmed and it was in the book but it was left out of the final film. 

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • From: Parma Heights Ohio
  • 3,442 posts
Posted by Penny Trains on Friday, April 10, 2020 7:18 PM

Overmod

 

 
Convicted One
And what about that improbable scene from the Harrison Ford remake of the Fugitive  where the wrecked plane is sitting in the path of the train?

 

You mean the one where he winds up crouching under the very recognizable axle and gear of a demotored truck?  Devil

 

 

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, April 10, 2020 7:28 PM

If I remember correctly that sequence was shot on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in North Carolina, and the hulks were left behind as an attraction on the scenic ride.

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Friday, April 10, 2020 7:37 PM

LOL, I must have gotten my "Tommy Lee Jones" movies crossed up, I don't know why I remembered it being a crashed plane sitting on the train tracks.Dunce

I suspect I must have gotten confused thinking about the water at the dam that Kimble jumped off of, with the water that the plane ended up in from the other movie?

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy