Trains.com

Trains in old movies but not necessarily train movies

49849 views
553 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 10:15 AM

Just remembered this one, a 1972 Clint Eastwood film called "Joe Kidd."

I remember the ads, "If you're looking for trouble, he's Joe Kidd!"

A fun "shoot-'em-up" Western.  It's got a serious premise, but it's also full of a lot of comic situations.  Where does the train come in?  Clint ( as Joe) runs a locomotive through a saloon to get the drop on the bad guys and wrecks the saloon in the process!  The segment's hilarious!

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Friday, September 4, 2020 9:27 PM

Overmod
To help make the artificial mountains in parks called Trummerbergs.

There's a semi-buried WW2 flak tower under one of those Trummerbergs in Berlin.  (Some of it still sticks out a bit)

It was easier to bury the flak tower than it was to tear it down!

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Friday, September 4, 2020 4:23 PM

54light15
you see the temporary narrow gauge railways laid on the streets to carry away rubble. Called Trummerbahns, I think. 

To help make the artificial mountains in parks called Trummerbergs.

(There are different German plurals but this is a discussion in English...) 

  • Member since
    November 2014
  • 250 posts
Posted by ORNHOO on Friday, September 4, 2020 4:15 PM

For postwar railroading in (Occupied) Germany, I would suggest the first film produced in Germany after the war; Berlin Express: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlfLqa54mww&list=PL8BJNGacupQnHzQTd7kQFrKKFIA_Pvwbg

 

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Friday, September 4, 2020 1:52 PM

"I Was a Male War Bride" directed by Howard Hawks with Cary Grant and Anne Sheridan. Not a lot of train action, but it's set in postwar Germany and you see the temporary narrow gauge railways laid on the streets to carry away rubble. Called Trummerbahns, I think. 

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Monday, August 24, 2020 6:59 PM

Another Fritz Lang movie, "Clash by Night" from 1953 with Barbara Stanwyck and Marilyn Monroe. There is one scene with an SP locomotive running light. It's filmed in Monterey, CA where the canneries are or were and we've all read Steinbeck's Cannery Row. What he wrote about is what you will see. 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, August 24, 2020 8:55 AM

Yep, it's 774 all right.  The film makers needed a steam locomotive for the 1917 sequence and the New York Central (That's the West Shore Line that runs through West Point) had none handy, so the CNJ's 774 was brought in. 

Yes, it's a shame 774 missed being preserved.  The CNJ had already donated a Camelback to the B&O Museum, and were willing to sell 774 to anyone who wanted it but there were no takers, or at least any takers who had the money to do so.  Imagine if "crowd funding" existed back in those days, it might have been a different story.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Sunday, August 23, 2020 7:25 PM

54light15
There is a scene set in 1917 where the troops board a train at the West Point station (it's still there)  and the train is pulled by a camelback.

If I remember, this was mentioned in a now-old issue of Trains (in conjunction with CNJ Camelbacks) and as I recall it's our beloved 774, a locomotive that should have seen preservation several times over...

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Sunday, August 23, 2020 7:03 PM

Last night it was John Ford's "The Long Grey Line" set at West Point. There is a scene set in 1917 where the troops board a train at the West Point station (it's still there)  and the train is pulled by a camelback. I've never seen one in a movie, much less in real life. 

  • Member since
    November 2014
  • 250 posts
Posted by ORNHOO on Saturday, August 22, 2020 10:16 PM

The cable channel COMET has been celebrating Ray Bradbury's 100th birthday with a marathon of Ray Bradbury Theater episodes including this one where Jeff Goldblum rides a VIA RDC to the town of Erehwon (Canadian for the exact opposite of Willoughby): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNhm0Q618gM

 

(And keep a lookout for Ward Kimball as the stationmaster)

 

  • Member since
    November 2014
  • 250 posts
Posted by ORNHOO on Saturday, August 22, 2020 5:36 PM

54light15
But here's a question- did the Red Car have any underground stations?

At least one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subway_Terminal_Building

 

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Saturday, August 22, 2020 11:47 AM

Well, the movie was from RKO studios which obviously didn't have the money that MGM had. This was mostly an indoor movie and the few exterior shots were a set that I've seen in many films and was a kind of generic "city" that could be anyplace. 

But here's a question- did the Red Car have any underground stations? I assume it may have been shot in a tunnel with a fake station set up. 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 21,669 posts
Posted by Overmod on Saturday, August 22, 2020 11:04 AM

Flintlock76
Film making budgets are tyrannical things.  If you can't afford to film a New York story in New York you do the best you can and hope no-one notices. 

Particularly tyrannical for B pictures even with famous directors ... perhaps especially with famous directors and famous 'talent' that has to be well-paid out of that tyrannically-limited budget...

This is of a piece with the 'they won't notice' artifacts of the first films shot with true portable cameras and faster film stock 'on location' in actual trains in the '50s.  As with many SMPTE wonder technologies this could lead to results like random boxcars moving in randomly opposite directions in the background of sequential frames in two-shots, an instant distraction even for many non-foamers...

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Saturday, August 22, 2020 9:29 AM

Film making budgets are tyrannical things.  If you can't afford to film a New York story in New York you do the best you can and hope no-one notices.  

One of the best newspaper / New York story films, if not THE best, is "Deadline U.S.A," filmed in 1952 and starring Humphrey Bogart.  A lot of the movie was shot at the New York Daily News building and printing plant so it's got a great deal of authenticity to it.  A great "Film Noir" worth watching.

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Friday, August 21, 2020 9:43 PM

I just watched a great film noir, "While The City Sleeps" directed by Fritz Lang from 1956. It's a newspaper movie (and I love those) set in New York and there is a scene where the hero is chasing the bad guy into the subway and whatta you know, no third rail but trolley wires and Los Angeles Red Cars are running on the tracks! In New York! I'm pretty sure one of the 55 Ford police cars had a California plate. Well worth seeing and what a cast; Dana Andrews, Vincent Price, Ida Lupino, Thomas Mitchell, George Sanders and Howard Duff. 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, August 6, 2020 1:25 PM

Convicted One
Seemed especially relevant, for some reason.

Of course!  Times change, human nature doesn't. 

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • 4,557 posts
Posted by Convicted One on Thursday, August 6, 2020 1:12 PM

Yesterday I watched an episode of Gunsmoke  titled "Death train".

Centered upon the quarantine of a rail passenger car containing diseased occupants, and the tug of war hysteria played out through the town residents and their polarized positions.

Seemed especially relevant, for some reason.

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Thursday, August 6, 2020 8:09 AM

Holy smoke, I'd forgotten all about Lee Marvin and the Lionels, it's been that long since i've seen the film!  

I see he got right down to track level so he could watch the train coming at him!  Just like I do!

Thanks York!  

  • Member since
    July 2020
  • 1,623 posts
Posted by pennytrains on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 7:09 PM

It makes the rounds on this channel: https://moviestvnetwork.com/.  I get it as an add-on to a local station that broadcasts free tv over the air.  Y'all remember rabbit ears?  Wink

Big Smile  Same me, different spelling!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 4:53 PM

The trouble is that Donovan's Reef is one of those films that is almost never on TV anymore.

I'm not sure if someone owns the rights to it and won't let it get shown, or if networks just don't think anyone cares.

If someone has already posted this, I apologize.  I haven't read through all the posts.

Here's Lee Marvin running the train on the bar:

 

My wife and I love that movie.

York1 John       

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 4:28 PM

54light15

Here's a bit of John Ford trivia- his yacht was named the Araner and you see it in his later film, "Donovan's Reef." 

 

Cool!  The next time "Donovan's Reef" is on, a VERY funny movie by the way, I'll keep an eye out for it!

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 2:45 PM

Here's a bit of John Ford trivia- his yacht was named the Araner and you see it in his later film, "Donovan's Reef." 

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 2:03 PM

County Mayo?  Isn't that interesting!  My grandfather, that is my mother's father, was born in the Aran Islands but grew up in County Mayo, howver I don't know just where.  

Ever hear that old saying from the Aran Islands fishermen about the sea?  Goes like this...

"A man who isn't afraid of the sea will soon be drownded, because he'll be going out on a day when he shouldn't.  But here we are afraid of the sea!  So we only get drownded only now and then."  

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 1:50 PM

Flintlock- I had guessed that "The Quiet Man" was set in the 1920s since the only automobile seen in it is a 1920s Morris tourer. A friend of mine has been to the town where it was filmed, at Cong in County Mayo. He said it looks much the same today as it did when the movie was made but is much more of a tourist attraction. 

  • Member since
    November 2014
  • 250 posts
Posted by ORNHOO on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 12:36 PM

For more mid-fifties Irish railroading may I suggest the "a minute's wait" segment of "The Rising of the Moon"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMTEOvs8VLQ

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v-tXIVAUaXEBg

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2002
  • From: Canterlot
  • 9,575 posts
Posted by zugmann on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 11:17 AM

More of a newer classic - but I always liked the Conrail scenes around Baltimore (I believe Consol - been a while since I watched it) in "Enemy of the State".  

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any

  • Member since
    January 2019
  • From: Henrico, VA
  • 9,728 posts
Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 10:28 AM

54light15

I just watched the classic John Ford movie, "The Quiet Man." There are scenes set in a rail station with a steam locomotive and you get a good look into the cab and there are short passenger cars with doors down the side. These also look to have a middle axle in the centre of each, similar to what ran in Germany. I think the film is set in the 1920s, but the railway logo on the coaches look a little more modern than from that era. Great flick! 

 

"The Quiet Man" is set in contemporary (for the time) Ireland, so you're looking at Irish rail equipment as it was around 1952. 

I just love the locomotive though, it looks like a storybook engine!  Have a look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJpoh1uYMYU  

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Monday, August 3, 2020 10:34 PM

I just watched the classic John Ford movie, "The Quiet Man." There are scenes set in a rail station with a steam locomotive and you get a good look into the cab and there are short passenger cars with doors down the side. These also look to have a middle axle in the centre of each, similar to what ran in Germany. I think the film is set in the 1920s, but the railway logo on the coaches look a little more modern than from that era. Great flick! 

  • Member since
    December 2008
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • 2,560 posts
Posted by 54light15 on Thursday, July 30, 2020 2:29 PM

"This will put hair on your chest."

"No fair guessing!" 

 

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
  • 5,557 posts
Posted by York1 on Thursday, July 30, 2020 12:02 PM

I know it has been mentioned several times, but last night Turner Classic Movies showed "Some Like It Hot" again.  It's got great scenes on the train with Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe in a sleeping car.  A great Billy Wilder movie from 1959.

York1 John       

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