ORNHOO It was not unheard of for a Clipper to fly over a U-boot charging his batteries on the surface and come under machine gun fire.
That's interesting, I've never heard that before. Typically civilian airliners were left alone by the combatants, but on the other hand the RAF had the Short "Sunderland" flying boat and used it in anti-submarine operations. A Sunderland looks very similar to a Boeing 347, especially to untrained eyes. Most likely those U-boot crews weren't taking any chances.
Here's a quick look at the Sunderland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgY7iQieP_A
Flintlock76in the case of this film taking place in wartime to get you up and away from the U-Boots,
While the Clippers couldn't be torpedoed, flying westbound over the Atlantic they would fly at low altitudes to try to get under the strongest of the prevailing westerly winds, below 1000 feet (sometimes as low as 100 feet (With landing lights on so the pilots could judge clearance!). It was not unheard of for a Clipper to fly over a U-boot charging his batteries on the surface and come under machine gun fire.
CSSHEGEWISCH Pan Am's big flying boats (B-314, S-42 and M-130) were pretty impressive but tickets were pretty expensive, not unlike tickets on the Concorde for a more recent period.
Pan Am's big flying boats (B-314, S-42 and M-130) were pretty impressive but tickets were pretty expensive, not unlike tickets on the Concorde for a more recent period.
Certainly. You needed deep pockets to travel by air back then, or a strong expense account, and even then you only flew if time was of the essence. Or in the case of this film taking place in wartime to get you up and away from the U-Boots, assuming there was much passenger ship travel taking place to begin with, somehow I doubt it. Air travel didn't get really affordable until jet airliners like the Boeing 707 came along.
I had an aquaintance who flew on the Concorde once, and even then the only reason he did it was to say he did it. Once was enough, he didn't like it.
I'll light this up for everyone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acQGkhTWBmU
From New York To Washington? Well considering the steam sound effects I'd have to say B&O, but on the other hand the station pictured in the film is Pennsylvania Station, so they should be traveling on the Pennsy behind a GG1.
In fact, there is a head-on shot of a GG1, it's murky, but you can tell it's G.
Sometimes it's a pain knowing too much.
And weren't those Boeing Pan Am "Clippers" cool!
How about "Sherlock Holmes in Washington"? A New York to Washington train (steam powered. B&O?) after a transatlantic flight on a Boeing 347.
"After the Thin Man" and "Double Indemnity" have some good train scenes from the 1930s and 40s.
54light15 Red wire? Blue wire? Yellow wire?
Well, if you like bomb defusing scenes, you'll love this one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjZiOcKMew8
Not to get off-topic but time bombs in movies have always made me laugh. Red wire? Blue wire? Yellow wire? And why is there always a digital readout on the bomb? Is that for the convenience of the people standing next to the bomb? That cracks me up!
It's a British movie called "Time Bomb" also "Terror On A Train" for the American release version. From 1953, and starring Glen Ford. Here's the story:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Bomb_(1953_film)
There was a black and white movie set in the UK during WW=2. There was a train load of sea mines that a sabatouer was spotted . the trains was parked on a siding and a demolition expert was called iin. Believe it was played by Glenn Ford ?. Ended up having 2 bombs and last minute the woman showed up at the train, Anyone more info ?
I did see that but the thing I was looking for was the house above the tracks, I assumed it was closer to King's Cross than Frederica st. I was at the big model train show (the biggest I've ever attended) a couple of years ago at Alexandra Palace and there was an N scale diorama of the entire area depicted in the film from the West side of the tracks. It was a work of art, mixing fact with fiction and all in perspective.
54light15The last time I was in London I walked all around the Copenhagen Fields area, trying to find Mrs. Wilberforce's house but had no luck.
It'll be interesting to see what they have done with the 'film quality' in the 4K release ... this is likely getting in the grain resolution range of the film stock...
The last time I was in London I walked all around the Copenhagen Fields area, trying to find Mrs. Wilberforce's house but had no luck. I did see some areas that looked similar to scenes in the film. A part of my model railroad is based on that area just North of King's Cross and her house is just above a tunnel entrance and the "musicians" are walking toward the house. The "professor" is standing on a platform just below a semaphore. Fun stuff!
54light15 I imagine that everyone has seen the classic British comedy, "The Ladykillers?" Well, check this out! https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2020/oct/23/on-set-ealing-comedy-the-ladykillers-alec-guinness-in-pictures
I imagine that everyone has seen the classic British comedy, "The Ladykillers?" Well, check this out!
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2020/oct/23/on-set-ealing-comedy-the-ladykillers-alec-guinness-in-pictures
It was on UK tv this week. I have watched it many times.
A lot of the older, often black and white, UK 'who done it's' and comedies feature trains, either as stars or in supporting roles. It is probably due to the UK not becoming quite as car conscious as North America in those far off days.
Alan, Oliver & North Fork Railroad
https://www.buckfast.org.uk/
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. Lewis Carroll English author & recreational mathematician (1832 - 1898)
"The Lineup" from 1958 with Eli Wallach at his evil best is a noir-ish picture filmed on location in San Francisco mainly in the port area where there are rail tracks serving the piers. You don't actually see any trains moving but tracks do play an important part. There are ships, a vintage airliner (DC-6?) and lots of period cars and a whole lot of men wearing hats. There are scenes filmed on an elevated freeway that I understand collapsed in an earthquake. Well worth checking out!
Hmm- not to make a big deal out of that, but that is an official train movie (like Buster's The General) as opposed to the theme of this thread. Not complaining by any means. It's been discussed on another thread about a club in New York who fool around with Fairmont track speeders like the one that Buster rode.
I was watching a documentary on Buster Keaton on TCM and found out about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYmcN12M97o
a short film he made for the Canadian National Railway.
54light15 I wonder if he asked about trackside service? Man, that was great!
I wonder if he asked about trackside service? Man, that was great!
It sure was! When I saw the film in 1972 with some friends it had us laughing so hard we almost choked! Too bad it's only 30 seconds long.
I found a longer version on YouTube but the video quality's awful, looks like it was shot off someone's TV.
I found a better expanded version, changed the link on the original post.
Woo-hoo! I just found Joe Kidd's saloon visit!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78CM3oItu1U
ORNHOOFor those who haven't seen it recently (or at all) "Ring of Fire" starring David Janssen will be on TCM tomorrow (9-30-20).
Thanks! I've never seen that one. I have it set to record if I forget.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
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!
OvermodTo 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!
54light15 you see the temporary narrow gauge railways laid on the streets to carry away rubble. Called Trummerbahns, I think.
(There are different German plurals but this is a discussion in English...)
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
"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.
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.
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