"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and the LI

[thebatsignal]

note: I have posted no spoilers for the film.

In the new film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" with Jim Carrey (Ace Ventura, Batman Forever, The Truman Show), he seen boarding an electric M-3(?) that states "Long Island Rail Road" on it's side but it is actually a Metro North unit with a red stripe and all. Later in the film you see Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet (Titanic) at the LIRR Montauk station. Any reason why the LIRR is not more film friendly? Metro-North has a history of being far more film-industry friendly. For example, the same type of Metro-North unit was filmed with Penn Central decals on it in the Kevin Kline/Sigourney Weaver drama "The Ice Storm" among other developments. By the way, it is an excellent film.

[RRChef]

I'm glad you brought this up. I saw the scene mentioned with the Metro North car in a trailer at the movies and then again on TV. Iwas going to go see this movie eventhough I can't stand Jim Carrey. Wasn't there a movie filmed at the Long Beach Station in the late 50's early 60's with Sophia Loren? I think I have read about this or seen a picture. Any comments?

[JustJoe]

The first "train scene" actually featured New Haven Line MUs (M2/4/6) with the pantographs down. It also looked like it was a CDOT owned car at the head end, otherwise it would have had the MTA logo on it. I think the CDOT owned MUs have the state seal on it, unless that's been removed with repaints.

The other one is a M1 or M3 set with a red stripe edited on there. I don't think Metro-North has a red stripe on any of their MUs other than the ones for use on the New Haven Line. That was done for continuity.

All of the interior scenes were filmed in a Metro-North MU (wood paneling and padding on the seat backs gives it away.)

[Lupo 10]

Speaking of local railroads in movies there are also some former LIRR bar generator cars that are now permantely stuck on the tracks inside the Brooklyn Army Terminal. One side is painted with a blue stripe and says I believe "Brooklyn Railroad" or something to that effect. I don't have the photos with me to check. Rumor has it that they were used in an Elvis Presley movie (unless I'm confusing that with the fact that Elvis went out through BAT during the war). In anycase, the cars are locked inside forever since the BAT was built around them.

[robertwa]

I believe the cars say Brooklyn Central Railroad (I know there actually was a Kings County Central Railroad and a Brooklyn & Jamaica Central Railroad, but I'm not sure of Brooklyn Central Railroad - there may be an old horsecar line by that name). I have a picture, too, somewhere; I'll see if I can find it.

Bob Andersen

[robertwa]

There are pictures of the LIRR cars in the Brooklyn Army Terminal atnycsubway.org

[RRChef]

Very interesting. Who owns these cars and what are their current use?

[7 Train]

The cars in the scene are M-2's.

[LI Loco]

The character was supposed to live in Rockville Centre. It is possible that the producers rejected the RVC station due to its being elevated and in an island platform configuration. Another possibility is that the village of Rockville Centre wouldn't let the producers set up equipment necessary to do the filming.

[bingdude]

[quote="JustJoe"] I don't think Metro-North has a red stripe on any of their MUs other than the ones for use on the New Haven Line.


Metro North Hudson and Harlem line MUs have the same blue colored strip on them as the LIRR M3s do.

[emfinite]

I have seen RS3 #1557 in a TV series once... I forget what the name was though.