Railroads In The Movies, Part II

[Marty Feldner]

Dunno about search engines, but according to IMDB, the station scenes were filmed at Pathe Studios, Hollywood- presumably a sound stage set.

I didn't watch the whole clip in detail (and I've probably seen the movie on TV at some point), but from the trainboards it looks to replicate LaSalle Street Station in Chicago (NYC trains). Only one short clip at 6:11 (and possibly another) MIGHT show LaSalle St., as a rear projection. A look at a 1953 Official Guide (the oldest I have handy) shows that some train numbers match; 20th Century, Motor City, Ohio State...

(A movie related aside; LaSalle St.- the real one- was also used in "North by Northwest", and "The Sting".)

[Gilbert B Norman]

Regarding "Since You Went Away", those station scenes look like a studio set. If such were Chicago, the Ohio State Limited was an NY-Cinci run. Also of interest, NYC #2 in Hollywoodese is "The Pathfinder"; NYCese "The Pacemaker".

[mirrodie]

One question about Unstoppable. From wiki:

" Dewey later leaves the moving cab to throw a misaligned rail switch along the train's path, but is unable to climb back on, as the train's throttle jumps from idle, to full power."


I am not familiar with today's locos, but is there a settling that makes a throttle jump from idle to full power? Like an autothrottle on an airplane? Or was that today Hollywood BS?

[Eileensmith]

It's going back a few years but I highly recommend The Flying Scotsman (1929). It stars Moore Marriott and Ray Milland (in his film debut) and features amazingly daring stunts performed aboard a real moving train. At one point actress Pauline Johnson walks along the outside of the train wearing high heeled shoes, transferring from the coaches while travelling at high speed.

[Gilbert B Norman]

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm267828224/tt1600195

I find it difficult to believe that Amtrak has permitted the use of their liveries and trademarks in this upcoming film that, from what i can see, will rank with Silver Streak II in absurdity.

Amtrak wisely stayed far away from the latter; I am surprised that they have appaently sanctioned the subject film.

OK, time now for reviews from recognized sources:

http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/mo ... eview.html

Brief passage:

• “You will then be responsible for the death of all your friends ... on Facebook,” the archvillain (Michael Nyqvist) of the risible thriller “Abduction” warns the baby-faced Nathan Harper (Taylor Lautner), a sort of teenage Jason Bourne in search of his true identity. Did I say risible? At the screening I attended, that threat prompted hoots of derisive laughter, as did other howlers, including, “I’m not dying here; there’s a bomb in the oven.”
  
  A joke? Oh, if only

The Journal can't be bothered; choosing to allocate their movie review column inches to possible Oscar contender "Moneyball". Gotta wait for the "News at Five" to see if Lee Ann will "bubble' away about this production.

Finally, why strong supporting actors such as Sigourney Weaver ("Aliens", "Working Girl"), who has played many a "strong woman" role during her career, would go near something like this escapes me (same equally applicable with Albert Molina - L&O/LA). But alas, just like everybody else, actors have bills to pay.

[Aa3rt]

It's going back a few years but I highly recommend The Flying Scotsman (1929). It stars Moore Marriott and Ray Milland (in his film debut) and features amazingly daring stunts performed aboard a real moving train. At one point actress Pauline Johnson walks along the outside of the train wearing high heeled shoes, transferring from the coaches while travelling at high speed.

I was able to find this listed at the IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019889/ I also saw links for this movie on Youtube but haven't checked them out yet.

(I also find it curious that the photo accompanying the listing shows an American locomotive-a Norfolk & Western "J" class 4-8-4.)

[scharnhorst]

Karate Kid 3 has seen's of an Amtrak train passing in it.

[Desertdweller]

Mirrode,

No, that could not happen, as least as shown in the movie. The only way a loco could go from idle to full power would be if it were getting its commands from another unit. Such as being a trailing unit in a multiple-unit lashup, or a distributed power slave unit. Even then, the throttle lever would not move.

Since Dewey's locomotive was the lead unit, neither of these conditions would apply. Also, units will not respond to command inputs from other units if the reverser lever is left inserted.

Les

[Gilbert B Norman]

Wall Street Journal reports that "Abduction" was fourth in box office receipts for its opening weekend; that the film's distributor, Lions Gate Entertainment, chose to release it same weekend as was Oscar contender "Moneyball' is simply the way of the motion picture industry that I make no attempts to understand:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 82864.html

Brief passage:

• The weekend's other two new releases fared less well. "Abduction," a thriller starring "Twilight" heartthrob Taylor Lautner, took in $11. 2 million from 3,118 theaters for Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. According to David Spitz, the studio's executive vice president and general sales manager, the film played mainly to Mr. Lautner's fan base, with 68% of the audience being female and 56% being under the age of 25.

Considering that the demographic to which 'Abduction' is "picthed" is known for having the attention span of a gnat, likely the film has "peaked' - and from anything I have surmised, just as well.

As in the case of "Unstoppable', this one with me will wait until it is offered on either HoBO or Starz.

[3rdrail]

Here's one of my all-time favorites - Diva. I happen to be a big fan of the Sprague-Thomson cars which rode the Paris Metro. They had all the right sites and sounds from the carbon arc orangey glow of their lighting to the growling of their traction motor gears leaving a station. Couple that with a dynamite thriller and Wilhelmenia Fernandez singing all through the movie, it's hard to beat, although this movie may not be everyone's cup of tea. You can only see the Sprague-Thomson's on special historical fan trips now, but there's some good shots of them here- inside and out. This is an indy that came out in the 80's so you'll have to hunt to see this one on the big screen which I recommend. Amazon has the DVD for $13.00 (No, that's not me in the bath tub with the cigar !)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PDM-i7pzeI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BwG45I03NA&NR=1

[atsf sp]

According to The Avengers, NS has operations in Russia.

[David Benton]

Slumdog milionaire , set in India , Has quite a few train scenes , quite a few close up shots from track level .

[kaitoku]

In the movie "Dark Shadows", set in 1972, a scene has one of the characters riding an Amtrak train to a Maine destination. A nice aerial shot running through a wetlands area. Problem is, it's a push-pull service with a Genesis loco as the push locomotive. Others have picked up on this already:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... ?4,2763675

http://www.moviemistakes.com/film9277

[mirrodie]

Mirrode,

No, that could not happen, as least as shown in the movie. The only way a loco could go from idle to full power would be if it were getting its commands from another unit. Such as being a trailing unit in a multiple-unit lashup, or a distributed power slave unit. Even then, the throttle lever would not move.

Since Dewey's locomotive was the lead unit, neither of these conditions would apply. Also, units will not respond to command inputs from other units if the reverser lever is left inserted.

Les

Thanks. I ly got around to responding now. Much appreciated

[n2xjk]

I haven't seen The Bridge on the River Kwai mentioned here yet. One of my favorite movie classics. Actual train footage is brief, but sure makes an 'impact' at the climax of the movie.