trains in movies

roch

Member
I wonder how many movies over the years have had scenes with trains in them. That is some heavy trivea. I am about to watch "3:10 to YUMA"

roch
 

nkp174

Active Member
That's tough...especially if you include every movie with "a" train in it (such as at a grade crossing).

For some really nice stuff...

-The JW Bowker starred in the movie Union Pacific.

-ex-F&CC Portland/RGS #20 took on the Silverton branch in Ticket to Tomahawk

-A Rio Grande engine (I want to say a C-16...so 268 or 278)...also worked over the Silverton branch & the Chili line in Around the World in 80 days

-Sierra RR #3 achieved 88 miles per hour in Back to the Future 3

-Bite the Bullet had many scenes of the Cumbras & Toltec from when it was brand new (as a tourist line)

-Anything by Pentrax :mrgreen:

Those are just the ones that pop into my mind. I also recall the film in which the NKP 765 made a cameo...and of course, the 1225 has recently achieved fame as well. There was a Harrison Ford film 10-15yrs ago which was going to take place on a train with the 765 co-starring...but it never happened. A similar thing happened with the big boy in Texas.
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
There's a few different ways of looking at this, so to speak ;)

Movies that feature trains almost as a character, or at least they are the subject of the movie.

Then there's movies that have a significant or key train component, like 3:10 to Yuma, The Fugitive (Harrison Ford's Dr Kimble's escape is facilitated by a crash at a crossing).

Then there's movies that just have trains in them, either as scenery, or as "everyday life". The latter would include many of the movies made up until the 1950s, where trains - especially passenger - were simply a part of life.

One of my favourite movies that features trains, but isn't really about them per se is The Station Agent.

Andrew
 

Art Decko

Member
There must be scores of films "starring" trains, but I bet the first was Buster Keaton's "The General" (1927). What a great film - amazing stunts, and still funny (humor often ages poorly)! And a spectacular train wreck as a bonus.
 

Art Decko

Member
I'm surprised that there was no mention in that other thread of "The Titfield Thunderbolt"!

It's a 1953 British comedy about a village that loses it's railroad service. The locals are so incensed that they drag an ancient steamer out of a musem, and start their own railroad to compete with the local bus company.
 

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tetters

Rail Spiking Fool!
Under Seige 2 "Dark Territory" with Steven Segal takes place on a train. There is a spectacular fire bomb of a train wreck over a bridge at the end. Too bad about the acting. :rolleyes:

Sorry...its all I got...:cry:
 

Krawler

Member
What about Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Throw mama from the train *L* wife's thoughts

Or there is Atomic Train *L*

And It's a Wonderful Life
 

60103

Pooh Bah
Ralph: The Titfield Thunderbolt is available in N.A. in a boxed set called Ealing Studios Comedy Collection. (Anchor Bay DV12794) The whole 5 films are worth it, and 2 of the others have great train scenes.
 
"Chattanooa Choo Choo" is a pretty dumb movie but has some great train footage. For those of you familiar with the Glenn Miller orchestra or like swing music, "Orchestra Wives" takes has some train footage.

I forget the name of the movie but Jimmy Stewart plays a man wanted for killing his wife Kavorkian style, he becomes a clown and travels with the circus. There are train scenes in that one including a huge derailment.

Dave
 
"Chattanooa Choo Choo" is a pretty dumb movie but has some great train footage. For those of you familiar with the Glenn Miller orchestra or like swing music, "Orchestra Wives" takes has some train footage.

I forget the name of the movie but Jimmy Stewart plays a man wanted for killing his wife Kavorkian style, he becomes a clown and travels with the circus. There are train scenes in that one including a huge derailment.

Dave

"The Greatest Show on Earth", and they are model trains in the crash scene :thumb:

Dick
Texas Chief
 

MCL_RDG

Member
The Silver Streak - 1934 (The original.)

Lots of The Silver Streak (Zephyr) racing steam trains. An old serial type plot- racing an iron lung to a construction site because the someone gets hurt (I believe the Grand Cooley Dam). Fascinating archival footage of concrete pourings, steam cranes- etc.

Mark:thumb:
 
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