I was asking for info in another post about a station in New Jersey that was used in the filming of "The Station Agent" in 2003 - thought it might be fun to come up with a list of movies that have railroad action in them. Here are some of my favorites: The Station Agent (2003) Peter Dinklage Emperor of the North Pole (1973) Ernest Borgnine/Lee Marvin Fools' Parade (1971) Jimmy Stewart - (supposed to take place along the B&O in West Virginia in the 1930's) Least favorite - Atomic Train (oh, boy - was it supposed to be a satire?) What other goodies are out there?
Remembered another one: Matewan (1987) about the coal mine wars in West Virginia in the 1920's. Filmed in Thurmond, West Virginia.
Runaway Train is an old movie, but not too bad if you don't mind some of the weird and gory scenes. 4 locomotive running light and wide open through Canada in a January snowstorm with 2 prisoners on board. "Silver Streak", the Gene Wilder movie isn't bad as a comedy......not really about the train although all of the movie is based on it.
"Danger Lights." Filmed in 1930, on the Milwaukee Road. Most locations in eastern Montana. Miles City, Miles City Yard and Shops, or Sixteen Mile Canyon and Eagles Nest Tunnel. This movie was heralded in it's day. State of the art production. Unfortunately the depression, etc., didn't help. So did not receive all the accolades so richly deserved. Boxcab E50
If you want to enjoy some OLD train movies go to this web site and scroll down to the listed train movies. They are part of the Library of Congress gems that Thomas Edison made from 1897 until the 1920s I believe. There are numerous other topics as well. Enjoy especially you steam fans. http://rs6.loc.gov/ammem/edhtml/edac.html#R Black Diamond express Fast mail, Northern Pacific R. R. Freight train Going through the tunnel Mount Tamalpais R.R., no. 2 Mount Taw R.R., no. 3 New Black Diamond express Panorama of gorge railway Philadelphia Express, Jersey Central Railway Sunset Limited, Southern Pacific Ry.
As far as a good train movie I'll have to agree with Emperer of the North If you want to see a really bad movie set on a train try Under Siege 2 "Dark Terrarory" I wasn't aware it was possible to move between cars using the ventalation ducts. Absolutly the stupidest train crash ever to waste celuoide on. If you want to see a truly horrifying train wreak try finding a copy of the old Sci-Fi film Crack in the World
Having just spent about a week riding behind and admiring Portland's own 4449, I have to recommend "Tough Guys." 4449 went to LA in the '80's to participate in this movie. For old time movie fans, it stars two of my favorites, Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster, late in their careers. 4449 engineer Doyle McCormack has a bit part as, you guessed it, the engineer. It's getting real hard to find, but worth it.
A couple more... "Hurricane Express", starring a VERY YOUNG John Wayne. This film was a serial. When TV was brand new, I recall watching this on an afternoon kids program. It was run as a serial on TV too. "End of the Line" with Wilford Brimley as one of the stars.also Kevin Bacon in a supporting role. Its a comedy about two railroaders who are trying to prevent their railroad from closing and being converted to an air express carrier. CT
Good ol' "Danger Lights"! The mention of that film takes me back... The Avenue Theatre was an old movie palace with theatre organ, etc. that was a "repertory house" in its last few years, with silent movies on Fridays. One Friday, they had a special "Railroad Night" with a silent and a couple sound films, including "Danger Lights". The 900-seat house was JAMMED full of railfans! In "Danger Lights", the stars are an old-school railroad man and a talented but careless young engineer who dated the old guy's daughter. If I remember correctly, the old man injured himself badly saving the young guy's life by diving in front of a fast-moving train to pull the kid out of the way. In the hospital bed, the old guy decides to let the kid marry his daughter: "You can have my daughter... I'll take the RAILROAD!!" You can imagine the reaction THAT got from 900 diehard railbuffs... DEAFENING cheers, ovation, the whole ball of wax...
I'm partial to Emeror of The North ... mainly because the locomotive that is featured in that flick is YWRR's #19, which I have the great honor of being the engineer of.
One of my all time favorites has to be "Silver Streak" with Gene Wilder and Richard Prior. A little corny, but gotta love it! Also a good one for you Rio Grande buffs is "Switchback" with Dennis Quade and Danny Glover. It's a murder suspense movie that's filmed on the Rio Grande, pre-SP.
I was aslo thinking of another movie with Richard Farnsworth,(I think), where he is a train robber, but a really polite one. I have only seen parts of it once or twice and would like to see the whole thing.
Richard Farnsworth played Bill Miner who gets out of prison and goes to Canada to be a train robber - The Grey Fox (1982). I think this movie is based on a true story. I forgot about this one - it's pretty good!
Atomic train had a terrible movie plot, but the trains were neat (BC Rail?). The only problem I had with it, was it was based on a RR that went to Denver, from across the Divide. Seems like D&RGW would be a natural choice. Yet, none of the scenery was of the Moffat Route... My all time fav's: Machines of Iron's 'Rio Grande Moffat Route' Pentrex's 'D&RGW' Green Frog's 'Rio Grande Odyessy' same publisher, 'Way West Odyessy' WB Video's 'Rio Grande Today' & 'Diesels West' Green Frog's 'Tracks of the Goat 1 & 2', and 'Spokane to Portland--the Columbia TRiver Route' Charles Smiley's 'Tennessee Pass, start to finish' Pentrex's 'Milwaukee vol. 1, 2, and 3' Among others.....
Jim- Why would this idea occur? If judging by his posts, I'd say he has little interest in that company. Boxcab E50
Very old film with Jack lemmon, Doris day and Ernie Kovaks in a movie about a train tycoon trying to prevent Doris from delivering lobsters. Lots of eastern train footage. Funny Too.
