Favorite Train Movies

[Pops]

Tim - thanks for your kind comments. 
Glad I could add a little to your enjoyment.
I'm trying to keep my new website fun, so I have added a little "something" extra at the bottom of most pages.
I hope I've made it very easy to find your way around the site, and gave little "gifts" for those exploring.
However, it's my first attempt at building a website, so all comments are appreciated -
especially those left on my "Comments" page.

www.HeritageValleyRailroad.com

[Jhanecker2]

Pops :  Checked out your webpage and it looks great to me . Didn't have time to checkout all the optional stuff . it will give me a reason to look in again.  My  sister  , and some of our friends got into those ceramic villages big time the same time you did.  It resulted in some  Lionel purchases at our friends House .   When  I finally  clear out some room in the 'shop'  I  am going to have to continue to design and build  my layout .  John  II

Post script :   Have A Glorious  Easter .

[M1FredQ]

There was a German/Italian film produced on the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942 called

"STALINGRAD" there are some incredible train scenes. One Noteworthy which was

commented on was the scene where the German Unit depicted in the film is being transported by rail from southern Italy to Russia and when the train enters the tunnel

in Italy it exits a tunnel and it is in a blizzard on the "Eastern Front". I don't want to spoil the film for you you bond with the characters of this unit. My wife had tears in her eyes with this film and still brings it up in conversation occasionally!!!!!!!!!!

Trains magazine a few years ago had the 100 top Train movie's and "The Train" with Bert Lancaster was number one!!!

Also recently saw  the original "How The West Was Won" . There were many train scenes but the best was the shoot out on the "Gold Train" between Marshall George Preppard and Eli Stalingrad movie dated-- but still a good film!!

In the History Channel Series on the building of America there are a couple episodes

dealing with the creation of PRR and NYC and shows Rockefeller for the rat he was

BUT I always keep in mind the "slant" in films today. All these fellas were Sociopathic

in way or another. It seems Van Der Bilt had something of a conscience as he did a lot of philanthropic work.

Enemy at the Gates another STALINGRAD film has a few train scenes especially showing the wounded being evacuated.

Lawrence of Arabia- they blow up a bunch of trains. The thing about the movie the

Train with B. Lancaster they did wreck all those old steamers makes your heart cry.

[M1FredQ]

I meant Eli Wallich some how the spell check eliminated a bunch of words!!!

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

By the way - I saw no mention of the nineteen seventies TV movie - the Atomic Train - and that is a good thing!

The cheese hunt begins!...well,.. later maybe...  I love cheese. Thanks for a taste with that title W.E.

[Doneldon]

All these fellas were Sociopathic in way or another. It seems Van Der Bilt had something of a conscience as he did a lot of philanthropic work.

Fred-

Sociopaths? Well, their behavior certainly had a distinctly sociopathic flavor, but I don't think they qualify as sociopaths in the professional meaning of the term. The diagnostic criteria are tied to illicit behavior and those guys either avoided outright criminality or had somebody else do the dirty work, so we probably can't apply the term to them. But then Al Capone was never convicted of anything worse than tax evasion and I doubt if anyone would argue the finer points of his psychiatric diagnosis. It's cautionary to remember in this context that many, approaching most, present-day professionals generate sociopathic looking psychological test protocols but that doesn't make them sociopaths. They are more like sociopathic the adjective than sociopath the noun.

The robber barons were all heavily involved in charitable/philanthropic activities. The Rockerfeller Foundation is one of the largest in the world. Same with Ford. Carnegie built hundreds of libraries in small towns all over the Eastern half of the country. I think they all wanted to do a bit of laundry on their legacies so they wouldn't be remembered as the unscrupulous, predatory mega-egos they were.

                                                                             -- D

[M1FredQ]

I stand corrected and agree with what you write. Sociopathic is a better definition.

Of course we are not limited to just the "Rail-Lords". That could be a whole different topic on a different web page.

There is a great book on the topic "Sharks in Suits" written by 2 PHD's who studied the behavior for over 20 years. Forgot the names of the authors. It's a great read. It helps us appreciate "checks and balances' and why we need to be ever vigilant

Hope I didn't stray too far off topic

[rbryce1]

Speaking of leaving a railroad tunnel, remember Donald Southerland and his 3 Sherman tanks exiting the railroad tunnel and mistreating many Germans in Kelly's Hero's?  They were even playing "I've been working on the railroad" on their PA system.

[M1FredQ]

One of my favorite movies!!!

It's actually taken from a true story but of course Hollywood took a lot of artistic license

[jbrock27]

Donald Sutherland-drinkin some wine, eatin some cheese and takin in some rays...Chill out Moriarty!!

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

Speaking of leaving a railroad tunnel, remember Donald Southerland and his 3 Sherman tanks exiting the railroad tunnel and mistreating many Germans in Kelly's Hero's?  They were even playing "I've been working on the railroad" on their PA system.

One of my favorite "off the wall" characters of all time. Right there with Jason Robards "Murry" in "1000 Clowns"

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

Speaking about eating how about Dan Aykroyds "hot dog train" in "Nothing but Trouble". Now that's a layout!

[Jhanecker2]

I vary vaguely remember seeing "The Atomic Train" way back when but don't remember much about the plot . Was an interesting concept that needed a lot more development .  John  II

[M1FredQ]

Just saw an old movie on TCM called, "Strangers On A Train" pretty good film

they were using Madison Passenger cars

[rogertra]

"The Train" with Bert Lancaster.

He actually was taught to drive a steam loco for this film.  No models were used for the railway scenes, those accidents were all real. 

Aircraft scenes were not up to snuff.  When his locomotive gets strafed, they used an ME-108, a light two seater civilian and military aircraft as a stand in for what I guess is supposed to be a BF-109. 

Generally fairly accurate as well, unlike most movies.