Favorite Train Movies

[Desertdweller]

I liked the more recent movie "Unstoppable".  Although physically highly improbable, I found it to be pretty accurate in the way the railroaders interacted in it.

I heard the management of my local Class One railroad took a dim view of the film, not because it made railroading look dangerous, but because it made railroad management look stupid.  If the shoe fits.....

Another movie I thoroughly enjoyed was "The end of the line."  This movie featured efforts by an engineer and fireman to save their failing short line.  Again, realistic crew interaction was the best part, although it was pretty funny when one of the characters shoots his Geep in despair.

The 1970's version of "The Silver Streak" has some great sight gags.  The best part is where the train goes crashing through Chicago Union Station.  The local Operations Manager refuses to avoid the destruction of the station by failing to derail the train.  He doesn't want to take responsibility.

Les

[phillyreading]

How about a movie that is a bit of a musical? The Harvey Girls, with Judy Garland, and the star of Murder She Wrote, Angela Lansbury.
Highlights the dangers of the old west and the Harvey Houses built by Mr. Harvey along the  A. T. & Santa Fe railroad.

Lee F.

[ebtnut]

This may have been mentioned above:  The Train, starring Burt Lancaster.  Set in Europe in the closing days of WWII, the train is loaded with great artworks looted by the retreating Germans.  The railroaders mean to keep the train from getting to Germany.  Another movie, considered one the great Westerns of all time, is Once Upon a Time in the West.  The railroad is a motivating factor in the plot, though there are few action scenes.  Filmed in Spain and directed by Sergio Leone of "spagetti western" fame.  Starred Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale, among others.  There was also a made-for-TV movie starring James Stewart called Fool's Parade that featured SR No. 4501 painted in B&O black.  Stewart is a convict that has just been paroled and boards the train to head for freedom.  However, the local sheriff and the train crew have conspired to frame any freed convicts they pick up and send them back to jail.  Another film set in West Virginia is Matewan.  The story is of the battle between the coal companies and union organizers in the 1920's.  The story is based on real events, and most of it was filmed in Thurmond, WV.  Nickle Plate Berk 765 appears in some train scenes.  Finally, the film of Loretta Lynn's life, Coal Miner's Daughter, has a brief scene with CPR Royal Hudson 2716.  No. 4501 was supposed to be there, but it had been sidelined with mechanical problems and the Southern brought the 4-6-4 in for it's steam program back in the day.   

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

Does this count? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKbjnDkw57w
Check out the blazing firebox at 1:50 

[jbrock27]

#1-Von Ryan's Express
#2-The Train
#3-Murder on the Orient Express
#4-Horror Express
#5-The Great Locomotive Chase 

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

#1-Von Ryan's Express
#2-The Train
#3-Murder on the Orient Express
#4-Horror Express
#5-The Great Locomotive Chase 

In my opinion, every trainlover's video library should include The Great Locomotive Chase, and also Buster Keaton's The General.

[jbrock27]

JBJ, I never saw The General.
Will have to check it out!

[Woody Elmore]

Check out "Danger Lights" if you can find it. This early talking movie features tons of Milwaukee Road engines. It was available on VHS (remember VHS?)                 

[Desertdweller]

I have "Danger Lights" on VHS.  It has a good plot and acting, and the Milwaukee Road steam shots are great.
The only problem I have with it is it was taken from an old, scratchy original and not corrected.  So it is kind of hard to watch.

Les

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

JBJ, I never saw The General.
Will have to check it out!

You should! It's a classic.

Just be prepared for it being a silent movie. 

[Pops]

"The General" is on my website.  You can see the only HD copy of the entire film there.
It's on the bottom of the PHOTOS page.

www.HeritageValleyRailroad.com

[jbrock27]

Thanks for the suggestions boyz on The General and Danger Lights.

I should add, I also enjoyed Unstoppable and I like the original Taking of Pelham 1,2,3-the Robert Shaw, Walter Mathau '70's version.

[Woody Elmore]

I did some checking and "Danger Lights" is available on DVD from Amazon at $13.95. I have no idea of the quality.

In this film there is a head on wreck of two steam engines - it is quite a sight. The film was made in 1930 and was a challenge at the time because "talking" films were in their infancy and sound recording was difficult. There is always a hanging light or something on a table to conceal the mikes they used back then..

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

[rbryce1]

I remember the train in the end of the movie "The man who shot Liberty Valance", when the conductor said something to the effect to Jimmy Stewart, " Senator, we will have you back in Washington in 4 days.  We'll push this baby right up to 25 miles per hour or bust her trying!"

Also, another Jimmy Stewart Civil War era movie, Shenendoah, they stopped a POW train, freed all the POW's and actually burned it just because it was a POW train.

[TimR]

Pops, thanks for the link to "The General"! Had not seen that movie before. That YouTube user has a lot of other movies part of public domain as well.

Also looking forward to seeing what progress you make on that "permanent" layout.