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Discussion Boards => General Discussion => Topic started by: jettrainfan on January 08, 2010, 05:19:06 PM

Title: Runaway train-roadnames?
Post by: jettrainfan on January 08, 2010, 05:19:06 PM
I dont know y but I'd like to add this to my want to do project list...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WszE4_hGZpk&feature=related

There is a comment about what engines they are and their original status. My question is what road name/paint job did they have for the movie?

thanks!
Title: Re: Runaway train-roadnames?
Post by: az2rail on January 08, 2010, 07:52:08 PM
Good question!!! Runaway train is a great movie!!!

I need to watch the whole movie again, I did'nt see any road names on any of the run-a-way engines.

By rights, all the engines should be Alaska Railway, or BC Rail engines, but the film was made in Montana, so they could have used anyhting.

Bruce
Title: Re: Runaway train-roadnames?
Post by: jward on January 08, 2010, 08:41:49 PM
they were definitely alaska railroad units, but as i recall they had no lettering in the movie.

dead giveaway that it was alaska railroad: in the movie the runaway locomotives smash through the caboose of a train pulling off the main track into a siding. that train was pulled by emd mrs1's. these were specially built for military service, and the only revenue railroad to operate them was the alaska. arr was oncew owned by us dot, and has a long history of using hand me down military surplus equipment.

emd mrs1's had a unique peaked roofline, and this is clearly visible in the movie.
Title: Re: Runaway train-roadnames?
Post by: ebtnut on January 11, 2010, 01:20:05 PM
In general, when trains are featured in movies the equipment is usually lettered with some ficticious name to avoid possible copyright issues or to avoid "free" advertising of a prototype RR.  Also, if the movie involves some kind of destructive act by the railroad (like "Runaway Train") then they don't want to be open to some potential liability suit.  Exceptions would be where the railroad itself is part of the feature, like some of those old hayburners like "Union Pacific" or "Rio Grande". 
Title: Re: Runaway train-roadnames?
Post by: Guilford Guy on January 11, 2010, 02:16:32 PM
Interesting thing about the movie is the GP7 or GP9 in the consist, was actually a low nose unit with a mock high hood installed for the shooting.
Title: Re: Runaway train-roadnames?
Post by: jettrainfan on January 11, 2010, 04:09:24 PM
thanks for the info!