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Ski Train or Runaway train was a joke. Such rediculous ideas make me wanna puke. Ben Johnson [the engineer] could not control the train account the brakes all froze up. The new locomotive on the line with a so-called veteran engineer ran up behind the runaway train and caught it therefore stopping the train with just the independent brake on one single locomotive. That stuff don't happen in real life but it was a fairly good movie nonetheless. Another poor excuse for a railroad movie was a recent one made for TV whereas it was called "Atomic Train" I believe. Take a good look at the initial terminal air brake test. Some fool cut the brake hose and brake fluid runs out of it. Then the conductor notices the brake pressure falling and it's also brake fluid. Don't they know these things use compressed air!!!!! Lot's of other blunders that are far to numerous to mention.
I liked an old Doris Day movie whereas she had to get her Lobsters to market and the railroad company wouldn't let her train have coal. She got an old retired steam engineer to run the train for her. Good show!!!!
Posts: 53 | From: Kansas City, Missouri USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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I also liked the beginning and end of "In the Heat of the Night" with the great shots of GM&O F-units, and who could forget "Dr. Zhivago" with Cherelnikov's Russian war train speeding through the wreckage of the Revolution, an armored Pacific painted red, flying red flags, and pulling an armored car complete with fieldpieces. The first time I saw it was in a theater. It appeared suddenly in a great burst of sound; I almost jumped out of my seat.
Posts: 37 | Registered: Oct 2002
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My favorites are "Murder on the Orient Express", "Julia", and "The Lady Vanishes." Actually trains will give just about any movie a bit of atmosphere.
Posts: 26 | From: New York | Registered: Aug 2003
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Foamer 13, that was an E Unit on the GM&O operating thru Sparta, Illinois. The movie boasted itself as Sparta, Mississippi but was actually filmed in Sparta, Illinois. The line ran adjacent to another line which I think was C&EI but probably wrong. Both lines are gone now. I lived a block from that depot when I was 14 years old and recall freight trains going thru but no passenger trains. I lived there in 1963.
Posts: 53 | From: Kansas City, Missouri USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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Here's another bid for the 1976 "Silver Streak"
One of my all-time favorite one-liners is delivered after the villain, Roger Devereau (played by Patrick McGoohan of "The Prisoner" fame), meets his untimely death after putting a toolbox on the deadman's pedal, causing the train to become a runaway. Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor and Jill Clayburgh stand in a sleeping car aisle, explaining to the porter (who had been knocked unconscious before the action began, and had just awoke) that the train, despite being empty, is continuing to pick up speed. They then tell the porter that the emergency brakes have been cut.
The porter's response: "Damn Hippies!"
I know, I know. Coudn't happen. But it was funny!
Posts: 60 | From: Brooklyn, NY | Registered: May 2003
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Hey, JFB! Great to know there is a "Prisoner"/rail fan out there. I have always thought of airports and planes as a 'village'-like experience. Keep up the fight to choose our own mode of travel!
I would like to suggest a film with a role model for Amtrak on-board employees: Woodcock, (determined guard of the treasures of Mr. Harriman's Union Pacific), in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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I'v seen alot of movies with the Union Pacific trains but barely ever with an Amtrak Train..I heard "Double Take" someone said..I also saw the Italian Job recently and they show the Union Station in Los Angeles..Then at the end they showed the "Pacific Parlor Car" featured only on the Coast Starlight and that was cool because you could tell it wasnt just some old Superliner I they got for the movie..Anyway..IF anyone else knows a cool movie with AMTRAK please pass it on to me to!!!
Thx, Anton L. pillsbury09@excite.com
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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AMTRAK has made "cameo" appearances in many movies, not necessarily just "train movies." Keep your eyes open when you go to the show; now and then there will be a scene with an AMTRAK train passing through.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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AMTRAK has made "cameo" appearances in many movies, not necessarily just "train movies." Keep your eyes open when you go to the show; now and then there will be a scene with an AMTRAK train passing through.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Amtrak is in the Beginning of the Movie "Angels in the Outfield" starring Danny Glover and Tony Danza (About 4 seconds of Amtrak). Amtrak is also in the movie "Clifford" starring Martin Short and Charles Grodin(Not a Great Movie) And yes Amtrak as I mentioned earlier is in the Moive "Double Take" with Eddie Griffin and Orlando Jones(Also not a very good one)
Amtrak has also been a Part of both Beg, Borrow, and Deal shows. In the First one The SW Chief takes one group from CHI to KC and in the second one the Texas Eagle takes a group from CHI to STL.
Posts: 547 | From: St. Louis, MO, USA | Registered: Nov 2002
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"Money Train" with Woody Harrelson. I have an old documentry on the 20th century limited,it is awesome
Posts: 5 | From: albany,new york,U.S.A. | Registered: Sep 2003
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Does anyone know if there are any plans to make a movie from the book The Christmas Train? It was a fun story and it would be an all Amtrak show!
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
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Saw the movie "The Journey of Natty Gann" recently. Natty is a teanage girl that hops a freight in 1930s Chicago to find her father in Washington state. A lot of good railroad shots.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Oct 2003
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I started to mention that no one brought up Runaway Train but after going back a little bit, it looks like someone did.
I haven't gone through all of the posts but one poster mentioned Ben Johnson who I forgot about and I haven't looked yet as to whether Rebecca de Mornay (I hope I am spelling this correctly-she is the daughter of the late Wally George who passed away recently) was mentioned along with Jon Voight.
By the way, I am a member of a Yahoo Group that is focussed on movies and tv railroading but I haven't looked at it in a long time.
Further comments on my post or follow-up?
---"Ken" Ruben---
[This message has been edited by Ken Ruben (edited 10-19-2003).]
[This message has been edited by Ken Ruben (edited 10-19-2003).]
Posts: 16 | From: Culver City, CA, USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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movieflix.com has the 1946 film "Terror by Night" with Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce-- "Sherlock Holmes must guard a famous diamond while aboard the bullet train from London to Edinburgh." The train certainly adds to the atmosphere. The movie is free but registration is required.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Movies With Train Travel Scenes Not Yet Mentioned:
-Throw Momma From The Train -It Happenned One Night -Before Sunrise -The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence -One where John Belushi travels to Lake Louise, Canada aboard VIA.
Posts: 284 | From: Ithaca, NY USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Movies With Train Travel Scenes Not Yet Mentioned:
-Throw Momma From The Train -It Happenned One Night -Before Sunrise -The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence -One where John Belushi travels to Lake Louise, Canada aboard VIA.
Posts: 284 | From: Ithaca, NY USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Then there is the film 'Planes, Trains, and Automobiles' with Steve Martin and the late John Candy. They road a train operated by Amroad. There also were good shots of Chicago Transit Authority trackage in The Loop.
Posts: 284 | From: Ithaca, NY USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Near the end of The Italian Job,the bad guys ride Amtrak .The train is announced as going to new Orleans.there are auto carring cars on the train and they drive their Mini Coopers onto the train.they catch the train in the middle of Taylor Yard,and have to drive between the tracks to put their car on the train.Very authentic,NOT!
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