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I know this subject has been posted, before, but I would like to hear other opinions from people in the forum\, as to your favorite movie with railroad scenes. In chronological order, here are 4 movies having passenger trains as a key ingrediant in their respective plots, which I can list:
1939, "Union Pacific", with Joel McCrea & Barbara Stanwyck.
1969, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kit (Paul Newman & Rorbert Redford).
1982 "The Grey Fox", with Richard Farnsworth.
1985 "Runaway Train" with John Voight".
Union Pacific was sort of a corny flick, but it's late 1930's so you sort of expect such. Lots of nice railroad scenes in very good color. Butch Cassidy, I believe, was shot on the Durango/Silverton line. A great movie. Runway train, may be a little controversial, but I enjoyed it. Nice action shots of derailments and rail cars plunging off embankments. The final movie, "The Grey Fox", in my mind is a real classic. It stars Richard Farnsworth taking the role of Bill Miner, who committed the first train hold-up in Canada around the turn of the last century, near Hope, BC. It is based on historical facts. Bill Miner was known as a "gentleman" train robber..never hurt anyone but had a penchant for train robbing. There is a scene of a steam locomotive traveling through the snow that, from a picturesque point of view, that, alone, is worth watching the movie. It is, I think, Richard Farnsworth's masterpice, but cannot find in Blockbuster of Hollywood Video. Doesn't seem to show on any of the cable movie channels..wonder if it is still in circulation? RH
notelvis Member # 3071
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Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was filmed on what is now the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in the early fall of 1968.
If I'm not mistaken, the locomotive used in filming that movie was deadheaded from the shop in Alamosa, CO back to Durango (for use on the tourist operation) in December 1968 as part of the very last narrow guage freight train Rio Grande operated.
As for movies, there was one that I really like from (I think) the early 1960's called 'The Train'. It's a WWII movie. The scenery and period steam locomotives are tremendous.
------------------ David Pressley
Yellowstonetim Member # 3113
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The Train, is a classic Burt Lancaster movie by John Frankenheimer in 1964. It is about a special train set up by the Germans to take much of the valuable French art from Paris when the Allies are approaching and how the French railroad workers/resistance fighters stop them.
Great train work, a real train wreak and the bombing (planted explosives) of a real train yard! It is full of very good railroad operational filming. Paul Scofield is very good and Burt Lancaster does great work. At one point he is in the locomotive shop and actually makes a part for the locomotive as they film it! Fascinating. Get the DVD and watch the commentary.
Also cannot forget Von Ryan’s Express. Not nearly as good as The Train, railroad wise, but still a great railroad chase. 1965 with Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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I'm fairly certain the Cecil b deMille production "Union Pacific' was released in Black & White.
That, however, hardly means that Mr. Yukon did not view a "colorized' version. Back when AMC stood for American Movie Classics, and showed only original films, uncut without commerical interruption, they publicly denounced any efforts made to "colorize" such. But, oh well, now that they have been recast as America's Movie Channel, or simply AMC, "all bets are off' an any of the preceeding.
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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quote:Originally posted by notelvis: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was filmed on what is now the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in the early fall of 1968.
I think this might be wrong. I seem to recall that the scenes were all shot on the Silverton Branch. Partly the reason you only see K-28's. Several other (non train) scenes were also shot near the Animas River, and some in the mountains near Rockwood.
[This message has been edited by Southwest Chief (edited 05-09-2004).]
yukon11 Member # 2997
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Mr Norman: You are right! "Union Pacific" was shot in black and white. I guess it is possible I saw a colorized version of it, but now I can't recall. I may be thinking of another railroad movie, in the late 30's or 40's that was in color. I can visualized scenes, in my mind, from the movie, but I can't remember the name of the movie. I may have had "Western Union" in mind, but don't even remember if there were railroad scenes in it. Yukon-11
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by Southwest Chief: I think this might be wrong. I seem to recall that the scenes were all shot on the Silverton Branch. Partly the reason you only see K-28's. Several other (non train) scenes were also shot near the Animas River, and some in the mountains near Rockwood.
[This message has been edited by Southwest Chief (edited 05-09-2004).]
Hi Chief,
You know the area better than I do and I believe that you're probably right.
My source was the Winter 2002 issue of Classic Trains Magazine. An author named Al Chione has a photo documentary of the final DRG&W narrow guage train operating from Alamosa to Durango on December 5 & 6.
In the article he writes that in September "only two trains operated to assist with two movies "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The Good Guys and the Bad Guys".
The author does not specifically say that the movie was filmed in the C&TS area....just that "several other movie trains operated out of Chama in October."
K-28 #473 was the final locomotive overhauled in the Alamosa shop having gone there from Durango in a light engine move in early October. It moved back to Durango on the final 'regular' train for use on the Silverton tourist operation. On reviewing the article though, 473 was under steam (leading the train from Alamosa to Antonito and again from Chama to Durango) rather than deadheading.
This post (hopefully) demonstrates how I got the notion that the movie was filmed in C&TS territory. I guess I was just a little bit too full of myself the other night. Still fascinates me though. I'm coming out for another ride on the C&TS in June.
Hmmmmmmnnnnn
------------------ David Pressley
[This message has been edited by notelvis (edited 05-09-2004).]
[This message has been edited by notelvis (edited 05-09-2004).]
Southwest Chief Member # 1227
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I actually saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Saturday night on PBS, and there is one scene that actually looks like it could have been filmed on the Chama line (but it also could have been near Hermosa, too hard to tell). So there could have been some filming going on on the Chama line. But most of the scenes are filmed on the Silverton line. Funny that they had to paint the coaches all green again like they were before the Rio Grande gold came about. And when the movie was shot the only passenger train was the Silverton, except for the occasional special charter.
The movie The Good Guys and the Bad Guys however was definitely filmed on the Chama line.
CoastStarlight99 Member # 2734
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Disaster on the coastliner...
Double Take has a really great amtrak part. And The Italian Job has has a Parlour car at the very end.
------------------ --Anton L. pillsbury09@excite.com AIM: pillsburyMN
sbalax Member # 2801
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Some pretty vintage interior stuff in Hitchkok's "North by Northwest" if I remember correctly.
Frank in SBA
JONATHON Member # 2899
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I forget if it was the movie or the tv show, but in Jay and Silent Bob, there a seen with an Amfleet Dinner, in the end of the seen, Bob thow someone off the end of that car, then says "He didnt have a ticket"
------------------ JONATHON D. ORTIZ
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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You certainly have a point with "North by Northwest" Mr. Frank from Santa Barbara.
Although the Dining Car and Pullman sleeping car scenes were all sets, they were quite accurately depicted. The scenery shown as Cary Grant ordered Trout (can't recall what Grace Kelly orderd) was real as Sing Sing prison at Ossining and the Tappan Zee Bridge at Tarrytown were clearly visible.
However, at La Salle Street Station in Chicago, there was some "license". "The Century" was actually an assemblage of locomotive and cars so that the production company could have as many "run ins" as needed. Also, the "action" seemed to be on the Westernmost side of the station, on tracks usually reserved for the Rock Island.
The biggest "license" of course was the SP serving Rapid City SD.
[This message has been edited by Gilbert B Norman (edited 05-10-2004).]
sojourner Member # 3134
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One of my favorite train films is Murder on the Orient Express.
Hitchcock liked trains: North by Northwest (up the Hudson) The Lady Vanishes (the disappearing letters on the window scene is esp good) (be sure to see the original, not the awful remake with Cybil Shepherd) Strangers on a Train
There's a brief but good train scene in the very funny Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
There's a great scene in Philadelphia 30th St Station in Witness, IMO one of the best films ever; also scenes from the train window and at the train station in, I think, Lancaster PA.
Superboy races a train in a cute but brief scene in Superman (proving he is more powerful than a locomotive, I suppose)
Also don't forget the great subway film The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
And the great line in Young Frankenstein, "Pardon me boy, is this the Transylvania Station?"
TBlack Member # 181
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The scenery shown as Cary Grant ordered Trout (can't recall what Grace Kelly orderd)
She had had the trout also, but had finished hers before Cary Grant sat down.
However, at La Salle Street Station in Chicago, there was some "license".
Gilbert, what happened to this station and where did it used to be? I've wandered all over La Salle St. and can't find any vestiges of a train station.
Robert L Member # 3144
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Re: TBlack
It was Eva Marie Saint, not Grace Kelly in North by Northwest.
Since I am from Michigan/Detroit, I particularly enjoy the scene in the Chicago station when the train announcer calls off all the station stops across Michigan. Since I train that route frequently I do enjoy that inside moment in the one of Hitchcock's best.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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La Salle St Station was at La Salle and Van Buren. The existing "L" stop at Van Buren was right at the front door.
The Chicago Board of Trade is now on the site. Where the Chicago Stock Exchange is located atop Congress Street used to be the rail access to the Station.
I believe, METRA still refers to the "Metshack" at which Rock Island District trains terminate as La Salle Station. Its street address is 414 S. La Salle Street.
Lastly, Mr. Robert L; I too must stand corrected on the point of Miss. Saint vice Miss. Kelly (note my use of the then-prevalent term of Miss. as distinct from Ms.). In fact, Mr. Black simply followed my lead.
[This message has been edited by Gilbert B Norman (edited 05-18-2004).]
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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GBN: "The biggest "license" of course was the SP serving Rapid City SD."
I just saw a small bit of "North by Northwest" on TV where Cary Grant gets himself arrested at an auction (in Chicago?). He is then contacted by a government agent who puts him on a Northwest Airlines flight to Rapid City. Is the SP train in a different part of the movie?
According to my 1955 Chicago Northwestern timetable, Mr. Grant could have caught the "Dakota 400" to Rapid City at 10:00am from the CNW station at Canal and Madison. Since SP and CNW were both gobbled up by UP, maybe Mr. Hitchcock was prophetic. Or maybe the train was lost?
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