trains & the movies

[fizzball]

Aside from the glaringly obvious (Strangers on a... / Throw Momma From the...), what are some of your favorite train segments in movies? Here are a few, with sadly very few YouTube links:

THE PALM BEACH STORY (trailer) - the 1940s casual-racist Pullman portrayals set my teeth on edge, but Claudette Colbert taking up with the Ale & Quail Club is chaotic fun. If this Preston Sturges classic can't get a chuckle out of you, you're probably dead inside.

42nd STREET - here's "Shuffle Off to Buffalo". Ruby Keeler is creepy, but being Mrs. Al Jolson had its advantages, I guess...

THE GETAWAY - Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw are on the lam. Ali falls prey to a locker-switch con man, and McQueen has to chase him through an Amtrak train to get the cash back.

MARTIN - Underrated horror from George Romero (Night of the Living Dead). Martin is a teenage boy who may or may not be a centuries-old vampire. In a very disturbing opening sequence, he takes a victim on an Amtrak to Pittsburgh.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I loved the I Love Lucy episode where they are on the City of Los Angeles. Also, I love Silver Streak. But that one is pretty obvious.

 

[Hanno]

Aside from the glaringly obvious (Strangers on a... / Throw Momma From the...), what are some of your favorite train segments in movies? Here are a few, with sadly very few YouTube links:
THE PALM BEACH STORY (trailer) - the 1940s casual-racist Pullman portrayals set my teeth on edge, but Claudette Colbert taking up with the Ale & Quail Club is chaotic fun. If this Preston Sturges classic can't get a chuckle out of you, you're probably dead inside.

42nd STREET - here's "Shuffle Off to Buffalo". Ruby Keeler is creepy, but being Mrs. Al Jolson had its advantages, I guess...

THE GETAWAY - Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw are on the lam. Ali falls prey to a locker-switch con man, and McQueen has to chase him through an Amtrak train to get the cash back.

MARTIN - Underrated horror from George Romero (Night of the Living Dead). Martin is a teenage boy who may or may not be a centuries-old vampire. In a very disturbing opening sequence, he takes a victim on an Amtrak to Pittsburgh.

I really enjoy the train scenes in North by Northwest with Cary Grant. The featured train is the 20th Century Limited. I've seen it several times and plan to view again.

 

[MrFSS]

HERE is a list.

And, a more extensive list is HERE.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

I loved the I Love Lucy episode where they are on the City of Los Angeles. Also, I love Silver Streak. But that one is pretty obvious.

And in real life, about the time that episode appeared, the City of Los Angeles had just received some incrediby beautiful dome diners, dome lounges and dome coaches. Also similar equipment received for the City of Portland. Keep in mind that dome dining areas and dome lounges were really something special years before superliners. Today we take that for granted.

Oh yes, there were the high-level cars for El Capitan. I do not remember which was first, the El Cap's being re-equipped as a high level train, or the new cars for the Cities. Both about 1955-56. All quite spectacular, that being well before Amtrak's existence and our having superliners many places.

I saw the "I Love Lucy" episodes when they were fresh and I did know about the order for new equipment to spruce up the City's trains.

 

[George Harris]

Recently saw Von Ryan's express. As I watched thought, wow, they got a lot of this down right. The movie is built around the train. Railroad related only: Scenes of European 4 wheel box cars, the hook couplings, T-wrenches used to remove track screws from ties, hadn fired steamer with open cabs, etc. I am thinking as I watch, these people really got the continental European flavor of the railroad right. Also, some absolutely spectacular alpine scenery. At the end in the credits is cooperation of the Italian State Railways, so, no wonder they got it mostly right.

 

[dan72]

Silver Streak was being played on tv as a prime time movie when I was developing my interest in trains, so that one is a favorite.

Given that I have two young kids, I will readily admit that I really enjoy watching Polar Express at Christmastime with them as well.

Dan

 

[amtrakwolverine]

how about the money train. that was a good movie. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_Train