"Lights, Camera, Action!"
|
Toledo's Union Station is the backdrop for Tom Hanks' A Man Called Otto movie. (Michael D. Harding photo, 4 May 2022) |
|
|---|---|---|
| New: 1 July 2022 | ||
Hollywood film-makers have used locomotives and trains to advance movie story-lines since
the early days of silent films, and later in "talkies". When masterfully used by a
movie director, a steam locomotive's synchronized churning of connecting rods and steel
wheels, hizzing and clanging of steam pipes, plumes of black smoke and water-vapor sprays
could be employed to create action and excitement in one movie, and yet a grittiness and
melancholy in another.
The internal-combustion locomotive, in contrast, could simply not supply the character that captivated movie-goers; the diesel's streamlined industrial styling and shiny color palette were no match for the majestic steamer -- especially in black & white movies of the day. An early exception was the 1934 production of "Silver Streak" which featured Burlington's legendary Pioneer Zephyr racing to prevent the death of a critical medical patient. The film used actual footage of the Zephyr during its historic run between Denver and Chicago in May 1934. The film was one of the few in which a diesel was cast as the hero. Regardless of the diesel's limited use as a movie prop, the intent here is to identify a few hollywood films that meaningfully employed (mere cameo appearances excluded) diesel locomotives to build movie plots. Although there are hundreds of fine railroad videos on the market, they are exempt from this list. | ||
Hollywood Horsepower |
|
Movie: The Silver Streak
A B&W drama produced in 1934 which featured Chicago Burlington & Quincy's "Pioneer Zephyr"
racing the clock to deliver life-saving medical equipment.
Image: Advertising photo of the Pioneer Zephyr (Public Domain photo) |
Movie: My Friend Irma Goes West
In this 1950 B&W comedy film, several New Yorkers board the Super Chief and head for a
potential entertainment career in Hollywood.
Image: F-units head for servicing after arriving with the Super Chief in Chicago (Ted Ellis photo) |
Movie: The Day The Earth Stood Still
An extremely well done B&W science-fiction drama of 1950 has an outer space traveler
visit Earth to warn of the planet's possible destruction.
Image: New Haven EP-4 #360 poses at The Bronx in New York. (Photographer unknown / Dave Witty collection) |
Movie: Human Desire
After WWII, a sailor returns to work at the "Central National" railroad, and he gets
involved in a murder. It's unfortunate this 1954 film was not done in color.
Image: Rock Island FAs masqueraded as Central National Railway locomotives on film. Photo is from the collection of Mac Owens. |
Movie: Bad Day at Black Rock
Color drama from 1950 that has a handicapped World War II veteran solve the mysterious
death of a war buddy in a small desert town.
Image: SP 6151's sister units also wore "black widow scheme. (John Shaw, jr photo / Greg Brown collection) |
Movie: In The Heat Of The Night
A big city police detective from Philadelpia is asked to help solve a murder in a small
Mississippi town during the latter part of the 1950s.
Image: GM&O E7A #103A idles in Chicago. (Lee Hastman photo / Craig Garver collection) |
Movie: Runaway!
This 1973 color movie presents a common railroad theme of out-of-control locomotives
roaring wildly towards imminent disaster.
Image: Sierra Pacific GP40 #3011 was spotted at Denver, Colorado. (Bob Jordan photo / Wil Hata collection) |
Movie: Silver Streak
Here is another one of those runaway train movies with two make-shift friends attempting
to rescue passengers before crashing into a busy train station.
Image: EX-CP 4070 still wore temporary AM Road identity when photographed in 1976. (Photographer unknown / Dwayne Pound collection |
Movie: Run-Away Train
|
Movie: Continental Divide
|
Movie: The Fugitive
|
Movie: Under Siege 2
|
Movie: Under Siege 2
|
Movie: Broken Arrow
|
Movie: SwitchBack
|
Movie: Unstoppable
|
Movie: A Man Called Otto
A comedy-drama in which a grumpy old man finds a renewed purpose in life when new neighbors
arrive.
Image: Ex-Algoma Central 1755 waits at the Toledo Union Depot on day of filming for its turn in front of camera. (R. Craig Rutherford photo) |
Abbreviations:
Sources: MyRailfan.Com (Tom Habak); RR Picture Arhives; and Ed Weisensel |
