# Finally saw "UNSTOPPABLE" last night



## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello All

I finally saw "Unstoppable" last night and even though it was your somewhat typical far fetched excuse to wreck stuff with explosions Hollywood movie I still liked it and would recommend it to anyone that likes trains. The elevated S curved section of rail that comes off the bridge and goes through Scranton looked like a really neat structure to behold.
Funny when the state troopers opened fire on the train in hopes to hit the fuel tank shutoff button. 
All the movie needed to be perfect was a bear of a guy named Shack to toss the hobos off.
Check it out if you already haven't.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

The wife and I both like the movie. Sure it was a little far fetched, but what movie isn't. The train rounding the bend up on the outside wheels may not be realistic but it was worth a chuckle and I like comedies. Heck, I still like watching Petticoat Junction just so I can watch the steam engine. Course the daughters don't hurt the eye either.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Yep a little far fetched. As I use to work for the industry I do not get a big kick out of the far fetched. About like any other movie that may follow other transportation modes. Later RJD


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Todd the scene where the troopers were trying to hit the shut-off valve with gunfire - really happened in the real event this was based on, They stopped shooting when they realized the bullets were ricocheting back all around them....LOL


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I saw it and enjoyed it--Denzel Washington is a classy actor. Realism--if you thinking knowing about RRs makes it hard to take a hollywood movie seriously, try being a historian!


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

I liked when they put all the portable derails on the track and, and they didn't derail the train.
Then all the cop cars line up next to the tracks the way the train would have came off, if it
did derail. But the best part was at the beginning when the engineer got off and the throttle
move to run 8 all buy itself.


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## chama (Jan 2, 2008)

I agree, enjoyable but a bit of a stretch. It was "inspired by a true event" which, as I recall, was in Indiana and much shorter, slower and less hazardous. It brings to mind two other railroad movies with some similarity: the truly dreadful "Runaway Train" (1985) with Jon Voight. The most comical part of this was a harrowing scene where Voight is trying to crawl around the outside of the cab of a hood-unit diesel which, as you can appreciate, is pretty hard to do. Myself, I'd have opened the door and walked through the cab. The other movie, and one I always enjoy, is "Silver Streak." Its major railroad nonsense is that this runaway train heading to Chicago was destined to end up on the dead-end track in Union Station despite anything that could be done (like maybe throwing a few switches and letting it run out of fuel somewhere on the way to California).

For true railroad flavor, I always recommend "Emperor of the North" (originally titled "Emperor of the North Pole") with Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin as a sadistic conductor and hobo, respectively (see first post about "Shack"). Really great railroad scenes and no criticisms with respect to authenticity.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

My favorite is still "the Train," even though the whole misdirection/phony station thing seems ridiculous


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Have you guys seen "The Great Locomotive Chase?" A Disney film based upon the Civil War era event of the same name with Fess Parker and Jeffery Hunter in the two lead roles. Some very lengthy and terrific footage of vintage locomotives and rolling stock, including a wood-jacketed t-boilered switcher. Highly recommended and available on DVD through Amazon and other places.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I liked the movie but it didn't hit enough stuff. Only one Box car and a Horse Trailer.

What Movie was filmed up on the Durango and Silverton? Didn't they sacrafice two engines.?

JJ


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

JJ, I think those two engines being sacrificed where just video clips from your's and Stans excapades>


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Excapades? Isn't that some Disney Thing on a Hocky Rink?


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## chama (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John J on 24 Apr 2011 07:01 AM 

What Movie was filmed up on the Durango and Silverton? Didn't they sacrafice two engines.?

JJ 

"Denver and Rio Grande". They crashed (and then scrapped) C-19 #345 and C-18 #319.

Other movies filmed on the Silverton Branch (from memory):
Ticket to Tomahawk
Around the World in 80 Days (including tunneling one of the cuts...kind of the opposite of "daylighting" a tunnel)
Support Your Local Gunfighter (or maybe "Sheriff"...I get them mixed up) opening and closing scenes (in between it has RR equipment that totally doesn't resemble the D&RGW equipment it is supposed to be based on the start of the film)

Movies on the C&TS:
Bite the Bullet
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (young Indy with Circus Train...might have been one of the other films)

Many others, no doubt. this is just what I can recall off-hand.


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

I saw "Unstoppable" with some friends when it came to the local $1 theater some time back. It was okay, but certainly not eligible for an Oscar nominee by any means.


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

Dwight, 

Even better is Buster Keaton's film "The General". Based on the same event, but much more entertaining without trying to be a G film (that's General audience, not scale).


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Rich. I've seen them both and I like them both. "TGLC" has the advantage of being in color (imho) and somewhat closer to the real story (though far from being an historical documentary).


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks guys,
Just added "The General" and "Denver and Rio Grande" to my instant netflix and put "The Great Locomotive Chase" in my DVD queue








Tommy








Rio Gracie


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## Adam Anderson (Apr 21, 2011)

I saw this Movie, I liked it, but the REVOLUTIONARY Drama was a bit much.


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## Tom Leaton (Apr 26, 2008)

I thought Unstoppable was hugely entertaining. As to The Great Locomotive Chase, it was a rare chance to see both the William Mason and the V&T Inyo in motion and in color.


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

To me the over abundance of helicopters was just plain distracting, they had a chopper in every shot, whether or not it was needed or could have even been there! Some flying outfit made a bunch of money on this one.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Part of Butch Cassady and the Sundance Kid was filmed on the Durango & Silverton as well. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064115/locations

Jim Carter


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