Great footage - really got the adreniline juices going. Did you notice the engine switch? The loco with the hot box has an outside framed trailing truck, while the one arriving in Chicago has inside bearings. not so easy to 'fix' on the run. Even so, marvellous atmosphere. The whistle sounding through the yards while the wrecker is hooked up would be an emergency signal.
Noticed something about the engine heading off to clear the line; it shares numbers with a London Midland and Scottish 8F Class 2-8-0, which at present is painted in that company's maroon livery.
By the way, was that continuous whistling during the yard scene for effect, or was an alarm being sounded?
You know, I actually saw something similar to that shunt of war in an old British film that I assume was made by Pathe. It had two London and South Western 0-4-2 tender engines pitted against one of that railway's new N15 "King Arthur" 4-6-0s, and naturally the bigger engine won fair and square. I think those smaller ones were being a bit exuberant though, because their wheels kept spinning wildly.
@TheClaudHamilton Interesting! Indeed the tracks were probably covered with some kind of lubricant to induce wheel slippage. thank you for the information on the British engines!
Wait - "tug" of war? Considering that those two engines were pushing against each other rather than pulling, I would have called it a "SHUNT" of war. All the same, I quite liked that montage of clips.
By the way, did American loco crews really have to hang from the cab like that to cool off a hot axlebox? Surely that's a bit dangerous. Mind you, I'm British, so I'm no real expert on American railroad practises.
@TheClaudHamilton Ha ha! A shunt it is then. Your keen eye noticed one of the "Hollywood" movie stunts. I think the American loco crews would stop the train first before attempting to fix anything.
This clip has fabulous outtakes. My father has this film. If you are a fan of steam trains or esp. period pieces with the attendant big city backgrounds and the train yard from that time, this is a 'must have' movie. Also, there are some excellent actors in this file. Wolheim also made a fine WWI movie. It also shows the attitudes between workers and management back at that time in some shots, during the depression!
I believe that is the movie in which he received good reviews. Also, he was an excellent college football athlete. Jean Arthur and Robert Armstrong were also well known at that time!
No doubt the tug of war was by two engines with 'warn out tires' due for replacement and on a stretch of track not on the main. It was a fire-able offense on the RR's to spin the wheels on a mainline or 'road' hauler, because of the damage to the tires. Probably the greatest train movie of all time, when steam was at its peak and when the mainlines ran at 105mph between NY and Chicago!!
Very exciting actually....and nothing got blown up or wrecked.I dread a lot of these old train movies when they wreck trains.. you don't need that for drama. Although I suspect a pair of front end couplers might have been a little bent..
Great footage - really got the adreniline juices going. Did you notice the engine switch? The loco with the hot box has an outside framed trailing truck, while the one arriving in Chicago has inside bearings. not so easy to 'fix' on the run. Even so, marvellous atmosphere. The whistle sounding through the yards while the wrecker is hooked up would be an emergency signal.
John Davies
johndaviesist 7 months ago
The scene with fixing the hotbox is a hollywood stunt, on a real rr you always stop the train to take care of those types of problems.
derail14 11 months ago
The Film Crew must of had a gas filming this, haha!
48alfaone 1 year ago
Noticed something about the engine heading off to clear the line; it shares numbers with a London Midland and Scottish 8F Class 2-8-0, which at present is painted in that company's maroon livery.
By the way, was that continuous whistling during the yard scene for effect, or was an alarm being sounded?
TheClaudHamilton 1 year ago
listening to that power of that engine in the begining gives me goosebumps
breathholdchamp 1 year ago
You know, I actually saw something similar to that shunt of war in an old British film that I assume was made by Pathe. It had two London and South Western 0-4-2 tender engines pitted against one of that railway's new N15 "King Arthur" 4-6-0s, and naturally the bigger engine won fair and square. I think those smaller ones were being a bit exuberant though, because their wheels kept spinning wildly.
TheClaudHamilton 1 year ago
@TheClaudHamilton Interesting! Indeed the tracks were probably covered with some kind of lubricant to induce wheel slippage. thank you for the information on the British engines!
sfo1164 1 year ago
rofl That Battery Commercial reminds me of the Duracell ones xD
Pikman01 1 year ago
@Pikman01 ha ha!
sfo1164 1 year ago
Wait - "tug" of war? Considering that those two engines were pushing against each other rather than pulling, I would have called it a "SHUNT" of war. All the same, I quite liked that montage of clips.
By the way, did American loco crews really have to hang from the cab like that to cool off a hot axlebox? Surely that's a bit dangerous. Mind you, I'm British, so I'm no real expert on American railroad practises.
TheClaudHamilton 1 year ago
@TheClaudHamilton Ha ha! A shunt it is then. Your keen eye noticed one of the "Hollywood" movie stunts. I think the American loco crews would stop the train first before attempting to fix anything.
sfo1164 1 year ago
@sfo1164 Yeah, I thought so.
TheClaudHamilton 1 year ago
Great backdrop and views ...
kingjameswww 1 year ago
@kingjameswww it is a classic that's for sure!
sfo1164 1 year ago
This clip has fabulous outtakes. My father has this film. If you are a fan of steam trains or esp. period pieces with the attendant big city backgrounds and the train yard from that time, this is a 'must have' movie. Also, there are some excellent actors in this file. Wolheim also made a fine WWI movie. It also shows the attitudes between workers and management back at that time in some shots, during the depression!
spartonboat1 1 year ago
@spartonboat1 Great input! Would that WW1 movie Wolheim did be "All Quiet on the Western Front?
sfo1164 1 year ago
@sfo1164
I believe that is the movie in which he received good reviews. Also, he was an excellent college football athlete. Jean Arthur and Robert Armstrong were also well known at that time!
spartonboat1 1 year ago
it just doesn't get any better than this.
Zebrails 1 year ago
@Zebrails thanks!
sfo1164 1 year ago
A wonderful movie with fabulous footage!!! A film of trains that are gone forever. Beautiful and very sad!!!
stlgtrace 1 year ago
No doubt the tug of war was by two engines with 'warn out tires' due for replacement and on a stretch of track not on the main. It was a fire-able offense on the RR's to spin the wheels on a mainline or 'road' hauler, because of the damage to the tires. Probably the greatest train movie of all time, when steam was at its peak and when the mainlines ran at 105mph between NY and Chicago!!
spartonboat1 1 year ago
@spartonboat1 Your comments are correct and insightful. Thank you for taking the time to write
sfo1164 1 year ago
Only Just after the sound era , real sound and on location , amaaazing
jeanniedee 1 year ago
this my friend was before the government was into everything
cghgrn123 1 year ago
Thanks for posting, this is one of the best steam-era railroad films ever made.
SR722 1 year ago
@SR722 My pleasure. I agree.
sfo1164 1 year ago
Very exciting actually....and nothing got blown up or wrecked.I dread a lot of these old train movies when they wreck trains.. you don't need that for drama. Although I suspect a pair of front end couplers might have been a little bent..
bluehachiroku 1 year ago
@bluehachiroku Yes I agree with all that you said. I wonder if there was any mechanical damage after the locomotive tug of war?
sfo1164 1 year ago
great video
scooby19784 1 year ago
Thank you
sfo1164 1 year ago
Great archival film of the railroad
goldcreekfilms 1 year ago
that it is
sfo1164 1 year ago
If you like Mikados and Pacifics, this is the movie for you.
RichardSwayne 2 years ago 3