University of Texas, May 1971. Five frat brothers, part of a group known as the “Groovers” have just graduated and are facing uncertain futures. Two of the members, Gardner Barnes (Kevin Costner) and Kenneth Waggener (Sam Robards) have just received their draft cards to Vietnam, and are ordered to basic training within a week. Knowing the group is on borrowed time, the gang decides to go on a rip-roaring trek of West Texas on what few days they have left of freedom. Gardner commandeers the 1959 Cadillac of another member, Phil Hicks (Judd Nelson) and they go on their way. A day or so later the gang stops at a roadside monument, their car having run out of gas. And it just so happens they are stopped by some railroad tracks. After what seems like an eternity, the guys hear a distant train horn. Gardner’s first idea is to leave the car where it is, hop the train to go into town and get some gas, and return later. Phil is vehemently opposed to the idea. Gardner then gets another idea. The parking area of the monument is surrounded by a short fence consisting of a cable. This idea is to tie one end of the cable to the front bumper of the Cadillac, the other end to the rear of the train, basically getting a free ride into town courtesy of the railroad. He then orders another member, Dorman (Chuck Bush) to rip the cable out and lasso it onto the last coupler of the last car. He is successful, and the gang waits for the final result. Unfortunately the laws of physics come into play and instead of taking the car with it, the train violently rips the front clip of the Cadillac pulling it up the tracks a short distance before finally leaving it in the middle of the tracks. The gang, including a very angry Phil, ponder their next mission, eventually pushing the car into the next town down the highway… Now onto the train.
The locomotive featured is Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe GP50 #3834, which emerged from the EMD plant in La Grange, Illinois in April 1981, as part of order #796317, a sixteen unit order of GP50’s (#s 3824-3839) built between March and April 1981. This was Santa Fe’s third order of the units. A fourth and final order would follow in April 1985. They were typically put in place on the ATSF’s hot intermodal freights when delivered in the early 1980’s.
3834 would eventually make it into the BNSF era, and was ultimately renumbered to 3187. It is still in its as-delivered blue and yellow, aka “Bluebonnet” paint scheme as it was seen in Fandango.
Now for a couple of minor goofs…even though the film was set in 1971, the locomotive seen wasn’t even built until ten years later, most rail fans would have believed a GP35 would have sufficed. But this being Hollywood perfection is not a top priority. And the other goof, the “bluebonnet” scheme didn’t debut until the following year in 1972. All ATSF locomotives in 1971 were in the solid blue with yellow trim “cigar band” paint scheme. Finally as to why all Santa Fe reporting marks were blanked out, especially on the freight cars, I can only assume that the ATSF didn’t want to be held liable for anything that should have went wrong during the filming of the scene. Just a guess…Anyone who actually knows please comment!
Some pictures of the 3834/3187:
3834 in Tehachapi, Ca in December 1987, two years after being in Fandango:
Who would have thought, that a movie about fast cars, hot women and stupid acts of driving would become a movie franchise. In all there have been 5 movies, with the latest being “Fast Five” that was released in 2011, and a 6th film, planned on being released in 2013 called “Fast Six”. The Scene in question is from the first movie involves a 1970 Dodge Challenger, a 1995 Honda Civic (Modified) and a 1968 EMD GP40 (Stock). The scene takes place when Brian (Driving the Civic), and Dominic (Driving the Challenger) drag race down a street, and narrowly avoid getting hit by SCRX GP40 #3134. After a sigh of relief, Dominic ends up rolling his Challenger after colliding with a Peterbilt Tractor-Trailer.
SCRX GP40 #3134 in "Fast and the Furious"
The locomotive that is seen is Santa Clarita Railroad GP40 #3134. She was constructed by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in August, 1968, with serial #34295 and Frame #7127-14. The Locomotive was built for the Penn Central, the giant North Eastern railroad that went Bankrupt after only 2 years! The Locomotive was originally ordered by the New York Central in 1967, but was delivered after the Merger, and came decked out all for PC. When built, she was Penn Central #3118. She served the large, bankrupt Penn Central until 1976, when the Penn Central and many other Northeastern railroads all merged under the government run “Consolidated Rail Corporation,” other wise known as Conrail. Under Conrail, the locomotive was Conrail 3118, and she served the Big Blue (Conrail’s Nickname since their paint scheme was solid blue), until 1983, when the 15 year lease on the locomotive was up. After Conrail released the locomotive back to its owner, Helm Financial, the locomotive was sold right away to the Denver, and Rio Grande Western Railroad, that operated in Utah and Colorado, with trackage rights into Kansas City. The locomotive was then renumbered to DRGW #3134, the number she carries to this day. She spent the next 15 years being owned by the D&RGW, the Southern Pacific, and the Union Pacific. The locomotive was retired by the Union Pacific Railroad, still in full DRGW paint, in 1999, and was then sold to the Santa Clarita Railroad. During her time on the Santa Claritia, she was use in not only “Fast and the Furious,” but she was also used in an Operation Lifesaver commercial that involved an exploding car. She stayed with the SCRX until November 2004, when she was sold to the Southwestern Railroad for use on their new Carlsbad division in New Mexico. Today, she is still earning a living on the SouthWestern, working the many Potash trains and the occasional unit grain trains.
Again, I hope you enjoyed the latest installment of The CineTrains Project! I hope that you keep on coming back and reading more about trains in the movies and on Television! If you have any ideas you want to pass along to me, just find out out to contact me in the Submitting Ideas section of the page! Happy Railfanning!
Welcome to the 2nd part of The CineTrains Project of the special report of Train in Music Videos. In part 2, we will take a look at 2 more music videos from the Country music Genre!
Lets get right to it!
Train Wreck of Emotion – Lorrie Morgan
CSX GP38-2 #2523 in Lorrie Morgan's "Train wreck of Emotion"
Just like R.E.M.’s “Driver 8”, Lorrie Morgan’s video of her song “Train Wreck of Emotion” has an opening shot of Classic EMD power. In this case, it is CSX GP38-2 #2523. By the looks of the location, and a brief glimpse of CSX GP38-2 #2523. She was constructed by EMD in La Grange, IL with Frame #72785-24 in early 1973, not even a year after EMD introduced the GP38-2. When built, she was built for the Seaboard Coast Line, a South-Eastern United States carrier, as SCL #523. The locomotive spent the first 14 years of its life as SCL 523. By 1985, the SCL had become part of the Family Lines(SCL, L&N, Georgia, Clinchfield), witch, in turn, had become part of the Seaboard System. In the mid 1980’s, the Seaboard System and its competitor, The Chessie System (B&O, C&O, WM) to form today’s CSX Transportation company. After the merger, the locomotive was quickly patched to become CSX 2523. She is currently in local train service on the CSX to this day.
In the background of the band, there are a couple of CSX end cab EMD switchers, and I can not make out the numbers on them, here is a screenshot. Both appear to be EMD SW1500’s, one in the CSX YN1 Blue and Grey scheme and the other still painted for the Seaboard System.
Here is the music video:
Long Black Train – Josh Turner
TVRM 610 in Josh Turner's Long Black Train
The Tennessee Valley Railway Museum has been featured in several films, and this Music Video. Starring Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton 2-8-0 Consolidation type steam locomotive #610. She was constructed in 1952, near the end of the steam age, and was assigned builders #75503. She was constructed By BLH for the United States Army for use by the 7th Transportation Battalion in Fort Bragg and was given the class of S160A by the Military. She was used on the base to switch incoming cars and to help assemble out going troop trains and military equipment trains during the Korean War and the Vietnam wars. By 1972, she was worn out, and was retired by the US Army and declared surplus. When retired, the US Army donated the locomotive to the Wiregrass Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS). With no place to store her, the locomotive was then re-donated by the chapter to the Tennesse Valley Railway Museum. She sat around on the grounds, only cosmetically restored, however, in 1990, the museum restored the 610 to operational use. Right away, the locomotive was borrowed by the Norfolk Southern Corp. to fill in for another ailing NS Steam locomotive, the N&W 1218. This would have been the first time the locomotive ran under its own power on a mainline train at mainline speeds, since her entire military career consisted mainly of switching the yard in Ft. Bragg. Since then, the locomotive has been used by the TVRM on its tourist railroad in the Chattanooga, TN area. In 2010, the locomotive was sidelined by the museum when its flu time ran out. The locomotive is waiting to be put into the shop at the TVRM for boiler work and boiler re-certification.
Special thanks to Jeff Hunsaker of Knoxville, TN for help on clarification on this article.
Again, I hope you enjoyed the latest installment of The CineTrains Project! I hope that you keep on coming back and reading more about trains in the movies and on Television! If you have any ideas you want to pass along to me, just find out out to contact me in the Submitting Ideas section of the page! Happy Railfanning!
This article will cover 5 music videos that I enjoy that all have a locomotive in them that is identifiable and that I really enjoy! Lets start!
Hardhat and a Hammer – Alan Jackson
Terminal Railway of Alabama State Docks #803 in Alan Jackson's "Hardhat and a Hammer"
Alan Jackson in released this song about the working man, and has footage of Railroading, Logging, Mining and trucking. The locomotive featured in this song is Terminal Railway of Alabama State Docks MP15AC #803. She was constructed for the TASD by the Electro Motive Division of General Motors in October 1980 with Frame #806003-1, with an unknown Serial #. She has worked for the same railroad since she was delivered, and is still in everyday use, working the State Docks in Mobile, Alabama.
McCloud River SD38-2 #39 in Aerosmith's "Living on the Edge"
Aerosmith’s 1980’s music video “Living on the Edge” has a spectacular shot of McCloud River #39. The scene in witch this shot takes place is the same location that was seen in the movie “Stand By Me” that was already covered by The CineTrains Project. The locomotive was built for the McCloud River in August 1974 by EMD with Frame #74623-1, with an unknown Serial #. The unit stayed on the McCloud River until 1997, when the unit was traded to the Union Pacific railroad in exchange for 5 end cab switchers. When she was released for service by the UP in late 1997, the locomotive became UP 2824. She kept this number until the UP had to put all yard power into the new UPY reporting marks, where she became UPY 824. She is currently in service as a hump locomotive in Southern California.
Conrail 7841 in "Little Pink Houses" by John Mellencamp
Little Pink Houses by John Mellencamp has two different trains in them, first is this quick shot of Conrail GP38#7841, still in Penn Central paint. The locomotive was built by EMD in May 1970 for the ill-fated Penn Central, as PC #7841. When PC and 7 other railroads merged to form Conrail, she became Conrail 7841. She was retired from the Conrail roster in 1985, after spending 2 years in Conrail blue paint, and was sold to National Railway Equipment, who stored the locomotive until she was eventually sold to the BNSF railway in 1998. There, she became BNSF #2169, and is currently in everyday service on the vast BNSF system.
The next train we see is Chessie System (B&O) GP40-2 #4310. Built by EMD in March 1978, she carries the Frame #777051-2, and was delivered in the beautiful Chessie Paint scheme. When the Chessie System and the Seaboard System merged in the mid 1980’s, she became CSXT 6209, and is today, currently in service under that same number.
Copper Basin Railway 208 in 1000 Miles from No where
Dave Yoakam’s 1000 Miles From No Where was filmed in 1994 on Arizona’s Copper Basin Railway. The locomotive used in the film is Copper Basin Railway GP9 #208. She was built by EMD in June of 1954 for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy as their #279. Built with Serial #19163 and frame #5354-5, she was the 5th unit of the Burlington’s 1954 GP9 order. She stayed with the Burlington until 1970, when the CB&Q, Northern Pacific, Great Northern and the Spokane, Portland and Seattle railroads all merged to form the Burlington Northern. The BN retired her from active service in December 1985 and she was sold to NRE in Silvis, IL, where she had her high short hut lowered and was sold to the Copper Basin Railway. She is still there, lugging copper concentrate out of the mines and to an online smelter for copper production.
UPDATE AS OF 7-7-2013! The Locomotive used in this music video is no longer owned by the Copper Basin Railway. The CBRY traded all their GP9’s in to Metro East Industries in East St. Louis, Missouri in March, 2013. This includes the 208. The units were traded in for several ex-Iowa, Chicago and Eastern GP40-2’s. Metro East Industries has since re-sold the locomotives to Foster-Townsend Rail Logistics (FTRL, aar FTRX). The 208 was last reported at MEI’s Ex-Manufactures Railway Shop in St. Louis, Missouri for shopping and repainting into FTRL’s Orange and Brown scheme. According to an inside source, the Locomotive will be working on FTRL’s Cleveland Terminal Operation in Ohio once shopped.
So far on The CineTrains Project, we have talked about trains that have appeared in Movies and Television shows. But in this post, we jump into a genre that we have never discussed before, Music Videos. We will be discussing each Music video in the same format that you have come to expect, however, each post that is about a music video, will also have the video embedded into the post as well.
“Driver 8” was the second single from the 3rd Album released by the band R.E.M. in September 1985. The Album, Fables of Reconstruction, reached to #28 on Billboards top 200, however, the song itself, made it into the top 25, reaching #22 on Billboards Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart. However, with the somewhat popularity that the song got in the United States, it was never released to the European market. The song is about a passenger train, The Southern Crescent, that was operated by the Southern Railway until 1979, when the train was handed over to Amtrak. Even though the song was about the Southern’s most famous passenger train, the trains featured was the Chessie System, and the video was mainly featured, Railfan style, in and around the Clifton Forge, Virginia area, including inside the locomotive shops there. We will be discussing only a few of the locomotive seen in the film, and those are the ones that are featured prominently in the music video
Chessie System SD50 #8558 at the start of the Video
The video is mainly Black and White, with a few bits of color footage in it. The video starts with a wonderful sweeping shot of a a pair of then nearly new Chessie SD50’s. Only 1 of the locomotives is identified, and that is the lead locomotive, C&O 8558. The locomotive was constructed by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in February of 1984, about 6 months before the footage was shot. Released from the EMD factory with Frame #837057-6 (Serial # unknown), the locomotive was released in, what I think is the best looking paint scheme every imagined, the Chessie System Family colors of Yellow, Orange and Vermilion (Very Dark Blue). The Chessie System was not long for the world however, and in 1986, the year after the video was released, the Chessie merged with Seaboard System to form CSX Transportation. After the merger, the Unit became CSXT 8558. Not much more history remains with unit, however, in 2009, the locomotive was rebuilt by CSX into what it calls “SD50-2”, however, when the rebuild took place, the locomotive kept its number. The 8558 is still working hard today for CSX, nearly 30 years after being built by EMD.
Chessie System (Baltimore and Ohio) GP40-2 #4329 is the next unit we will cover. She is only 5 years younger than the 8558 that we discussed above, constructed by in February, 1979, the locomotive was released by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors with Frame #787227-8 (Serial # unknown). The Unit, also released in the magnificent Chessie System paint scheme, the unit toiled around, as part of Chessie’s back bone fleet. After the CSX merger, the unit became CSX 6228, and today, she remains part of CSX’s fleet of local road power.
The next locomotive that we will cover is now a Museum piece. The locomotive, Chessie System (Baltimore and Ohio) GP38 #3802, was, in the early 1980’s, named TRAINS MAGAZINE “ALL AMERICAN DIESEL” and after the announcement was made, the locomotive was automatically tapped at the event, for placement at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum outside Baltimore. where she would forever be preserved as a “Typical American Locomotive” for all to view. She was released from the EMD La Grange, Illinois plant in October 1967 as B&O 3802. When released, she was painted in B&O’s then standard Dark blue paint scheme. When B&O’s owner, the Chesapeake and Ohio formed the holding company of Chessie System, the unit was painted into the standard Chessie Colors, along with other railroads that were in the fold (TORCO, B&O, C&O and Western Maryland). In the early 1980’s, the locomotive was named TRAINS MAGAZINE’S ALL AMERICAN DIESEL, and a plaque was dedicated onto the front of the locomotive, which was subsequently stolen and never found. All the railroad do was stencil the lettering that was on the plaque where the plaque was. When the Chessie System merged with Seaboard System, the locomotive was renumbered from B&O 3802 to CSX 2002. She carried this number until the mid 1990’s when she was pulled from regular service, and put into MOW service, and was repainted into a solid Orange scheme and renumbered to CSX 9699. it is interesting to note, this locomotive never wore any of the official CSX road-service paint schemes, until she was repainted all orange for MOW work. In the early 2000’s, the locomotive was finally retired and donated to the B&O Railroad Museum for public display.
The next, and last locomotive that we will cover is Chessie System (Chesapeake and Ohio) B30-7 #8289. She was constructed by General Electric Transportation in their Erie, Pennsylvania plant in March of 1981. She carries serial #43266, and was one of the last B30-7’s delivered to the railroad. Being a GE, the locomotive was minority on the railroad, since this was a time before GE dominated locomotive building, and the GE products were still not as reliable as EMD products. When the Chessie/Seaboard System merger took place in the mid 1980’s, the locomotive was renumbered to CSXT 5571. She remained on the active CSX roster until 2002, when she was involved in a wreck that slightly bent the locomotive’s frame, a fatality to a locomotive. She has not yet been scrapped, and can be seen in the CSX deadline in Waycross, Georgia.
Now, as promised, I am going to embed the music video into this post:
I hope you enjoyed this first venture The CineTrains Did about music videos! As always, if you have any suggestions, click the “Submitting Ideas” tab under the banner. All leads are investigated! HAPPY RAILFANNING!
The CineTrains Project - Trains in the Cinema and TV 
