Hollywod and Trains:Technical Inaccurices?

Question

On many movies I have watched concerning railway equipment, such as Atomic Train, when the airbrake hoses are severed, the train loses brakes, and becomes a runaway. That is impossible, for the Westinghouse Air Brake uses an air-reduction system, which safeguards against such a thing. If the airhoses should become severed or something else to cause a break, the air rushes out the brake lines, and the brakes go into emergency automatically, stopping the train. Although with the older "straight air" system, which has been out of use for decades, such a thing could cause a runaway. My question is, have any of you out there noticed any technical inaccuries in such films, besides the brakes?

Answer 1

Yes, there are a lot of inaccuracies, and it is obvious that Hollywood does not get anywhere near as much technical help as they should. The public is apparently not as dumb as they think we are. It really pi**es you off to see these things doesnt it? I know it does me.

As for losing brakes when the hoses are parted, dont ever say impossible, nothing is impossible.

I can think of a number of scenarios that have happened where the air went into emergency and it did not stop anything because the brakes were already rendered ineffective by previous actions and the train did indeed become a runaway. It is very rare but like they say on the RR, if it can happen, it will.

FYI, not all railroads equip their locomotives with alertors.

Answer 2

I hadn't caught that error (I'm relatively new to railroading as a model railroader), but Navy and Aviation movies used to be MY pet peeve...

Though one has to remember that the movies are written by screen-writers who often have LITTLE knowledge of the technical aspects of a subject they are writing about.

Technical advisors are often hired to correct GLARING inaccuracies, but writers and directors and editors will occasionally ignore their advice for reasons of cost, plot-design, or just stupidity.

My FAVORITE example was the movie "Hunt for Red October" back in 1990... the helicopter dropped a Mk-46 torpedo on the Red October, and the CIA Director "self destructed" the torpedo with a magic-button back on the ship.  Now the Mk-46 dropped was actually a lathed length of telephone pole... but the Mk-46 had NO such capability (and the book never used that scenario)... but the crew refused to listen to those of us who were the experts.  They just needed it to occur to make the movie "work".

Don't even START me on "Top Gun" ;))

Answer 3

I saw a movie, I don't remember the title, or who was in it, but there was a runaway train, with no one on the lead unit.  It was a modern looking unit, so I'm sure it would have had an alerter on it in real life.  So after a few minutes of no one resetting the alerter, there would have been either an emergency brake application, or at least a full service automatic brake application.

Answer 4

hollywood needs to have license to make drama

Answer 5

yea , in a steven segal movie, I can't remember the name , but a guy shoots a switch target and the switch throws. In the same movie there shooting at some one hiding behind the engine compartment doors and the bullets are deflected. those things just dont happen in real life.

Answer 6

yeah I am a building engineer and I notice a lot of building system inaccuracies.... such as no lightning protection on top of buildings.  This one film the guy is in a closet and sets of the  fire sprinkler system by starting a fire.  Y didn't he just break the sprinkler head.  The dummy was trapped in a fiery closet until the firemen came and got him out!

Answer 7

Tons of, shall we say, "theatrical license" evident in most motion pictures.  "Runaway Train" is a good example.  In order to get to the second unit in the consist, the brave brakeman risks life and limb by crawling out of the window to get to the cat walk on the fireman's side.  It would have been much easier to use the handy door right behind the engineer's seat.

Though liberties are still taken (hey, it's Hollywood), a railroad movie starring Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine titled "Emperor of the North" (Re-released as 'Emperor of the North Pole) is about as accurate as I have seen, short of a documentary.  In addition, it has the best fight scene ever filmed, for my money, and I would actually recommend this movie.

As far as runaway trains go, I have had the dubious distinction of experience in this area.  If you wish, click on my smiling face and navigate to my 360 page from the profile page here.  Once there, check out the blog post of January 1, 2007, in the form of a "RailTail".  It is titled, simply, "Runaway".  

Them there automatic air brakes don't always work, my friend.........

Answer 8

Yes. I am a railroad switchman and I notice these things. I'm also a guitar player and see how poorly people fake guitar playing in movies. The average person won't notice these inconsistencies unless they have some expertise, then they have to "suspend disbelief" to enjoy the movie in spite of it's flaws.

Answer 9

As for the question, yes I have noticed the inaccuracies.  

As for some of the other comments made here:  The air reduction system has been in effect much longer than a few decades.  It is a 19th century invention.  

As for a busted air line creating a runaway being impossible, it's not.  Their could be other problems.  Their could be a blanked angle c**k, a line blockage or a kinked air hose that prevents the air from dumping enough to create an emergency brake application.

As for the alerters.  Some have them.  Not all do.  Has everyone forgotten the CSX train that ran away between Lima and Cincinnati about 7 or 8 years ago?  

As for Hollywood, like I always remind my wife=It's just a movie.

Answer 10

Good grief.

"Runaway Train."  How about just slapping the fuel cut-off button on the rear bulkhead?  Or the one on either side just below the catwalk?

"Under Siege 2: Dark Territory."  The POS Segal movie.  They tell the guy in the hoghead seat to go, and he slams the throttle BACKWARDS to zero.  And of course ALL of the locs are facing forward.

Hey Robert S.  I know what you mean about Red October.  A buddy of mine was working at ILM when they announced the day's "rushes" were showing in the screening room.  He went, and it was the scene where the Typhoon was trying to escape the Sov torp in the canyon.  It was before they added the FX bubbles.  At the end, they asked for opinions and everyone oohed and aahed... except my buddy.  He told them the s***w count was wrong on the Typhoon.  They asked him how he knew.  He said, "I hunt them on weekends with the USNR."