Even if the grain growing states have the grain; how do you harvest the grain? Store it? Move it? The distances and bulk involved require either barge or rail; and fast, frequent operation. There are few decent sized operable steam locomotives, fewer operable steam powered cargo river craft, and fewer still hand-operated cargo river craft.

How many houses still have fireplaces to keep warm in the winter? How many of the non-outdoor types could survive without air conditioning? The sad fact is that few of those whose jobs would become surplus due to total loss of power are willing or capable of taking up the jobs that we rely on machines to do now.

Well, my mother used to tell me, if I didn't have anything good to say, I shouldn't say it. . .so I won't say what I thought of this, at least as entertainment. . .

Actually we do have a few good things.

1. It's very likely that the rental from this helped pay for the operation of the railroad, and may even have helped pay for the recent first-rate restoration of the 400 as Magma 7. That's very likely the best thing to take from this.

2. One of the things that stands out is how "good" the TSR looks, not as some futuristic relic, but as a period railroad--cars and a caboose with roofwalks and plain-bearing trucks, for instance. Could have used better paint, but that's the effect these people wanted, and that can be changed after a few rentals like this. So much better, or at least so much more potential, compared with a lot of other things seen over the years.

3. This in turn tells me, again, how inherently photogenic railroads can be. Another, perhaps better example, was an infamous turkey, also from NBC, called "Atomic Train." This horrible disaster film, in two parts, no less, had one saving grace--footage apparently shot on the British Columbia Railway. The trains and scenery just looked grand! It's too bad the writing, the story, and everything else was not up to that quality.

It is also notable that NBC, for a while at least, seemed to run a TV movie that featured train disasters of some sort every couple of years or so. I guess we should be happy that someone there was at least aware of railroads, but they could have used some help in coming up with stories that didn't put trainloads of people in danger!

As far as #7's appearance goes in the filming - when they came in to scout the RR, #7 was in the shop with a lagged but unjacketed boiler. We said we were finishing it up, and it would be ready for the film and looking good. They said they liked it as it was, scruffy and run down. We told them we had to jacket the engine, but would leave it in primer. We wouldn't touch the cab and tender. They came back a week later and shot a scene that was in the previous episode and we had a nice coat of black paint on her by then - but no lettering.

The one snippet of #7 with her headlight on was an oops on their part. We were told to keep the lights off all the time - including the night scenes.

The best part of the whole deal were the multiple checks given to us with lots of zeros to the left of the decimal point.

Earl
TSR Guy

Years ago National Inquirer use to pay people for when they spotted a mistake in a TV show or movie, someone facing the wrong way or having the wrong shirt or pants one, etc... too bad they don't do it today 'cause a railfan would win the $50!!!

The caboose got most of the bad paint stripped off and its first coat of red primer in the weeks before May photo train. Hopefully, by the end of the year, it will be back in fresh Mopac paint. It is being done by the TSRR volunteers, so PM me if you would like to join us in helping with the restoration.