Silver Streak has been on a number of times in the last couple of weeks. I have a question about the diesel, CP? 4070. The scene where the engine cab is taken over by Patrick McGoohan, shoots the fireman on the right side of the engine cab and he
falls out the door. The engineer is sitting on the right side like he will run from that
side. But eventually ends up on the left side with another control stand with dead
man control on the floor with a tool box on it. My question was the 4070 a dual control cab right and left running, or a mock up stand for the movie.

Lots of other good stunts on the train. Uncoupling the passenger cars was quite a feat for Gene Wilder also. Train footage of the out of control train into what Chicago
depot was great.

Great movie with a good plot.

Tom Travis

Not sure about dual control stands, but another explanation could have been that those shots were optically printed with image reversed in order to maintain continuity of direction of travel. Seems like a lot to go through for a comedy(?), but some directors are serious about their craft...

In a subsequent scene, with Patrick McGoohan lying on the cab floor (in the open right-hand door) and shooting at a helicopter (before he gets "clipped" by an oncoming train), it is possible to see the shadow of an engineer operating the train from the opposite (left) side of the cab. If you go frame-by-frame, it is also possible to see an air stand with the automatic in "running" position (handle is parallel with the cab wall). In other shots, the top of a second speed recorder housing is visible on the left side of the cab as well. Also, the stenciled messages in the cab are all legible (and not reversed) throughout the film sequences. It would seem that the 4070 is fully equipped with a second set of controls.

My question is whether this was done solely in preparation for "Silver Streak", or if other units were similarly equipped (and for what purpose). In any event, the whole runaway-train sequence is a classic in movie-making!

Craig Lacey

Now the real question is how can we get the movie star locomotive 4070 preserved as "Amroad" 4070. Last I knew the engine was still around in less than great shape. Anyone have an update on its status?