Ozark Mountain has a bunch, but I have no idea what shape they're in ...

www.ozarkmountainrailcar.com

Try http://www.iltransit.com/, they always have quite a few cars for sale.
Or http://www.railmerchants.net/index.htm, they usually have a few.

Are you looking to buy or otherwise acquire them? Or charter or lease for a special trip or event?

IRM has some we just rented to Warner Bros a few months ago for an upcoming Clint Eastwood movie, with up to date brakes, FRA inspections, etc - but of course they are part of our collection. One of them is Louisville and Nashville Galt House diner so that might fit your bill. None of the rest are 'straight' coaches.

Bob Kutella

Bob,

Are you able to give us a few observations on how the process of renting a train to a movie company worked out?

ARM has a section in the Recomended Practices on this.

There are lots of horror stories, many non railroad relaited, about the treatment of artifacts by movie crews.

There is also clearly the possiblity of significate income from such use, along with publicity.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum has cars AND a place to run them...not to mention quailty personnel and the required experience. Recent productions include "Warm Springs" for HBO which won the Best TV Movie Emmy Award this year, "The Adventures of Ociee Nash" available on 20th Century Fox DVD (also a trailer at www.ociee.com), and "Heavens Fall" (a yet-to-be-released film about the Scottsboro Boys trial.)

Give us a call: 423-894-8028 extension 11.

We have participated in a lot of movie work, it seems to me, but as a source of revenue, there can always be more. At one time there seemed to be a significant amount of film and still work for commercial ads although not much lately.

I still enjoy watching League of Their Own and Groundhog Day which both included scenes on IRM property.

These are two really separate topics - on location shooting and lease of cars to go off site, perhaps for extended periods.

As much as you try to anticipate problems, the movie guys are really not too interested until the last minute and then people, contractors, labor appear magically and swarm over the equipment.

There is a lot more control with on site shoots, but even there you have to consider worst case scenarios. These are historic artifacts for the most part so any insurance should clearly stipulate they are covered to return to previous state and condition. Try not to lease them as 'vehicles' since insurance laws in many states treat a vehicle separately and allow a carrier to 'total out' a vehicle for basically scrap value if cost of repairs exceeds fair market value as a vehicle. And like it or not our passenger and freight cars have little or no value as a vehicle in today's rail systems. There will almost always be some incidental or accidental damage including chipped or peeling paint, fogged or etched windows to name two we have seen in the last few years.

Ideally the renter should post a bond in advance to cover this stuff but that can be hard to negotiate and after the fact there is little urgency by the players to make good.

Try to consider what rates you will charge now, in advance of anyone approaching you. I firmly believe we undervalue our collections and what we might contribute in this business. Start high and you might be surprised at what they are willing to pay. Do not plan to offer your 'volunteer' labor for setup, etc as free to the movie company. Register with the local and state film bureaus as a way to publicize what you have to offer. In our case both city of Chicago and state of Illinois solicit this business and you need to be known to them.

Include cost of a rider or messenger to accompany cars off site, and perhaps security depending on where they might layover between shooting. The rider(s) should have enough mechanical ability to make small adjustments and repairs and have a tool kit and supplies for such things as oiling journals, gaskets for air hoses, etc.

If the cars or locomotives are going off site try to be involved in routing and asking questions. Some of this old stuff does not bend in the middle real well and the railroads may not (will not) be familiar if long wheelbases are involved, older couplings, etc. Be especially vigilant concerning little used trackage and wyes for turning stuff. They do not call them heavyweights for nothing and some of the seldom used trackage has poor infrastructure, rotted ties, or light rail.

This could go on forever, but walk in their shoes and try to plan ahead.

Bob Kutella