The link to this music video popped up on TrainOrders.com. I suggest you pass on it if you have dial-up, but the rest of you:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-_2gW3zwMMQ

Just imagine someone wanting to try doing this on the EBT, Nevada Northern, or any other excursion line for that matter!

(Sorry, you're on your own for the translation. I can only fake my way through Gaelic, German and some French. Bollywood reggae is beyond me.)

Anything is possible if they (whoever they is) are willing to pay!!! To quote the esteemed Nick Kallas, "The three most important things to remember whe dealing with movie production companies are: Get the money, get the money, get the money!"

A promised credit at the end of the film is worthless (if it even appears); being well-paid for your railroad's efforts is priceless.

"Hello, we'd like you to jump your New Haven U25B over Long Island Sound, Evel Knievel style....... Here's twenty million dollars; make it so........."

And while we're at it, let me ski through a revolving door while striking a match on a cake of wet soap while summarizing Proust..........

Nothing I see in this video is really even difficult; the only thing you have to do is round up a group of sure-footed, well-coordinated dancers, a very competent film crew, and a good costumer. I mean, we're not talking smashing FP7s into Toronto Union Station or jumping an SP Daylight Gs-4 off the end of track at speed...........

Hello All,

This find has Mr. Mitchell enlightened. He has already posted twice in the thread! Perhaps he will become a music video producer here in the states?

Interesting concept. Creative choreography and a good looking women with a bare midriff always helps. Perhaps this will help a few more U.S. railfans get married?

The track structure can't be that good. So, do they have velcro on their feet or not?? One rule.....no wild moves over the trestles.

If a similar theme was used in the states, I think our typical tunnel clearances may be a problem. Of course sudden face-down moves could enhance the performance.

It looks like a cross between Polar Express and MTV. Let me see, Catherine Zeta Jones and the 765.......Mr. Mitchell, email Rich Melvin while the idea is still hot! Be careful, lets keep the liability potential down. Film this while traveling on welded rail...after all this is America and Rich is having a hard enough time paying for liability insurance.

Another thought, Kelly could pusue this at Strasburg down here in Lancaster, however........Amish buggies in the background........not a good idea.

Have a good day!

Randy Musselman

Mr. Mitchell,

I do have a revised suggestion, change your performer to Shania Twain. She is already high in the charts and she may be more open to the bare midriff venue. The problem is, could you afford her percentage in the deal? Perhaps if Rich could fill enough trains, this could work!

Cheers,

Randy Musselman

This looks like the narrow gauge railway that uses cogs for part of the way? If so, their engines have some really funky valve gear.

Joshua

Greetings:
This is one of the best things posted recently! It is really great to get an event idea here. The Valley Railroad plans to shamelessly rip this off. Hopefully Madonna will be able to fit us into her 2006 schedule...
J.David

This was an enlightening video. It's good to discover that there is actually more annoying music in the world than Britteny Spears and MTV.

If you look carefully at the shadows of some of the dancers on roofs of the cars, they look way too sharp and do not follow what they are doing with their arms. In some of the down-on shots of dancers on the flat cars, the car sides appear indistinct and move around a little bit, as if the sequence was filmed on the car with the train standing still and then pasted into a view of the same car (unoccupied) from the same camera position with the train moving. On one shot at the end right before the tunnel it looks like you can see the side of the car twice.

I can't imagine something like that ever happening here. You'd never get it by the legal deparment or the safety department, not to mention the who knows how many FRA rules infractions. The video was pretty good though and the music does have a certian appeal. On the otherside of the it, it's amazing how well the actors seem to keep thier balance while doing thier bits. Then again it's pretty come when the regular commuter trains in India are full and have no standing room inside,they just pile on the outside of the coaches. It don't appear to be The Darjeeling line, which on is it?

Geez, what makes you all think that it's the Darjeeling line? That would be like seeing UP 844 and wondering if it's the Durango & Silverton!

It took no time at all for me to find out it's the Nilgiri Mountain Railway:

http://www.luxury-train-travel-tours-india.com/hill-trains-in-india/nilgiri-mountain-railway.html

http://www.railmuseum.org/nmr/

http://www.narrow-gauge.co.uk/gallery/show.php?image_id=1581&cat_id=180

Much more on the song/video/movie at this Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaiyya_Chaiyya

And a (VERY surprising) translation of the lyrics at:
http://bollywhat.com/lyrics/dilse_lyr.html

My research into this movie indicates that 1) it was a major studio production and major movie in India at the time (Dil Se, 1998) (although it apparently was a bigger hit with overseas audiences than in India proper), and that 2) NO film trickery was used for that railroad video--the whole thing was shot with sure-footed dancers/stuntmen without the use of safety harnesses! (Although they do admit the music was dubbed to lip-syncing.....)

NOW how much would you charge them? >;-D

All I have to say is that the landscape over there is great. At leats for the location they decided to use.

I don't know how you people do it, but excellent posts here! The links providing all the info on the RR and even the TRANSLATION of the lyrics were awesome.

Sandy is the MAN when it comes to knowledge of the weird and obscure in world-wide railroading (he IS a librarian, ya know). That blue chooch's valve gear is some strange. And, for $20 Million, yes, I'd consider that U-boat jump across the Sound!!!!

J. David: Careful there buster; we at the Naugy have already signed up all the "dancers" at the two strip clubs right near our Waterbury yard--- I don't recall any similar local talent in sedate and upper-crust Essex...
Will Valley or Naugy field the first Break Dancin' Bare Belly Express???

mxdata: You sure are looking closely at those dancer images.....I wasn't paying too much attention to their arms!!!