Steam & Excursion > Big Boy is a Big One

I know its partially off Topic, but has anyone ever seen or heard of the Japanese anime "The Galaxy Railways"? The reason why I ask is that I should point out something very interesting. The story takes place in the future, where trains are capable of interplanetary travel. The fleet of the Galaxy Railways is protected by the Space Defense Force, or SDF, against intergalactic terrorists, meteor storms and malicious alien life. There are 3 Trains the SDF has. All three trains are futuristic, however, just two of the locomotives designs are, I found it quit fascinating that the 3rd one, the main one in the series, is an AMERICAN steam locomotive.... "Big One" as it is called in the show is nothing more than an Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy! A scaled up, nuclear powered Big Boy that can travel in space... But a Big Boy all the same.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/14 10:51 by badtanker1987.

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badtanker1987 Wrote:
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> . . . has anyone ever seen or heard of the Japanese
> anime "The Galaxy Railways"?

In this crowd, I fear you may be the only one.

Our STAR BLAZERS!!

CA_Sou_MA_Agent Wrote:
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> badtanker1987 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > . . . has anyone ever seen or heard of the
> Japanese
> > anime "The Galaxy Railways"?
>
> In this crowd, I fear you may be the only one.

He's not alone, I've heard of it but I've never seen it. I'm not sure I'd want to either.

Space Battleship Yamato would clobber that thing!


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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/14 18:03 by m420.

It is awesome! They way I tripped over it is a bit of a long story so I'll keep it brief. Back in 2012, me and a few folks I knew went to Phoenix Comic Con. To escape the heat and to get a little me time, I went into the Amine Festival part. They were showing a movie called "Galaxy Express 999" so I figured what the hell, beats the Arizona heat. Went in, sat through it, and got hooked on the whole thing.

Recently after putting some dollars away after borrowing out for Renzenberger, I decided to visit my local Rasputin's Music Store which is the most dangerous place. If you go in, you're pocket book is going to be at least 60 dollars lighter.

Anyway, I found this in the anime section. Noticing that it was the same director and studio who did Galaxy Express 999 (which happen to turn into my favorite anime) I decided to drop the 20 dollars on this, as well as a full box set of Fullmetal Alchamist and The Professionals which has great train shots. Seriously if you can find that movie do it, it has a great all star cast including Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Woody Strode and Robert Ryan, but I digress.

Long story short, I blew an entire day burning through Galaxy Railways which was money well spent. The animation is gorgeous and the voice act thank heavens above is decent. Most Japanese to English dubs don't translate well but thankfully this one does. Sure the concepts get goofy at times but that the charm of the whole thing. There's one particular episode I love called "Engine Song" that tells a story of an old engineer who's locomotive is going to the scrapper and he takes it out for one last run and as a member of a rail preservation society, the ending really hit me in the feels. I won't spoil it here so ya'll are gonna have to watch it.

Besides, its a Big Boy in space that shoot lasers. Sci-fi and railroading all in one.

-Brakeman Phil
Stockton, CA



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/14 02:24 by Brakeman_Phil.

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