Nostalgia & History > Bond vs Train

I just saw the latest James Bond flick, Skyfall, where he attempts to recouple a train with an excavator. Yes, the realism suffers a bit, but it's quite an action-packed opening. For those of you who have seen it, any comments?

I'd like to find out about how this was filmed, so any info and links would be most appreciated.

Posted from Android

Fred Harrison
Central Point, OR
CORPpower/JSS/EORS



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/12 19:24 by fredkharrison.

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I'm waiting for my wife to get back from England before I see it. But if you have seen Mythbusters James Bond myths, most of the wild stuff on James Bond is fantasy and just for show. Everyone of the items featured on Mythbusters was pretty much impossible to reproduce in real life.

Really?

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

I agree and seeing the film and knowing a little about trains the task however realistic and exciting was in my opinion impossible.
Much of this film is fantasy when a person is constanly shot at while shooting guns that never seem to need reloading (like most Westerns).
I enjoyed the flick and recommed it for anyone who enjoys an exciting Bond movie.

Hal

Check out the Top Gear episode about Bond cars - one of Richard Hammond's best efforts.

I remember thinking to myself when that scence happened, oh, well, the air would dump and the train would go into emergency.
I think. Not real sure how that exactly works.
Then I remembered I was watching a movie, A BOND movie.
So I ate my buttery popcorn and drank my gigantic coke and enjoyed the movie.
Fake...yes. Good entertainment, Heck Yes...!!!

The scene is filmed in Turkey. The opening is in Istanbul. Perhaps others can chime in on Turkish Railroads. What kind of couplers and brakes do they have?

It's James Bond....meant to be fun and it was.

Actually over the years, many of Bond's devices have indeed proven out. Modern Marvels on History Channel has a neat piece on it.

Turkish railway? That explains why the air didn't pop, they probably don't have air brakes! Just kidding. Now I'm gonna have to go see the movie!

The movie was great, but I had the same thought: why didn't the air pop the brakes.

Go to YouTube and Type in: The Making of Skyfall (Part 1)

No commentary but plenty of action from the various train scenes.

espee99 Wrote:
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> The movie was great, but I had the same thought:
> why didn't the air pop the brakes.

Short answer: because the air hoses were not connected. If you look closely at the pic, the air hose can be seen (to the left of the coupler, opposite to American/Japanese/Chinese/Australian/South African/New Zealand practice) curved back below the end sill, with the hose coupling hooked on to the vertical "carrier bracket" (again, typical European practice, different from the dummy-coupling-with-chain used throughout the Americas). The angle cock handle is not visible due to the blurred picture, but it is sure to be in the vertical, i.e. closed, position; presumably the brakes on the flat car had been "bled off" by pulling the manual release wire (rod in North America).

Roger Lewis (airbrakegeezer)

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

Cat has a nice video about the use of that modified Cat 320 that shows the rear locomotive the movie edited out

Posted from Android

I know its fake and fiction but good luck trying to recouple the train with that link and hook coupling...