Just watching a Cary Grant movie "People Will Talk" 1951 and there is a segment of a very astonshing Lionel "Carpet Central Layout" ! I remember seeing this movie a very loooong time ago and that train segment tookme straight back to that time! You wonder how many hours it took to set and time this track layout. Wonder if thereis a diagram of the track system somewhere?
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That would entail catching the movie's studio, and checking if they have archives (and there have been fires on studio lots). Dunno how much old history they retain ....except for all that old celluloid in cannisters...
Yes, always enjoy this show when I have a chance to catch it. In fact, my wife also checks the show times as to when it may be showing, we simply haven't ever checked to see about buying a copy of it. I suppose that would make sense, but we already have so many.... and we enjoy "the thrill of the hunt"... To see all the trains, well 4 or 5 it seems, running through different rooms as the lady stands at the top of the stairs.. and knowing what is going on...... never tire of it. Just would like to see more of the trains, themselves.
Jesse TCA
Here is the scene...
Ah, when our trains were toys.
Isn't there another film, "Four's a Crowd", that has trains. Wait, just found it.
Dan Padova posted:Ah, when our trains were toys.
Isn't there another film, "Four's a Crowd", that has trains. Wait, just found it.
If you look close you can see the pilot truck was removed from the Hudsons most likely to it slipping off the uneven rails.
OMG---what a train ride----thosetrains really zipped right around those tracks--
Those are great, thanks for posting! Seen them before but worth seeing again!
Cool, never get tired of that fantastic scene.
Thanks for the post, Never seen this before! Now that's a layout!
It's amazing how highly educated adult men back then, could turn into big kids when you fire up some toy trains. Just like today! 
Gene H posted:Dan Padova posted:Ah, when our trains were toys.
Isn't there another film, "Four's a Crowd", that has trains. Wait, just found it.
If you look close you can see the pilot truck was removed from the Hudsons most likely to it slipping off the uneven rails.
Good catch. But if you look at 10:07 when the hudson's wheels are slipping, there is a small wheel to the left of the first driver. Could be that the photographer substituted another loco for the close-up. Or, maybe the Lionel staff was on the ball for people like us who look for mistakes in films....LOL
FWIW, "People Will Talk" is currently available on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
just checked Netflix, unknown release date.
gg1man posted:It's amazing how highly educated adult men back then, could turn into big kids when you fire up some toy trains. Just like today!
Oh "beep beep"... or was it "beep beep beep" 
The only thing that could have made this scene better would have been to have the assaulting engine be a GG1 - would have obliterated that steamer!!!
Sincerely;
A Semi-educated Male Who Still Plays With Trains 
P.S. The second best scene is the finale where Grant conducts the Academic Festival Overture.
Proposal: Next York, a group of us put together a Carpet Central in the hotel.
Here is an article about the "Four's a Crowd" movie layout in an old Model Builder magazine.
Kyle,
Thanks for posting this. I too am a fan of People Will Talk, great toy trains scenes. Captures the essence of our "affliction" 
I was not aware of Four's a Crowd, being a garden railroader too that is an awesome layout. Many thanks to Gene , Dan and Ace for the links to the video clip and the magazine article. I am on a quest to add Four's to my dvd collection.
Thanks for the postings
Tom
Michigan & Ohio Valley Lines posted:Here is the scene...
Too funny that you posted this. I knew what this post was going to be about , & thought about your carpet layout the second I thought of the steps and railing scene seen here.
I never even saw his movies till I was "over the hill" sometime in the late 90,s. "Bringing up Baby" and "Arsenic and Old Lace", now rank in my fav.s.
This is just another example how well he did his job. Funny beeping guy
...beeep beeep beeep
From now on, no more coveralls when running trains, a suit and tie seems to be more appropriate.
Funny thing is, neither the Cary Grant character nor the other guy were even in the room where the main loops had been configured for the trains to travel. The lady got to see the action, not the men, it appears.
And CSXJOE is right, their wearing suits-n-ties is certainly noteworthy.
And Thanks, Keith, for posting that video in the thread.
FrankM.
very nice footage and very nostalgic
Bob C.
Here is the track plan:
Dan Padova posted:Ah, when our trains were toys.
Isn't there another film, "Four's a Crowd", that has trains. Wait, just found it.
TERRIFIC! THANK YOU, DANP.
A new old movie to fell in love with- never heard of this film. What a little toy train lover's gem, how COOL is this over 13 minute toy train segment!!
CSXJOE posted:From now on, no more coveralls when running trains, a suit and tie seems to be more appropriate.
Amen, Brother! Like all gals, us train ladies also love a well dressed man
As a lady who is self proclaimed "toy train freak", I don't wear no overalls, or coveralls. Not a conductor's hat either, and most definitely NOT a silly arse pink and white striped engineer's hat! I prefer to think of myself as the the Railroad Baroness of my toy train kingdom.
Downloaded Youtube clips of both movies and sent to various and sundry family members, to show then just how restrained I am, by comparison
rex desilets posted:Downloaded Youtube clips of both movies and sent to various and sundry family members, to show then just how restrained I am, by comparison
HA! (riotous laugh) Just called up my fiance' to tell him about these clips!
Carey TeaRose posted:rex desilets posted:Downloaded Youtube clips of both movies and sent to various and sundry family members, to show then just how restrained I am, by comparison
HA! (riotous laugh) First, while viewing them, I shared them on my Fb page. And next, called up my fiance' to tell him about these clips!
Never saw this before - they're great! Thanks for posting.
oh my Martin, where did you dig up that track plan? Isn't that garden rail a hoot!!!!
CSXJOE posted:From now on, no more coveralls when running trains, a suit and tie seems to be more appropriate.
People used to have more class. In modern times the average Joe or Jane thinks it's OK to wear sweats or pajamas or butt crack in public.
For those that can't wait for more, search around here!
There are some (plural) older threads spanning many pages on movies/TV/video with model or proto. train content. Its always a been a very popular subject.
Anyone: Which comedian was it, that had the "whole house shelf train" where dinner is being served with help from the train cars?
(not Dan Aykroyd in Nothing But Trouble; the vintage B&W show.)
[FYI "youngsters" b&w is black and white film,lol]
Moonson posted:And CSXJOE is right, their wearing suits-n-ties is certainly noteworthy.
Ace posted:CSXJOE posted:From now on, no more coveralls when running trains, a suit and tie seems to be more appropriate.
People used to have more class. In modern times the average Joe or Jane thinks it's OK to wear sweats or pajamas or butt crack in public.
Blame it on the 50's beat-nicks and 60's hippies! (or thank them if your "poor"?) Before that, a shirt and tie alone barely cut it for "respectability" in public. A judge might jail you for contempt if you showed up, and weren't dressed the best your station in life allowed. And your best, wasn't necessarily good enough either.
A man doing work was somewhat exempt, but only "hooligans and ruffians" wore jeans into town. Not "men".
That's all not exactly true, fashion has side stepped and changed the accepted business suit since it was "just a leaf". (Ohhhh look, his leaf has twine! lol). Some 70's patterns, looked like pajamas, but they thought they were great! Ever really look at a zoot suit. That was decades before.
I "get it", but don't really like it. Here's why.
I remember being startled when I started wearing a suit daily.
Startled at just how differently people look at you, let alone treat you.
Coming from a low income working class background, I never had a nice one growing up. I couldn't really even afford that first one, a pal insisted it would help me.
It took some serious getting used to. Everyone seems to be "staring" at first. And they are, but they smile or nod pleasantly -vs- turning away quickly to avoid a strangers gaze.
It was well worth the effort. Top notch service at stores, and restaurants. Hot plates & no more receipts or filling out forms to return items.
" I can help you over here SIR!"
"Who?? me?? But all these folks are befor"Yes sir, but please follow me!"
"Can I YES SIR! Allow me return this for exchange?
I have my That's ok you don't need anything, here's cash.
(story chosen because I was denied just an exchange the previous evening, while in jeans and a dirty work polo. And by the very same crew too.)
I took advantage of it, sure. It kinda made me mad though. I was the same person, I just appeared wealthier. What does that have to do with exchanging a wrong sized shirt, or wanting hot food, cooked right, or just being pleasant?
I seldom wear one anymore, and I do wear my flannel "fish" pajamas and/or sweats to "X"-mart at the corner (late night or early, before dawn, & sans-plumbers crack
). Heck, I love doing that PJ pop-tart run.
But if I expect the need to be taken seriously, black, blue, and a full Windsor is in order.
Oh yea! There's is always that female thing for a guy in a suit.
I didn't exactly hate that part either, but the "bad boy" suit does well in places too.
All that said, admit it, Cary made the suit look good, not the other way around
Beep beep beep...
I've never had that experience and wear my sweats and a white T all the time. I do dress when we go out for dinner, etc., but not always when traveling and I've always been treated with respect no matter what clothes I've had on. Maybe it's because I always greet the person with a smile, a "Hello" and "How Is Your Day Going?". And you don't want to see what I wear when traveling, baggy quick-dry pants and shirt covered with a blue long-sleeved Levi shirt (wife likes the car too cool). And we travel all over the country and eat at popular restaurants. I did have to change into slacks on Waikiki beach in Hawaii once, but that was just their dress policy to keep the surfers with swim suits out.
As you all already know, its was a mindset of previous generations that had to do with style, class and pride in one's personal appearance- whether on had one or not especially of the golden era of movies mostly 1930s to early 1950s.
I've been dressing nicely and well since my twenties, and into vintage clothing particularly since 2008. My two kids got into vintage clothing when they were middle schoolers, more especially my now 21yo son. His sartorial role model since he was 12-1/2 has been Fred Astaire. Tom has totally gotten into it too, he really digs the clothes of the 1930s and 1940s, day wear and of course formalwear. We are kind of like Nick and Nora Charles with far less alcohol, and Fred and Ginger, and I've got some Betty Hutton tossed in too.
What we have now found acceptable in reference to dress and demeanor in society is what I like to call, "the Casualization of America". My bachelor's degrees from SJSU are in Cultural Anthropology and Behavioral Science. Always thought the topic would make a great Master's thesis.
Who needs Cary Grant?
The two of us on the Queen Mary in Long Beach , CA in Sept 2013 at a Sunday afternoon Tea Dance. Tom is in vintage late 1920s and early 1930s garb; including Palm Beach button fly trousers, complete with a Homburg, and I'm wearing a vintage 1930s print chiffon dress with matching capelet, a 1940s hat, and 1940s gold-filled American Optical eyeglasses.
Definitely a vintage class act!
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