rare Lionel Red Rocket Express train set in Holiday Affair film on TMC

made up for the movies

It would be interesting to know whether the train was custom decorated by Lionel, or by the movie studio's prop department.

Only movie fans may know the true color of the cars since the movie was filmed in black and white in 1949. The lettering could have been changed by anyone. I would lean towards Lionel making them a specially lettered set. Mr. C. did some neat things like that. Not all of the stories are documented.

Nice effort on the photo editing. the windows would not have been painted.

RIKI,

   Great old flick, no doubt about it.  The Red Rocket rides again!

PCRR/Dave

I see the Red Rocket Express ran on good old Tubular Track.

great movie. way better than the remake. and Janet Leigh......

Great holiday movie and even better because of the trains.

Seem to recall that last year -- around Christmas season -- we were discussing this movie and somebody posted that the actor who played the young boy ended up with the Red Rocket set and still owns it today.

Not sure if my memory is accurate on this but I read it somewhere!

I remember that too, it was here.

Great thread!!  Gordon Gebert was the name of the child actor that played the part of the son.  In his adult life, he is an architect and professor.  I found a picture that shows him holding the locomotive flanked by two of the passenger cars.  Looks like they were standard "Irvington" cars as you can see from the one on the right.  Also, if you look closely, it appears that perhaps some sort of "stick-on" label type strip was used over the standard lettering...??

Alan

Knowing full well my memory hasn't failed me. Here is an interesting thread from 2012

https://ogrforum.com/t...n-gebert-timmy-ennis

rat

So...did anyone hear back as to what was in the boxes? 

That is my question, Bigrail. My curiosity level has been raised a bit. 

Was there ever any follow up to that earlier thread? Does the set still exist and in what kind of condition?

The inquisitive mind wants to know, ya know.

Gentlemen,

   Could you see a Legacy Red Rocket Express with 3893 Engine and Christmas talking passenger Cars, with the voices of Mitchum, Leigh and Gebert!

I would get out my plastic & purchase one right now.  It would be another great Lionel Christmas Train.

PCRR/Dave

Holiday Affair will be shown today on Turner Classic Movies (TMC) at 1:15pm... so it may be on now at East Coast time.

The beginning and ending of the movie is classic. Don't miss it.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Could you see a Legacy Red Rocket Express with 3893 Engine & Christmas talking passenger cars, with the voices of Mitchum, Leigh & Gebert?  I would get out my plastic & purchase one right now.  It would be another great Lionel Christmas train.  PCRR/Dave

Unfortunately Dave, I think that film has insufficient following these days to support the attempted mass production of a Red Rocket set.  Also consider that should Lionel or MTH try to make one, the movie studio owning the rights would want a cut, further hiking the set's production cost.  (Note that Lionel got the rights to sell a "Christmas Story" set, which, despite the film's appeal, turned out to be a bust simply due to the design & components Lionel used for it.)    Merry Christmas!!

OGR Ad Man posted:

Great thread!!  Gordon Gebert was the child actor that played the son.  In his adult life, he is an architect and professor.  I found a picture that shows him holding the locomotive flanked by two of the passenger cars.  Looks like they were standard "Irvington" cars as you can see from the one on the right.  Also, if you look closely, it appears that some sort of "stick-on" label type strip was used over the standard lettering...??

Alan:  here is the IMDB LINK to Gordon Gebert's bio.   He is 71 years sold now!!     

Good Evening All - 

"Holiday Affair" was on TCM earlier today.  Having never seen the movie before, I loved that it featured a Lionel train set throughout the show, especially at the beginning.  If anyone is interested, the next airing of "Holiday Affair" on TCM with be 12/24 at 2:15pm.  I am located in New Jersey so you may need to check your local listings.  Merry Christmas!

Stupid 4K monster TV!  Now I know the third rail completely disappears in front of the Palm Beach station at the end of the title sequence!  They must’ve pushed it into the shot by hand.

Jon

I’ve watched this movie often enough that I now pay more attention to Janet Leigh than the trains.  😉

Curt

Well, yeah!  She’s right up there with Wilbur’s wife on Mr. Ed!

Jon

The other magazine  just did an article in their special Christmas and Electric Trains issue regarding a recent discovery of one of the Red Rocket Express sets used in the movie.

If anyone is interested, Holiday Affair in on tomorrow night (Sunday - 12/15/19) at 8pm on TCM.

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/78191/Holiday-Affair/#