SUPERTRAIN NBC AS SEEN ON TV

Could somebody at MTH buy the SuperTrain?

Never saw the show, here is the pilot episode Supertrain on YouTube.   Strangey, as I skipped through, no shots of the train running, except in the credits.   Lots of 70s character actors. 

Ken-Oscale posted:

Never saw the show, here is the pilot episode Supertrain on YouTube.   Strangey, as I skipped through, no shots of the train running, except in the credits.   Lots of 70s character actors. 

The exterior train shots were pretty few and far between, most of the time if you blinked you missed them.

Rusty

I remember seeing something like that on TV at one point in my childhood.

Well, I remember that show as a kid, I also remember all the trailers for it. I was so excited to see the first episode, I went next door to my neighors's house to see it in color because our TV was broken at the time and all we had was a black and white TV and I didn't want to see it in B&W!! LOL!!

Did a little surfing on Super Train. They only made nine shows. It was a total bomb.
Still, the train is very cool. I hope they find a buyer would will fix it up.

I remember that show - a major '70s cheese-fest. Trying to gauge that track gauge: 12" - 15"? Ride-on track gauge with a model not built for riding on - methinks quietly stashing it in another attic may be the way to go.....alongside my polyester leisure suit and platform shoes....

One of the models had a crash - pricey...

http://www.core77.com/posts/30...iled-1979-Supertrain

WOW!!!!!

Fred Silverman/NBC’s answer to The Love Boat.  Even at 15 I thought it was atrocious!  KOOL model though!

Jon

The model that had the crash was much larger than this SuperTrain model for sale. 

The double wide gauge track was supposed to stretch across the USA is an idea that would be hard to adopt because it would require a lot of new land for it. That is harder to come by. There are people out there who want to turn all railroads into trails now. 

Andrew

falconservice posted:

The model that had the crash was much larger than this SuperTrain model for sale. 

The double wide gauge track was supposed to stretch across the USA is an idea that would be hard to adopt because it would require a lot of new land for it. That is harder to come by. There are people out there who want to turn all railroads into trails now. 

Andrew

As if a multi-lane superhighway doesn't require a lot of real estate for right of way...

Even a two lane highway needs about 30' or more of right of way:

Rusty

MAJOR CHEESEFEST!  What a fun return to the 70's just the right amount time and what a time! Wish it could go to a national model train museum for all too enjoy. Thanks for posting, Scott.

Is there somebody who operates large trains with track the same gauge as this model of the Supertrain? 

Perhaps they could get it running again by adding new batteries and a new remote control circuit. 

Andrew

Just looked at the Facebook site of the company selling it and it has been sold. Glad to see it has found a good home. Miketg

falconservice posted:

Could somebody at MTH buy the SuperTrain?

 By it let's have him build it better yet maybe Amtrak Have to leave now go back a disco dance

Firewood posted:

I remember that show - a major '70s cheese-fest. Trying to gauge that track gauge: 12" - 15"? Ride-on track gauge with a model not built for riding on - methinks quietly stashing it in another attic may be the way to go.....alongside my polyester leisure suit and platform shoes....

One of the models had a crash - pricey...

http://www.core77.com/posts/30...iled-1979-Supertrain

Loved seeing an old Commodore PET computer with the cassette tape backup drive inside a control area on the train.

Ken

FWIW, I believe an O gauge model of this train was at the Altoona RR museum. One loco and two cars. the trucks used were Walthers 3 axle passenger trucks. I personally would want to make an O gauge model of it- USe EMD HTC steerable trucks for the loco and X2000 Steerable trucks for the passenger cars.

kmacleod posted:

Firewood posted:

I remember that show - a major '70s cheese-fest. Trying to gauge that track gauge: 12" - 15"? Ride-on track gauge with a model not built for riding on - methinks quietly stashing it in another attic may be the way to go.....alongside my polyester leisure suit and platform shoes....

One of the models had a crash - pricey...

http://www.core77.com/posts/30...iled-1979-Supertrain

Loved seeing an old Commodore PET computer with the cassette tape backup drive inside a control area on the train.

 

Ken

Or those Old Wakie- Talkies that were as big as the original cell phones with battery pack bags attached to them!

So who was the "Model Train Mfg. in Philadelphia... Bachmann perhapse?

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

So who was the "Model Train Mfg. in Philadelphia... Bachmann perhapse?

It was the owner of AHM.  An importer of Rivarossi (mostly HO) models until around the mid 1980's.

Rusty

I worked on that train for Bernie Paul at the AHM building in Philadelphia .

So where was the "AHM Building" in Philadelphia?

I truly do not remember this at all!! I think I was watching Star Trek.

The double wide gauge track was supposed to stretch across the USA is an idea that would be hard to adopt because it would require a lot of new land for it.

They could add an exterior third rail to the existing outside rail lines. A mess when it come to switches and turn-outs but still possible.

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

So where was the "AHM Building" in Philadelphia?

621 East Cayuga Street, Philadelphia, PA 19120.

Rusty

When Newton Minow made his famous "Wasteland" speech, Supertrain was still years away from airing.   If he had seen it, he may have thought much differently about what he called a wasteland.....LOL

Wow, look at all those flashing lights, the size of the crew !   Not to mention the inevitable madman at the throttle !  And steam coming from all over the place.....LOL   Real high tech.....Ha ha.  

Even being a train enthusiast, I found I had no interest in the show.  Just too far fetched and an insult to my supposed intelligence.....LOL

Alas, Supertrain wasn't the first:

Rusty

I remember seeing this model in person as a kid at the AHM building during some sort of train show that my father took me to.  It was impressive at the time.  I have always wondered what happened to it.  I wish it was in better shape.  I hope someone picks it up and restores it, it doesn't matter that the show was turkey or not.

Thanks for sharing,

Glenn

I wonder why the people at NBC could not have simply recorded the entire week of events at Amtrak stations across the USA and made that into a 40 minute show each week. The first week in New York. Then next week in Boston, then Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and all the other places where Amtrak stopped.

Andrew

Coooool!

Rusty Traque posted:

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

So where was the "AHM Building" in Philadelphia?

621 East Cayuga Street, Philadelphia, PA 19120.

Rusty

No, they were at 401 East Tioga St. at that time. ( old Philco building at B & Tioga )

Don't be caught operating it out of uniform.

(As seen in an old eBay auction)

This train should be running on the Los Angeles Live Steamers! What a crowd that would draw.

Maybe Travel Town track for a wider gauge.