The Twilight Zone

[Hear spooky music, see eyeball flying through space as a resonant voice says:]

Welcome to THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

It's 1951 and a phenom who runs like a deer and hits tape measure home runs by the name of Mickey Mantle begins his rookie season.

He hits one into a light tower at Fenway Park in Boston and after the game boards a gleaming New Haven passenger train bound for the Bronx:

Before the next game at the House that Ruth Built, the fans are abuzz: "Is this hayseed from Oklahoma going to replace the great DiMaggio? Is he going to to be Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio all in one?"

Stay tuned for more episodes of THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

Rod Serling

LOL, Arnold

I loved Twilight Zone.  I thought Rod Serling was cool.  😎 All I have is fallen flags.  I’ll get some photographs up in a bit.

@Mark Boyce posted:

I loved Twilight Zone.  I thought Rod Serling was cool.  😎 All I have is fallen flags.  I’ll get some photographs up in a bit.

Awesome

Arnold,

One of the best episodes ever on Twilight Zone was a train related story, "A Stop at Willoughby." Rod Serling has stated this was his favorite from Season 1.  It was the most memorable for me. It is available to be seen on various streaming services. Here is a free one but comes with ads:

https://pluto.tv/en/on-demand/...willoughby-1960-1-30

A few years ago I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. Driving along a few miles from my house I saw a diesel locomotive cross in front of me decorated in New York Central Lightning Stripes. It moved behind some buildings before I could see a roadname.

Turned out to be one from here.

https://fingerlakesrail.com

I had not come across any of their engines before that.

Pete

Arnie, The stands are a little this with fans aren't they.  LOL  Good Theme    Bill

Thanks for sharing, Bruce and Norton. Both of your links are very interesting. I highly recommend them.

Bruce's link is for a Twilight episode that, indeed, involves a train ride that takes the main character back in time. Like many Twilight episodes, the acting is first rate, and the story is very well written, interesting and meaningful.

@Bill Park posted:

Arnie, The stands are a little this with fans aren't they.  LOL  Good Theme    Bill

Your correct, Bill. For Don Larson's perfect game in the 1956 World Series in the old Yankee Stadium, 55,000 to 60,000 little people seated in the stands would be prototypical. LOL.

Tough loss for the Giants yesterday but, on balance, a very good year for them.

My favorite episode was "Stopover in a Quiet Town".

A hung over couple awake in a strange quiet town where nothing is real, cars w/no motors, people who aren't alive, furniture not real, artificial  grass, fake trees etc.... All the time they keep hearing a child laughing. They finally make it to the train station, board the train, thinking they're leaving the town, but only to realize the train is returning back to that town.

Finally a large hand comes down and scoops them up. They find out a giant kidnapped them from earth, brought them back to another planet and gave them to his daughter for her train layout.

@Trussman posted:

My favorite episode was "Stopover in a Quiet Town".

A hung over couple awake in a strange quiet town where nothing is real, cars w/no motors, people who aren't alive, furniture not real, artificial  grass, fake trees etc.... All the time they keep hearing a child laughing. They finally make it to the train station, board the train, thinking they're leaving the town, but only to realize the train is returning back to that town.

Finally a large hand comes down and scoops them up. They find out a giant kidnapped them from earth, brought them back to another planet and gave them to his daughter for her train layout.

Love this, thanks for sharing, Trussman. That Twilight Zone episode is the perfect one for us Forum folks.

I liked the 'Outer Limits' as well.

@Chuck Sartor posted:

I liked the 'Outer Limits' as well.

Did the Outer Limits episodes ever involve trains or going back in time?

I vaguely remember that show was also spooky or scary for me when I was a kid, but otherwise remember virtually nothing about it.

[Spooky music, flying eyeball, then you hear the same voice:]

"Welcome to - THE TWILIGHT ZONE."

It's September 29, 1954 and you are in Manhattan at the Polo Grounds seated in the stands to see Game 1 of the World Series between the Cleveland Indians and the New York Giants.

It's the top of the 8th inning with the score tied 1 to 1. Vic Wertz of Cleveland comes to the plate with men on 1st and 2nd base.

Don Little of New York is pitching in relief of Sal Maglie and the count is 2 balls and 1 strike.

Little winds up, here's the pitch:

There's a drive to deep center field, a young centerfielder known as the "Say Hey Kid" runs a long way, he's feet from home plate, he reaches up, - by Golly, he's got it!  The great Willie Mays makes "The Catch." His hat falls off. Then, he twirls his body and makes a tremendous throw back to the infield as he  falls to the ground.

The Giants win the game, you board the train and are now heading home:

There you will stay until, once again, you return to: THE TWILIGHT ZONE!

Rod Serling

LOL, Arnold

@Trussman posted:

My favorite episode was "Stopover in a Quiet Town".

Foe me, one of the most memorable episodes ever. It totally freaked me out as a kid! Some of the best TV ever.  I have the following book on my Kindle that I highly recommend: As I Knew Him:  My Dad, Rod Serling by his daughter Anne Serling. A very remarkable man or, as Arnold put it so well, "interesting and meaningful."

Arnold - I read your baseball post to my wife who wasn't even around in '54 and she knew the whole Willie Mays story - great post as usual!

Perhaps a bit off topic, but I always loved "Night of the Meek" with Art Carney. He does get to become immortal, so I guess it is a little bit of time travel!

Probably already mentioned somewhere on the forum, but the Lionel set in the department store in that episode turned up about five or so years later as Gomez Addam's famous train.

This is the first time that I have been on the forum in many months. It is because of you Arnold so thank you for getting me back on. I have been a forum member since 2008. Back then the forum was a much smaller in details and had no dealer postings or dealer advertising and only a few listing categories. Since I have several other hobby interests, so I go on the forum only once in a while compared to my interests in movie discs, railroad books, and computer usage. I will be going to Tom's as soon as he gets the New York Central 0-6-0 from Lionel this week or next and to get the last two Lionel catalogs. etc.

Ed G; On The New Haven Line of Metro-North and Amtrak.

Twilight Zone?  One of my favorite shows of all time.

https://ogrforum.com/...out-named-willoughby

https://ogrforum.com/...40#85480113053229140

@Rich in NOVA posted:

Perhaps a bit off topic, but I always loved "Night of the Meek" with Art Carney. He does get to become immortal, so I guess it is a little bit of time travel!

Probably already mentioned somewhere on the forum, but the Lionel set in the department store in that episode turned up about five or so years later as Gomez Addam's famous train.

Big Twilight Zone fan here. "Night of the Meek" (December 1960) is usually in my top 10 of favorite TZ episodes.

RE: The train set in the department store. In one of the more scholarly works on TZ history, the production notes for this episode indicate that both the live reindeer and the train set were supplied to the show at no cost. The local theme park that supplied the reindeer and Lionel who supplied the trains simply asked for on-screen acknowledgment during the closing credits.

Once again, we return to the TWILIGHT ZONE, enter a time machine, go back to January 26, 1937, and see a Boston and Albany Hudson hauling traditional boxcars:

Arnold

@Tuscan Jim posted:

Foe me, one of the most memorable episodes ever. It totally freaked me out as a kid! Some of the best TV ever.  I have the following book on my Kindle that I highly recommend: As I Knew Him:  My Dad, Rod Serling by his daughter Anne Serling. A very remarkable man or, as Arnold put it so well, "interesting and meaningful."

In a world full of people that are as hollow as a paper cup, He was definitely someone with real depth. I vaguely recall in his next series, Night Gallery, there was an episode involving trains. Most people remember this series for the episode with Joan Crawford as a rich woman who gets the eyes of some down on his luck guy (Tom Bosley) (obviously she pays him a fortune) to be able to see, if only for a short while. Of course the Serling twist comes into play, they are unconvering her eyes at her penthouse apartment, and the minute they do that there is a massive blackout. Also remembered because the director was some kid barely out of diapers,what was his name....Steven Spielberg or something

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

[Spooky music, flying eyeball, then you hear the same voice:]

"Welcome to - THE TWILIGHT ZONE."

It's September 29, 1954 and you are in Manhattan at the Polo Grounds seated in the stands to see Game 1 of the World Series between the Cleveland Indians and the New York Giants.

It's the top of the 8th inning with the score tied 1 to 1. Vic Wertz of Cleveland comes to the plate with men on 1st and 2nd base.

Don Little of New York is pitching in relief of Sal Maglie and the count is 2 balls and 1 strike.

Little winds up, here's the pitch:

There's a drive to deep center field, a young centerfielder known as the "Say Hey Kid" runs a long way, he's feet from home plate, he reaches up, - by Golly, he's got it!  The great Willie Mays makes "The Catch." His hat falls off. Then, he twirls his body and makes a tremendous throw back to the infield as he  falls to the ground.

What? No October, 1951 and the "Shot heard round the world", Bobby Thompson's home run off of Ralph Branca? I have ties to that game, sort of, my mom and dad lived in the Bronx (I think they were already engaged), and they rode the subway to Manhattan in the morning together. That day they dared each other to play hookie and go to the game. When it reached the stop near the Polo grounds , they got off, called in sick, and went to the game. Coming in from the Bronx where they lived (East Bronx, east of Botanical Gardens) I assume they would have taken the D train to Yankee Stadium and then the shuttle there to the Polo Grounds.

I love the episode involving residents in a nursing home, some are positive and have some child-like fun, others are always grumpy and tell the happy old timers they are fools.

Then, you see the happy ones have become children again playing Ring-a-levio (sp?), while the grumpy ones remain old and miserable.

Think about it - aren't us model railroaders, now largely old-timers, metaphorically similar to the joyful nursing home residents playing Ring-a-levio?

Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I love the episode involving residents in a nursing home, some are positive and have some child-like fun, others are always grumpy and tell the happy old timers they are fools.

Then, you see the happy ones have become children again playing Ring-a-levio (sp?), while the grumpy ones remain old and miserable.

Think about it - aren't us model railroaders, now largely old-timers, metaphorically similar to the joyful nursing home residents playing Ring-a-levio?

Arnold

Actually, I think the game was kick the can (in Ring-a-levio you free captured people by getting to the home base/jail and saying something, in kick the can you get to the home base and kick the can to free 'prisoners'), the title of the episode itself was "kick the can".  Another game I am sure that is no longer played, growing up on a summer night it was a favorite in my neighborhood in the burbs

@bigkid posted:

What? No October, 1951 and the "Shot heard round the world", Bobby Thompson's home run off of Ralph Branca? I have ties to that game, sort of, my mom and dad lived in the Bronx (I think they were already engaged), and they rode the subway to Manhattan in the morning together. That day they dared each other to play hookie and go to the game. When it reached the stop near the Polo grounds , they got off, called in sick, and went to the game. Coming in from the Bronx where they lived (East Bronx, east of Botanical Gardens) they would have taken the D train to Yankee Stadium and then the shuttle there to the Polo Grounds.

I was born about one month after the Shot Heard Round the World happened. Rest assured, that momentous event will be resurrected in THE TWILIGHT ZONE on my Fields of Dreams layout.

Coincidentally,  I also have contacts to that game because some of my relatives had strong connections to Ralph Branca who was the pitcher who gave up that home run. Will explain later.

Stay tuned.

LOL, Arnold

@bigkid posted:

Actually, I think the game was kick the can (which I dimly recall is similar to Ring-a-levio), the title of the episode itself was "kick the can".  Another game I am sure that is no longer played, growing up on a summer night it was a favorite in my neighborhood.

Bigkid, I stand corrected, you are 100% right! Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I was born about one month after the Shot Heard Round the World happened. Rest assured, that momentous event will be resurrected in THE TWILIGHT ZONE on my Fields of Dreams layout.

Coincidentally,  I also have contacts to that game because some of my relatives had strong connections to Ralph Branca who was the pitcher who gave up that home run. Will explain later.

Stay tuned.

LOL, Arnold

I met Ralph Branca through an acquaintance in the 80's, he was very gracious (I am sure he heard a ton of people recant stories around 'the game', given he was on the losing side, well...) and a genuinely decent man. Among other things in Montreal he roomed with Jackie Robinson when none of the other players were willing to, and at Brooklyn he was one of the first players on the Dodgers to embrace him being there. He also had a great sense of humor, he laughed when I asked him if the rumor was true, it was a hanging spitball he threw to Thompson, and said "Nah, that was Preacher's specialty, he gave up trying to teach me to throw it, said I was hopeless". He then laughed and said it was a screwball that didn't **** (blanked out for forum sensibility).

Arnold - NH 372 - is it an RK PS2? If yes, I have the same engine, and enjoy it muy mucho.

Arnold, you know I think Bill Mazeroski’s walk off home run in game 7 of the 1960 World Series supersedes Bobby Thompson’s Shot Heard Around the World.  I have less and less space for Forbes Field on my layout, but I do have a print of Maz rounding the bases on that momentous home run.  How this ties into The Twilight Zone, I have no idea!  🤔

I still like the episode mentioned above where the people realize they are on a toy train layout.

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Arnold - NH 372 - is it an RK PS2? If yes, I have the same engine, and enjoy it muy mucho.

Mark, I would need to check the box to make sure. I think it's a PS2, but it might be a PS3.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Love this, thanks for sharing, Trussman. That Twilight Zone episode is the perfect one for us Forum folks.

Arnold, here's a short clip of that episode " Stopover in a quiet town " . 

https://youtu.be/_2veOpA5PnQ

Lets not forget Alfred Hitchcock's  presents'... I loved and still love all three shows..  That's when television was for the entire family.  Youngest to eldest.

Very different from what is presented today'..

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Lets not forget Alfred Hitchcock's  presents'... I loved and still love all three shows..  That's when television was for the entire family.  Youngest to eldest.

Very different from what is presented today'..

That's another great show in which a few of the episodes gave me nightmares when I was a kid; one episode in particular, but I won't go into it because my gut tells me it would be inappropriate to do so on the Forum. Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I was born about one month after the Shot Heard Round the World happened. Rest assured, that momentous event will be resurrected in THE TWILIGHT ZONE on my Fields of Dreams layout.

Coincidentally,  I also have contacts to that game because some of my relatives had strong connections to Ralph Branca who was the pitcher who gave up that home run. Will explain later.

Stay tuned.

LOL, Arnold

Here is some follow up.

Mt. Vernon, NY was the hometown of my father, his 8 siblings, Ralph Branca and me.

My father and several of his siblings met and socialized with Ralph Branca. This was particularly true of one of my father's brothers, Wolfe Cribari, who became very good friends with Ralph Branca. For instance, they went on a double date when they were young men, Wolfe had becone a highly regarded trial lawyer, and Ralph had a great rookie season as a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers. On this occasion, Wolfe coaxed Ralph to join him on this double date during which they went dancing with their dates at the Westchester Country Club where Wolfe was a member. This turned out to be a momentous occasion because later on, they each ended up marrying their dates!

Incidentally, Ralph Branca wrote an autobiography with David Ritz, which I read last year. The title of the book is: A Moment in Time. I very much enjoyed reading the book, and highly recommend it.

Arnold

"[A]ren't us model railroaders, now largely old-timers, metaphorically similar to the joyful nursing home residents playing Ring-a-levio?"

Growing up is overrated.  And I thought growing old would take longer.

Arnold, you need a cheering sound for that marvelous ball park. I wonder if there is a sound module for that.

@Golden Prairie Railroad posted:

"[A]ren't us model railroaders, now largely old-timers, metaphorically similar to the joyful nursing home residents playing Ring-a-levio?"

Growing up is overrated.  And I thought growing old would take longer.

Arnold, you need a cheering sound for that marvelous ball park. I wonder if there is a sound module for that.

Brilliant idea, Ed, having a cheering sound for my ball parks would be terrific.

Turns out that the game was Kick the Can, not Ring-a-levio.

One can access Stadium Crowd Sound Effects on YouTube that last one hour. I believe I can play those sound effects through my Blue Tooth speaker.

Ed, again, thanks for suggesting this.

Time to sleep now, but over the weekend I will try and share these sound effects here. Arnold

It's 1936, Jesse Owen has just won the Gold Metal in the 100 meter sprint in the Olympics in Germany, and you are now in Northern Westchester County along The Put.

Behold, a NY Central 10 wheeler hauling a mixed consist of milk cars and NY Central Madison heavy weight passenger cars passes the Yorktown Heights, NY Station:

Hear that bell ring and whistle blow, and see that whistle steam. LOL, Arnold