Comments on: How to Avoid a ‘Train Wreck’ at Your Next Shooting Match

By: Bryan Litz

Bryan Litz — Tue, 20 May 2014 23:03:13 +0000

At least in the silent movie, they replaced the real engineer with a ‘dummy’ who rode in for the crash. Unfortunately some train wreck’s that I’ve witnessed in shooting matches used real live people! It’s something that makes you cringe, yet you can’t look away.

By: Editor

Editor — Tue, 20 May 2014 22:13:15 +0000

If you guys are curious, yes that is a real locomotive on a real bridge in the top photo. This is a frame from Buster Keaton’s 1926 movie, “The General”. The train wreck was reportedly the most expensive single scene ever created for a silent movie.

From Artifacting…

“[The train wreck] was filmed in a single take with a real train and a ‘dummy’ engineer (notice the white arm hanging out the conductors window). It looked so realistic that the townspeople who had come to watch screamed in horror…

The scene was filmed in a conifer forest near the town of Cottage Grove, Oregon. The production company left the wreckage in the river bed after the scene was filmed and the wrecked locomotive became a minor tourist attraction for nearly twenty years. The metal of the train was salvaged for scrap during World War II.”

By: Jeremy Alvarado

Jeremy Alvarado — Tue, 20 May 2014 15:07:29 +0000

Excellent article Bryan as always. Ive had these experiences and they are no fun. One thing i noticed is most of these if not all of them can be practiced before even going out into the field. Habitual practice makes perfect. Again, thanks Bryan.

By: Steve Blair

Steve Blair — Tue, 20 May 2014 05:21:43 +0000

Good Summary, Bryan. All true, having personally experienced most of the mentioned wrecks. Nothing is worse than knowing your loss was easily preventable and only one person is to blame.