Epic train action scenes

At any climatic point in a film, if there’s one thing always seems to make it all the more gripping, it’s being aboard some form on high-speed transport – namely, a train.

In the history of film, there have been some riveting scenes aboard fast moving trains. But which ones really had a lasting effect on us?

Mission Impossible (1996)

It’s hard to forget this classic train scene. Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) clings on for dear life, as the French TGV hurtles down the tracks at dangerously fast speeds. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s also being chased by a man named Jim Phelps, who’s trying to kill him, not to mention his other pursuer, Franz Krieger, who looms overhead in a helicopter. Fortunately, the two meet a grizzly end in a dramatic explosion in the channel tunnel.

Although the climactic scene, which took six weeks to film, purportedly takes place in France, the scene was actually filmed in Scotland. Critics have also pointed out a train-related plot hole; although the TGV runs on overhead power lines, these are nowhere to be seen in the film.  

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

When Peter Parker realises he has to readopt his superhero status, he bravely dons the Spider-Man suit in an attempt to save New York City from the villainous Doctor Octopus. The villain, an eccentric scientist who has four metal tentacles sprouting from his back, engages in an epic fighting scene with Spider-Man, in which the two find themselves atop a train full of terrified passengers, as they fight for survival. 

The scene required over 100 visual effects and in a similar way to Mission Impossible, it was filmed in an alternate location; although the train is apparently travelling through New York City, it was actually filmed in Chicago, before being superimposed against the New York skyline. Although the train appears to be one of the New York R-train cars, it’s actually one of the 2200 series Chicago ‘L’ trains, which had been modified to seem legitimate. 

Stand By Me (1986)

When it comes to scenes that have you on the edge of your seat, seeing four kids crossing a ravine via train track has to be one of the most nerve-racking. As you may have guessed, their journey across the bridge isn’t as uneventful as they may have liked, and two of the gang are forced to leap off the bridge when an oncoming steam train comes hurtling around the corner.

The scene was shot on the McCloud River Railroad and the train that can be seen speeding towards them is the McCloud Railway No. 25 is a 2-6-2 ‘Prairie’ type locomotive.

Back to the Future Part III (1990)

In order to activate their car’s ‘time circuits’ and travel back to their own period in time, Marty and Doc are forced to come up with a way of getting their time-travelling DeLorean up to 88 miles per hour. This is where the steam train comes in. It isn’t quite that simple, however; when one of the logs fuelling the train explodes, Clara is blasted backwards and is left hanging from the train by her dress, forcing Doc to come to her rescue in one of the most epic train scenes of all time.

The train used for the film was the Sierra No. 3, but the numbering on the front of the train was changed to ‘131’ for the film. Built in 1891, the Sierra No. 3 has been dubbed ‘The Movie Star Locomotive’ due to its numerous appearances on the silver screen over the years.  

William L. Withhuhn, former Transportation History curator at the Smithsonian Institution, described the locomotive's historical and cultural significance: ‘Sierra Railway No. 3 has appeared in more motion pictures, documentaries, and television productions than any other locomotive. It is undisputedly the image of the archetypal steam locomotive that propelled the USA from the 19th century into the 20th.’

The interest in steam trains and the efforts to preserve them continues to this day, so you don’t have to build your own DeLorean to experience a steam train tour.

Skyfall (2012)

Although no less climatic than the others in this list, this train scene comes early on in the film. When Patrice steals a hard drive containing vital information, Bond finds himself on the roof of a train, as he pursues the conniving criminal. 

Stuntman Gary Powell, who worked with several stunt experts on the scene, said ‘Everything you see with the train is real.’ The scene takes place in Turkey, on the northern line tube train, and two full size train carriages had to be built for the sequence in the tunnel, each weighing seven tons. 

The stunt was considered too dangerous to be filmed by cameramen and so remotely operated cameras were set up to capture the scene from all angles.   

I think you’ll agree that the above aren’t scenes that you’re likely to see anywhere else but on the big screen, but that’s part of what makes them some of the most epic train scenes of all time. Which one is your favourite?

(Photo by Flickr-User: 8929612@N04)

This article was written by Jordan W.