tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post6500925258773756913..comments2024-03-24T21:42:48.278-04:00Comments on Another Old Movie Blog: The Out of Towners - 1970Jacqueline T. Lynchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-28794465035911005442012-05-13T08:14:16.388-04:002012-05-13T08:14:16.388-04:00Thanks so much, M'Lady. I do love trains, and...Thanks so much, M'Lady. I do love trains, and movies about train travel.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-52937627363529969592012-05-12T22:52:06.483-04:002012-05-12T22:52:06.483-04:00Jacqueline, I learned a great deal from this fabul...Jacqueline, I learned a great deal from this fabulous post - though some of what I learned was not fabulous - namely, that railroad companies intentionally allowed passenger service to completely deteriorate.<br /><br />Loved your correlation of the story of the transformation of rail transportation with the travel travails of Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis in "The Out-of-Towners."The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-7208898121815273552012-05-10T17:27:27.955-04:002012-05-10T17:27:27.955-04:00"Every American should go coast-to-coast at g..."Every American should go coast-to-coast at ground level at least once during their lifetime to grasp the size and geography of this country, and how this nation evolved. With the growth of air travel, I think that's something we really don't appreciate anymore, to our detriment as a nation."<br /><br />Magnificent observation, so well put. Thanks.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-16521570406324990002012-05-10T16:43:53.955-04:002012-05-10T16:43:53.955-04:00I traveled cross country by Amtrak in September 19...I traveled cross country by Amtrak in September 1996 -- New York to Chicago via the Lake Shore Limited, then Chicago to southern California via the now-defunct Desert Wind (it paralleled the current California Zephyr from Chicago to Salt Lake City, then veered south through Las Vegas, Nev. on its way to Los Angeles). Beautiful ride, wonderful scenery.<br /><br />Every American should go coast-to-coast at ground level at least once during their lifetime to grasp the size and geography of this country, and how this nation evolved. With the growth of air travel, I think that's something we really don't appreciate anymore, to our detriment as a nation.VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-77077992308739403792012-05-10T07:47:58.869-04:002012-05-10T07:47:58.869-04:00Welcome, Andrew, and thanks so much for stopping b...Welcome, Andrew, and thanks so much for stopping by. I haven't seen the AMC "Hell on Wheels", but I'm going to keep a lookout for that. Thanks for the heads up.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-83694802769090760132012-05-09T23:59:54.380-04:002012-05-09T23:59:54.380-04:00Hi Jacqueline
Thank you for the fascinating post....Hi Jacqueline<br /><br />Thank you for the fascinating post. I love trains and genuinely hate flying, so it was a pleasure to learn about the formation of the national train system in the United States. Have you looked at Hell on Wheels, the AMC show about the construction of the transcontinental railroad?<br /><br />Take care<br />Andrew Allenhistoryonfilmhttp://www.historyonfilm.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-41767747398976754082012-05-09T13:34:08.493-04:002012-05-09T13:34:08.493-04:00Thanks for the correction, Kim. I appreciate it. ...Thanks for the correction, Kim. I appreciate it. That is one lovely building, and I'm particularly fond of the history room that has the huge model train setup of actual Cincinnati neighborhoods at various periods in the past. Really neat.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-86436154044426330262012-05-09T12:08:30.458-04:002012-05-09T12:08:30.458-04:00I loved reading this--I am a history professor you...I loved reading this--I am a history professor you know. Anyway, a mild correction regarding the train station in Cincy--we call it Union Terminal. I'm glad you included your photo of the mural. Every time I go there I stare up and just do a circular motion with my body.Kimberly J.M. Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09078951928157843937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-23204804729533546432012-05-07T21:11:35.571-04:002012-05-07T21:11:35.571-04:00Holy spelling errors, Batman! That's "Ri...Holy spelling errors, Batman! That's "Rinehart". My apologies to her devoted readers everywhere.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-53202191766022201102012-05-07T20:17:47.070-04:002012-05-07T20:17:47.070-04:00Elisabeth, that Reinhart book sounds great. I may...Elisabeth, that Reinhart book sounds great. I may look for that myself. I hope you pursue your own idea for a train mystery. I'd love to read it.<br /><br />Yeah, Dorian, that's the episode. Shirley came out of the baggage car dressed in a garment bag because somebody stole her clothes. Top secret microfilm and "beware the bald man" and every man on the train bald. I'm still laughing.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-4628299291366584402012-05-07T20:09:03.808-04:002012-05-07T20:09:03.808-04:00Hey, Jacqueline, Kevin, I think I remember that LA...Hey, Jacqueline, Kevin, I think I remember that LAVERNE & SHIRLEY episode! If I remember right, Laverne (Penny Marshall) kept coming up with her own film noir-style narration on the spot,calling herself "the angel with the 'L'"! :-) Funny stuff!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-22505271137195849072012-05-07T19:47:36.441-04:002012-05-07T19:47:36.441-04:00Although Murder On the Orient Express is probably ...Although <i>Murder On the Orient Express</i> is probably the most famous train mystery, there are others—I've got Mary Roberts Rinehart's <i>The Man in Lower Ten</i>, about a murder and mistaken identity in a Pullman car, on my to-read list. I've even got an idea for a train mystery of my own tucked away in one of my notebooks.<br /><br />I missed Train Day last year, but I think I'm going to do a train-themed blog post later this week—it's too good an opportunity to pass up!Elisabeth Grace Foleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02073159989691222645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-48000973668259549802012-05-07T17:41:52.210-04:002012-05-07T17:41:52.210-04:00Thanks, Kevin. The Chicago station is another gra...Thanks, Kevin. The Chicago station is another grand old building, a beautful structure. Unfortunately, I didn't have any really good photos of it.<br /><br />The mystery train sounds fun. Though some famous classic films feature stories about murder on trains, I invariably recall the two-part "Laverne & Shirley" TV episode, "Murder on the Moosejaw Express." Just thinking of that still makes me laugh.<br /><br />I hope you can see "The Out of Towners" one of these days.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-10428473288929712702012-05-07T17:18:41.863-04:002012-05-07T17:18:41.863-04:00I've never seen "The Out of Towners"...I've never seen "The Out of Towners" but I love trains so I had to keep reading. Loved the post and the pictures of the old time train stations. <br /><br />In Chicago, they have weekend mystery train excursions, I believe a round trip between Chicago and Milwaukee where passengers interact with actors when a "murder" occurs on the train. One of the passengers is the guilty party and it is up to the passengers and police to discover the culprit. I had a friend take this trip and she said it was a blast. <br /><br />A great post, Jacqueline, and I'll now be on the lookout for "The Out of Towners."Kevin Deanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07697597405552599370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-36274926771172304062012-05-07T14:50:33.553-04:002012-05-07T14:50:33.553-04:00Hi, Dorian, I've taken that trip to Florida, t...Hi, Dorian, I've taken that trip to Florida, too. Nice run. Had a sleeper compartment on that one and one of the nicest car attendants in the world. Treated like royalty.<br /><br />Like to watch the orange groves going by.<br /><br />Talking with other passengers in the dining car is one of my favorite things. I recall an elderly woman who traveled back and forth to NYC with the summer and winter, a "snowbird" if she'd flown. <br /><br />Another thing I like is to watch reunions on the platform, the longer the trip the more emotional the reunion.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-59563681361138307012012-05-07T14:10:12.348-04:002012-05-07T14:10:12.348-04:00Thank you so much, Policomic, and especially for y...Thank you so much, Policomic, and especially for your last remark. I fear the lack of white gloves and a pillbox hat might have kept me out of the Really Elegant category.<br /><br />Actually, that's one of the things I like about train travel. If you like to dress up, you can and not stand out because a lot of business travelers do -- I mean those not just traveling somewhere on business, but who are actually working, doing business on the train, in the middle of their workday. It's not like taking a flight where you're better off dressing down to be more comfortable -- both in the narrow seats and the security checkpoints.Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-16284839866430865362012-05-07T14:08:59.551-04:002012-05-07T14:08:59.551-04:00Jacqueline, I've loved train travel since I wa...Jacqueline, I've loved train travel since I was a tiny tot (heck, I even like the subways in my hometown, NYC!). I remember THE OUT-OF-TOWNERS, including Johnny Brown (who I seem to recall doing the "Here come the judge" gag) and finding it funny in a comedy-of-cruelty way (Jack Lemmon's character was rather pig-headed, if I remember correctly), so your post brought back lots of memories! <br /><br />I hadn't been familiar with the nefariousness surrounding the shabby treatment of the cross-country trains (not to mention the passengers!), so I especially appreciate your fascinating history behind Amtrak. For the record, when my dear late mom still lived in Florida, Shugie and I always looked forward to taking the train to Mom's house; it was a real highlight of the trip! Thanks for the memories and great pictures, my friend; I look forward to your post about IT HAPPENED TO JANE! All aboard! :-)DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7092350404895325373.post-57204014584274848842012-05-07T13:23:10.479-04:002012-05-07T13:23:10.479-04:00Thanks for this excellent post. Your point about t...Thanks for this excellent post. Your point about the (wholly necessary) partial public subsidization of <b>all</b> forms of transportation (roads, airports, etc.) is an important one that is too easily overlooked in simplistic public interest vs. private ownership debates.<br /><br />Also, you look appropriately elegant in the final photo.policomicnoreply@blogger.com