"Source Code" Metra in the starring role!

[Guest]

This movie opens April, 2011

Whats unusual is that Metra Spokesperson Judy Pardonnet recently concluded in an interview that Metra was not happy in which the system was portrayed in the movie with digital accidents and explosion scenes involved. Although judging from the movie trailer, it looks as though they dont use the "Metra" name and instead it uses a fake name called "CCR" "Chicago Commuter Rail" It also looks like the movie was filmed along the UP West line because they do show the Glen Ellyn station and a digitally enhanced explosion/crash scene with a freight filmed on the Rock Island line along the Dan Ryan Expy. You can also see in some scenes that additional graphics were applied to the bilevel cars to cover up the "Metra" name although it does look like they did retain an actual Metra car number such as "8586". I guess Metra dosent want to use its name or have any bad press considering some of the incidents of the past. In a similar story, I remember reading an article when the 1976 movie "Silver Streak" was filmed. With the plot of the movie taking the actors on a cross country train ride from Los Angeles to Chicago, movie producers immediately went to Amtrak for their cooperation, Amtrak refused because of the movie plot and of course the end crash scene into the train station. Amtrak did not want its company being portrayed in a bad light. So the producers went to Canada to film the movie with the cooperation of CP Rail. Thats why you see two CP Rail F7 units made up into a fake passenger rail system called "AM Road" from Los Angeles to Chicago. That film was shot almost entirely in Toronto. Great movie I thought!. Interestingly, if you look closely in a scene from "Silver Streak" when the train is making its final runaway trek into the "Chicago" train station, in widescreen you can actually see the CN Tower. :)

[Busjack]

It looks like somehow a blue bar was added to the car, but the car number not changed. Also, as you imply, they could have shot it at 47th St. and have a real disaster.

At about :37, if it is not his body coming out of the washroom, one better be very scared

As far as other movies shooting in Toronto, that was one reason I didn't go to see Blues Brothers 2 (besides not having the real Joliet Jake for obvious reasons).

[BusHunter]

It looks like somehow a blue bar was added to the car, but the car number not changed. Also, as you imply, they could have shot it at 47th St. and have a real disaster.

At about :37, if it is not his body coming out of the washroom, one better be very scared

As far as other movies shooting in Toronto, that was one reason I didn't go to see Blues Brothers 2 (besides not having the real Joliet Jake for obvious reasons).

yes, considering that's one of the more deadly places on Metra. I'm surprised they let them even use the location. (but they most likely can't control that) The thing about the Silver Streak movie is that it has enough truth in it to be believable. (especially if your not a chicagoian) IIRC, there is a Rockdale, Illinois and there was a Marshall Field's although maybe not at the downtown station (I think it's called Central station) and the station itself does kind of resemble the Great Hall at Union Station. Also there's enough location shots to make you believe you are indeed crossing the country. I was reading myself that the train destruction scene was shot inside an airplane hanger.

[Guest]

yes, considering that's one of the more deadly places on Metra. I'm surprised they let them even use the location. (but they most likely can't control that) The thing about the Silver Streak movie is that it has enough truth in it to be believable. (especially if your not a chicagoian) IIRC, there is a Rockdale, Illinois and there was a Marshall Field's although maybe not at the downtown station (I think it's called Central station) and the station itself does kind of resemble the Great Hall at Union Station. Also there's enough location shots to make you believe you are indeed crossing the country. I was reading myself that the train destruction scene was shot inside an airplane hanger.

Not to get off the subject, but the one scene that I find is true in "Silver Streak" that was likely filmed in Chicago was the final resting spot for the locomotive that rammed the station where it came to rest. Now remember the engines used in the movie were F7 units. The engine they show resting in the train station after the crash looks like a longer E8! And it looks like downtown Union Station. I was told that that scene was really filmed in Chicago. The story goes that a wall was knocked down to make it look like the train had rammed through it. Now Ive done some investigating, when you go to Union Sta. there was a wall that looks as though it was completely replaced. I dont know if it has changed somewhat, I havent been inside Union for years, this is the wall Im told and I believe where the final movie scene was filmed.

[teck22]

I like where that explosion scene is @ my school IIT, right at 33rd/Wentworth

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33rd+%26+wenworth+chicago&aq=&sll=41.815706,-87.673602&sspn=0.010651,0.024526&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=S+Wentworth+Ave+%26+W+33rd+St,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60616&ll=41.834622,-87.629721&spn=0.011031,0.024526&z=16&layer=c&cbll=41.834629,-87.62984&panoid=uMQjHqtWyxB5b7TcApdDRg&cbp=12,84.47,,0,16.04

[Guest]

Another train disaster movie, this one made for tv called "Disaster on the Coastliner" filmed in 1977. The plot was a mentally disturbed man who hijacks an Amtrak passenger train headed to San Francisco. This person taps into the signals and switches so that he can put his train in a direct head on collision course with a SB Amtrak headed for Los Angeles. Good Amtrak footage throughout the movie. The plot is no doubt dumb and overdramatized but the train footage is excellent. The movie ends with an F40 leaving the rails and smashing into a rail maintenance yard. You can tell though they used models in that scene, imagine 1970s movie special effects!. LOL!! Now I read that movie was filmed not along the California coast but on the other side of the country, I believe in CT, Maine or Delaware. And although you see the F40s in their Amtrak colors and Amtrak lettering, they dont cover the name and they dont use the name in the movie but they use another name, TransAllied Railroad!

[BusHunter]

Not to get off the subject, but the one scene that I find is true in "Silver Streak" that was likely filmed in Chicago was the final resting spot for the locomotive that rammed the station where it came to rest. Now remember the engines used in the movie were F7 units. The engine they show resting in the train station after the crash looks like a longer E8! And it looks like downtown Union Station. I was told that that scene was really filmed in Chicago. The story goes that a wall was knocked down to make it look like the train had rammed through it. Now Ive done some investigating, when you go to Union Sta. there was a wall that looks as though it was completely replaced. I dont know if it has changed somewhat, I havent been inside Union for years, this is the wall Im told and I believe where the final movie scene was filmed.

When I said that I read the final scene was shot in an airplane hanger, I believe I read that one on the videotape version of the movie. They had some fun facts on there. Where the hanger was I don't know (maybe Toronto) I'm surprised most of the movie was shot in Toronto considering all the location shots. Maybe the interior shots were shot there. Where is this wall you speak of? (Maybe I'll check this out next time I'm in the neighborhood.) They might have used one quick clip that they couldn't replicate in a studio, but for the most part the scene was most likely shot elsewhere due to the disruption and destruction this may have caused. Maybe the wall is somehow linked to a real life condition. As crazy as this sounds, perhaps a train may have jumped a stub at a slower speed and hit the wall.

[Busjack]

Another train disaster movie...

Speaking of that, the dumbest one in my mind was The Taking of Pelham 123 (original version). Any fool knows that if there is a runaway subway train, turn the electric power off.

[Guest]

Speaking of that, the dumbest one in my mind was The Taking of Pelham 123 (original version). Any fool knows that if there is a runaway subway train, turn the electric power off.

I didnt like the new version at all, I did like the 1973 original only for the train scenes in the beginning other than that the rest of the movie was pretty boring! :)

[Guest]

When I said that I read the final scene was shot in an airplane hanger, I believe I read that one on the videotape version of the movie. They had some fun facts on there. Where the hanger was I don't know (maybe Toronto) I'm surprised most of the movie was shot in Toronto considering all the location shots. Maybe the interior shots were shot there. Where is this wall you speak of? (Maybe I'll check this out next time I'm in the neighborhood.) They might have used one quick clip that they couldn't replicate in a studio, but for the most part the scene was most likely shot elsewhere due to the disruption and destruction this may have caused. Maybe the wall is somehow linked to a real life condition. As crazy as this sounds, perhaps a train may have jumped a stub at a slower speed and hit the wall.

The wall I was referring to is located on the west side inside the waiting area at Chicago's Union Station. Im told thats where the final resting place of the locomotive Silver Streak scene was shot.

[trainman8119]

As I understand it, the bulk of the Source Code movie was filmed in Canada. Metra is

upset because it is obvious that the colors are that of Metra. Also, they claim, they

are upset that Pagano sold his soul for $40,000 and that they look bad because of the

terrorist inference. Their claims of safety are such a crock, and I can go on for days

about that....also they are probably really pissed that Pagano sold out for $40 grand instead

of $4 mil !!

(I believe I saw this in a Daily Herald article in the last couple of days) !!

[Busjack]

(I believe I saw this in a Daily Herald article in the last couple of days) !!

Here's a link.

Before adding "Metra" to the search, it was only generating puff reviews.

It also mentioned that Metra got about 4 times as much money from Transformers.

Now, if Pace could only get money to have an ElDorado transform into Godzilla.

[Guest]

Here's a link.

Before adding "Metra" to the search, it was only generating puff reviews.

It also mentioned that Metra got about 4 times as much money from Transformers.

Now, if Pace could only get money to have an ElDorado transform into Godzilla.

...Or my NABI #6635 transform into my favorite Stunticon, MotorMaster! :)

[Busjack]

Not sure if this goes here or in the "Political abuse" thread, but I heard something like this on the radio, and the Daily Herald confirms it: Metra looking into 'Source Code' shakedown.

This article mentions "attempted extortion," but I guess Illinois politicians of both stripes engage in it.

[Guest]

I went to see "Source Code" with my nephew yesterday at MuvieCo in Rosemont. It was a good movie, not the greatest but I thought it was pretty entertaining. I thought the Metra footage in the movie was excellent, especially on a large movie screen!. Although the "Metra" name isnt used throughout the movie, the end credits they did acknowledge Metra. I thought the fake graphics on the cars looked pretty cool, I could see someone modeling this at a train show one day!. What did leaving me scratching my head were some of the interior shots of the bilevel cars. The shots show a different layout of the cars not normally familiar with the cars we use here. Some scenes do show the center door areas, other scenes show interior side exits, possibly another type of passenger equipment with aisle facing seats not familiar to Metra cars. And on the upper level there were extra sets of windows above the 2nd level windows leading me to believe this was a movie production set or digital enhancements. Youll have to see the movie to come up with your own conclusions.