Quote from: Doneldon on July 10, 2013, 04:50:42 PM
J-J

I do plan to see it, probably with my best friend who remembers TLR from radio. He's also in end stage non-Hodgkins so any distraction is a good thing. We go to movies -- he often falls asleep -- and then for something good to eat. I think it keeps his strength up some and he needs that. He's also diabetic and is in renal failure so a large part of his life is going for dialysis and then chemo and then dialysis again to flush the chemo poisons out. My own experience with cancer was a long and ugly struggle in my 20s when I had youth and strength on my side. My friend doesn't have those assets. But if TLR helps his mood and gives him a laugh or two it will be time well spent. I am looking forward to the trains, as is my friend. Do I understand correctly that the trains are all models or animations or something?
                                             -- D

That's very nice of you. I'm sure your friend will at least get a few laughs out of the movie, if nothing else.

And when I wrote yesterday, I forgot to add that it might be a good idea if you can find a bargain matinee. 

Quote from: Doneldon on July 09, 2013, 09:02:08 PM
There were Comanche advisors on the film and they were happy enough about Depp's performance that the Comanche Nation made him an honorary member. I haven't seen the movie yet myself but some friends who did said they felt it was very good. From what I've heard, though, Depp channels Jack Sparrow more than Jay Silverheels. I was very fond of the Lone Ranger series when I was a boy in the 50s so I'm not sure if I'll be comfortable with this modern version.
                                                           -- D

I guess those Comanche advisers explain the photos I've seen on line of two older Indian gentlemen with Johnny Depp.

I had every intention of seeing this movie if possible because of the trains and because I'm a bit of a Lone Ranger fan myself, but this is most definitely not the "classic" Lone Ranger. However, if you enjoy movies with lots of action sequences--with some comedy thrown in among the action--you might enjoy that. And I agree with what has been said about the trains; they are done very well.

Plus, if you see it yourself and still dislike it, you'll have an informed dislike based on your own experience and not just on what you've read. I read one syndicated newspaper review that essentially called the movie crap, and one local newspaper review that liked the movie and gave it three stars out of the possible four that the local paper uses to rate movies.

After I wrote this morning I got to thinking I could probably fairly easily provide myself with an HO Lone Ranger and Tonto to sit off in a corner of my layout somewhere, just for fun. I've already got an Indian figure that I wouldn't have to do any work on, though Tonto would not be on horseback. As for the Lone Ranger, I have cowboy figures in white hats with white horses who are supposed to be circus cowboys. Pretty much all I'd have to do to make one of them into the Lone Ranger would be to paint his clothes and add a mask.

I would be doing a "classic" Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels Lone Ranger and Tonto, not Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp.

Quote from: jonathan on July 06, 2013, 10:56:16 PM
Yep,  read his review, and several others, who all seem to be obsessed with accuracy and/or the fact they saw nothing new or extraordinary.  Pity... I think so many miss the point.  Movies are for entertainment.  Was I entertained?  Yes, very much so.  That fact there are trains in almost every scene only adds to the joy.

I found it to be a fun retelling of the fictitious story from the  1950s, or was it earlier? 

Regards,

Jonathan

I agree with you, Jonathan.

Incidentally, the Lone Ranger dates to the days of radio drama in the 1930s (you know; TV without pictures  ). There were movie serials in the 1940s--I think; would need to double check that--and then the TV series in the 1950s. For many of us of the Baby Boom generation, Clayton Moore, who starred in the TV series, will always be the Lone Ranger. 

J.B.J.

P.S.: I thought that toy train was a cute bit of "Steam Punk." Apparently that hand crank generated electricity, which ran the train--or so it appeared to me.

Quote from: jonathan on July 05, 2013, 07:29:08 PM
I really don't listen to critiques at this point in my life.  "The Lone Ranger" was a great movie... especially for those of us with a penchant for the iron horse. My wife, son, and father-in-law all enjoyed it.

I don't wish to be a spoiler so I won't discuss the scenes in this new release, but I do highly recommend it for the train enthusiast.  The trailers and commercials all show a 4-6-0 as one of the starring roles, so that's no secret, anyway.

I must ask The Bach-Man:  Did your band of brothers and sisters have something to do with this movie?  

As the days pass, I think we will all have some interesting points to discuss.  Perhaps, after opening weekend is done (just a thought)?

Regards,

Jonathan

I saw the movie this afternoon and very much enjoyed it. I thought it was lots of fun.

I've been wondering more or less the same thing about the rolling stock, especially the ten-wheelers. I thought they looked suspiciously like a Big Hauler locomotive. 

J.B.J.

Quote from: J3a-614 on June 27, 2013, 07:13:14 PM
I wouldn't complain too much about that "chicken coop" pilot, partially because it's a bit different from the wooden pilots so often seen, and also because it's authentic for a Pennsylvania Railroad or Pennsylvania predecessor company in the 19th century.  Check out the Civil War era photos at Hanover Junction (in particular the one that appears to have Abraham Lincoln on the platform), and you'll see those pilots were very much in use then.

Oh, I know all that, thank you very much. Authenticity has nothing to do with it. I just think those chicken-coop pilots are ugly. They were ugly in the 1850s and they were still ugly nearly a century later when the PRR was still using a version of them. Distinctive, to be sure, but  ... just plain ugly. 

Great photo, EB!

That coach doesn't look so bad, though, of course, its style of roof is too late for the early to mid 1860s.

I just wish they hadn't given the locomotive that chicken-coop pilot. ... 

Thanks for the update!

Quote from: Doneldon on June 10, 2013, 08:52:00 PM
J-J:

Yes, I have, and I've purchased a couple of items from him. His work is clean and carefully done. The
clerestory roof cars I purchased look like the roofs ccame that way from the factory. He emailed me to say
he will do commission work if someone needs a particular item.
                                                                                                -- D

Doneldon,

My baggage car and coach arrived today, and you are absolutely right. The cars are real beauties, the work clean and carefully done. The "monitor" clerestory roofs do indeed look as if they were factory originals. I'm very happy with the cars.

JBJ

Quote from: Doneldon on June 10, 2013, 08:52:00 PM
J-J:

Yes, I have, and I've purchased a couple of items from him. His work is clean and carefully done. The
clerestory roof cars I purchased look like the roofs ccame that way from the factory. He emailed me to say
he will do commission work if someone needs a particular item.
                                                                                                -- D

I'm glad to know that, because, as a matter of fact, I just won an auction for a baggage car and coach from him. Both cars have rounded ends to the clerestories, which really look sharp in the photos he posted with the listing and will match the clerestory on the Lincoln car. He does some interesting things with Rivarossi/AHM 4-4-0s, too.

Interesting, too, that he indicated he was willing to do commission work, as I had been thinking of contacting him to ask about that.

Quote from: Doneldon on June 07, 2013, 11:18:05 PM
Lucky me! I just scored several pieces of Civil War period rolling stock and a Boker 2-4-0, all in great
condition, at the NMRA Rocky Mountain Division meeting in Albuquerque. Cheap, too. Now I have evrything I
need for my exhibit of Civil War trains.
                                                             -- D

Yee haw! Congratulations! Good for you! 

BTW, have you noticed that there is a gentleman on eBay who has been selling Pocher/Rivarossi/AHM old-time passenger equipment that he has modified to have "Monitor" roofs--that is, the clerestory does not extend to the end of the car/over the platforms? They always sell for ... a lot. 

Thanks! I'm sure we'll all be interested to read about your impressions. 

I wonder what fuel they're using to fire that locomotive? And what they're doing for rolling stock/passenger cars?

Quote from: jbrock27 on June 05, 2013, 03:31:57 PM
Thanks for the spit tip Roger.

My late grandpa always used to say, "Spit's good for lots of things."

Thanks, J3a! The content of those links is amazing, especially that one on the rebuilds of the "General."

JBJ