Chevy has a new ad for it’s biggest pickup with a train consist being pulled. It appears to be rolling on top of the rails, but I couldn’t see the rims.
JimC.
I’ve seen that ad and thought about railroad cars have been allowed to start moving by the wind when brakes were not set. To someone without any idea of what it take to move a railroad car, it could be a convincing ad about the pulling power of the truck. The ones I like are the breaking power of a different company’s truck about to go over the edge of a canyon. With today’s ability to alter film, I don’t think you can trust anything you don’t see in person and then only half of what you think you are seeing. Advertising is advertising, not reality.
The Cheyrolet ad was shot in early February, 2007 on the Sierra Railroad. Here is the report (originally posted on the Yahoo Historic Sierra Railroad board) from Tom Bispo, the Sierra engineer for the ‘shoot’:
“Filming took place between MP 5 (Sand Hill) and MP 19 (Cooperstown.) over the course of four days (2/2-2/5). The train was made up of 17 mixed freight cars (including a home made auto rack and two flat cars from the Fillmore & Western), a caboose and the SERA 48 & 50. This is the largest production consist since the making of the movie Bound for Glory (late 1970s). Extensive use of a rail-bound camera crane and helicopter was made. Although it is not confirmed, the commercial should be televised in the next few weeks.”
Note that the ad has a disclaimer under the pickup scene saying the image is fictionalized.
Looks like the Sierra remains a prime location for film / video shoots!
Happy RRing,
Jerry Bowers
Judging by the driving skills(or lack of) I think too many people beleive the hype the automakers put out…
Did you notice in the commerical that you hear a train horn twice, making you believe it is being pulled by a real engine.
Sierra RR #48 and #50 used in the commercial are former AT&SF GP20s. These are real engines, but I’m not certain they provided the sound heard in the commercial. I’ll try to remember to ask Tom or Joe Bispo at the Westside Logging Modelers Convention in April.
Happy RRing,
Jerry