Silent movies did some pretty crazy things with trains

As Buster Keaton said "railroads are a great prop. You can do some awful wild things with railroads." Here's a bunch of clips of trains destroying things, trains getting destroyed and just general crazy train stunts from silent movies.

Edit: I removed one of the songs due to a copyright claim

[PowerTrain]

Buster Keaton was an absolute madlad. His stunts in The General were legendary. He drove that locomotive like a sports car.

[benman]

I like how silent movies and trains basically do what little kids do with trains

[Willysmb]

The great thing about these movies were it all came from the vaudeville era, where everything was on stage and either had to be 1:1 illusions or real. With the money to go outside and do the things they never could on stage, they really went nuts. And we have these gems of the cinema to show for it!

[michaelramsey]

The bridge collapse at 1:39 (from Buster Keaton's "The General") was the most expensive single shot in silent film history. The locomotive was real, and the bridge was built specifically for the movie. It cost about $42, 000 in 1926 dollars, which, adjusted for inflation, would be about $618, 000 today.

[MrAsianPie]

This really changes the meaning of “practical”.

[disillusionedrightest]

I guess back then when they were only starting entertainment trains crashing into stuff was what sells lol. Still entertaining now though. Some of thoose stunts were pretty mental too

[Bstingnl]

2:27 Imagine going to see "Fast and Furious" and finding out in the cinema it's the 1924 film.

[thomassommerfeld]

These actors showing literally the middle finger to CGI .

[kennethross]

What's mind-blowing (and NOT in a good way) is in some cases the trains weren't hired special for the movie - sometimes they literally went out and pulled these stunts with regularly scheduled passenger/freight service trains.

[Captain_Char]

It does make me wonder how many actors died during this era of film making

[stuff___idontknow]

Me: minding my business in the 1920s


Train: rams all of my belongings out of existence

[CPorter]

Everything was done completely live and in one take too. This is the understatement of the century.

[hornetscales]

when they didn't have to get insurance on their That's probably a more accurate title. Some real gutsy stunts they pulled off back in the day. I recall a few gutsy stunts from an old movie called "It's a mad, mad, mad world".

[MorristheMinor]

I remember back in the 1980s, watching a documentary about Buster Keaton's The General. An old lady was talking about watching the scene where the Union engine runs over the bridge and it falls down. The film crew had placed a dummy in the engine cab, but it fell forward so realistically, the local townspeople watching though a REAL stuntman had been killed and several people screamed and fainted.

[saishbhise]

I just love buster keaton, salute to him for making such great films.

[christiangibbs]

The most amazing part is that these are all the real deal. No stunt doubles, no green screens, no wires, and no second takes. These people are not only pioneers in cinema, they are rock stars. The world will never experience anything like them again.
Thanks so much for putting together this amazing tribute.

[abloogywoogywoo]

When actors had nerves of steel, balls of brass, hard as nails, and horses made of iron.

[seltaeb]

These American locos were really huge compared to Europe ones.

[GH-oijf]

That scene from “The General, ” when the trestle over a gorge gives way, is a classic. The film is set in the southeast, but it was shot in Cottage Grove, Oregon.

[BobbyorRobby]

1:49 "AAAUGHHHH WHAT NOW"

This expression is so funny. Congratulations Buster, you have successfully entertained me.