Railroad Coordinator Services for Motion Pictures and Movie Trains
Professional technical consultants and movie trains for TV and film productions, FMW is an experienced railroad partner for the film industry.
Filming with authentic railroad equipment or in railroad environments offers incredible production value and authenticity, but also presents the entertainment industry with unique logistical, safety, and operational challenges, especially when dealing with museums, historic railroad artifacts, or the general railroad system at large. FMW Solutions offers full-service railroad and transportation coordinator services and trains for film productions, including historic and modern railroad equipment, on-set operations, location scouting, and project research, and can handle all necessary waivers, permitting, and leasing.
In addition, FMW Solutions maintains expertise unique to both film production and railroad operations and understands the needs and concerns of both productions and railroads equally. From pre-production and conceptualization to production and post-production, FMW Solutions is a one-stop shop for your film production’s movie train requirements. Click here to contact our Railroad Transportation Coordinator.
Film Industry Experience
Our Railroad Transportation Coordinator and technical consultants have over 30 years of combined experience in commercial film and television productions, having previously worked in a variety of capacities with Warner Brothers, CBS, Paramount, NBC, Universal, Disney, Lucasfilm, Fox, WAG Entertainment, The Discovery Channel, and The History Channel. Productions have included A Man Called Otto, Grilled Cheese, Madame Webb, Water for Elephants, Public Enemies, The Polar Express, Matewan, Storm of the Century, Strange Inheritance, and Decoding Disaster, as well as projects with numerous advertising agencies, independent productions, and film commissions.
Movie Trains for Any Time Period
Image courtesy of John Troxler.
FMW Solutions routinely restores, maintains, and operates historic railroad equipment from the early 1900s through1950s and present day. With both vintage steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, passenger and freight cars – and our partners in the worlds of modern and rail preservation – FMW Solutions can help recreate any era and provide any kind of train for your film, television, or documentary production.
Safety and Certification
If the film and railroad industries have one thing in common, it’s a culture of safety! Our FRA certified employees have decades of experience providing safe and professional mechanical, consulting and operational services to both the film and railroad industries. In addition, our FRA certified engineers, conductors and staff are qualified in Railroad Operating Rules and Testing, Railroad Operating Practices, Risk Assessment and Job Hazard Analysis, and will partner with the designated Authority Having Jurisdiction, Unit Safety Manager, Stunt Crew, and other members of your production team.
Research and Location Scouting
Whether your project requires modern or period trains, or urban, pastoral, industrial, or historic settings, FMW Solutions can serve as your Technical Consultant, Location Scout, Researcher, Railroad Unit, and Unit Production Manager with careful consideration of your narrative, budgetary, art direction, and safety requirements. In addition, we can provide resources for b-roll, background plates, props, video game production, and 3D and augmented reality environments.
Transportation and Logistics
FMW Solutions regularly interfaces with Class 1, regional railroads, and museums to oversee the safe shipment of historic and modern equipment to and from venues across the United States. When and where shipment by rail is neither practical nor affordable, FMW is qualified to oversee the loading, shipment, and transportation of equipment to shooting locations located away from active railroads.
Connections and Relationships
Railroad operations are rarely prepared to deal with productions of any size and scope. FMW Solutions understands the creative and aesthetic needs of film and television production and the concerns of railroads, historic operations, and museums. In addition, FMW can handle any necessary permitting, waiver, or lease arrangements necessary to get the right equipment or location for your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do films and TV shows secure historic or modern trains for use in their productions?
FMW Solutions and our Railroad Transportation Coordinator work with railroad companies and equipment owners and operators to safely secure, operate, transport, negotiate, consult, and collaborate with filmmakers, photographers, and other creative professionals seeking to use modern passenger trains, freight trains, or historic railroad equipment from any period. Just as productions utilize horse wranglers for livestock or picture car coordinators for historic automobiles, we “wrangle” trains and coordinate and manage railroad operations.
I’m a producer, location scout, or research assistant. Where can I find a a train, station, or railroad specific item my for film production, television productions, commercial shoot, or documentary?
Our Railroad Transportation Coordinator can provide immediate answers and expertise based on the budget, location, and creative needs of your production or project. If your production cannot travel out of a particular state or location for incentive-based reasons, expect to invest in transporting rail equipment to a suitable location, or to send a second unit to a rail-specific location. In most cases, we can provide an answer within 24-48 hours. For many inquiries, we’ll consult on a retainer basis and create an initial production deck with creative and budgetary options. From there, many productions will hire us as part of the locations team or create a Railroad Unit to fully own the railroad specific portion of the shoot.
How quickly can I expect to secure a railroad-specific location or rail equipment for my film or TV show?
Time is of the essence. Negotiating and securing railroad logistics, equipment, property, planning, or operations are time-consuming process.
What kinds of film projects or movie train projects has FMW Solutions consulted on lately?
We’ve recently secured railroad property and shooting permission from a notoriously challenging North American Class I railroad for Warner Brothers, provided railroad consultation and coordination for Gucci; oversaw several days of shooting, rail transportation, and logistics for Sony; and continue to consult on several Westerns and projects involving Amtrak and historic steam passenger railroads.
“As a machine of vision and an instrument for conquering space and time, the train is a mechanical double for the cinema and for the transport of the spectator into fiction, fantasy, and dream.” - Lynne Kirby, author
Does your film or television production need to harness the power of railroading? Contact FMW Solutions to discuss your project at 423.425.9753 or via email.