(erielack) The Station Agent

["Paul Brezicki" <doctorpb_@_bellsouth.net>]

Rick and Group,

This is a fine movie with some fine acting by Peter Dinklage, at the time a virtual unknown who is afflicted with achondroplastic dwarfism. The movie was an award winner at the 2003 Sundance Festival. The depot in question is Newfoundland NJ on the Susie-Q, 18 rail miles east of Sparta Jct and just west of the old Wharton & Northern Jct; I believe it is the actual filming location. The Susie-Q and it's trains are a constant brooding presence, and it's the most realistic portrayal of a RR I've seen in a movie. I highly recommend it in it's own right, but of course it has that additional interest for railfans. I believe there's also some brief footage of NJT in Hoboken. You can probably find a copy on eBay or other website.

Paul B

I don't know if you have this channel but the movie, "The Station Agent"  was 
on and I watched. It's basically about three people going through their  
lives but they all revolve around a depot, which looks like it's in northwest  NJ.
 
Bottom line is that everything seems to come back to the railroad and  the 
abandoned depot that looks very much DL&W.
 
There are a number of shots of a passenger car that a young girl enjoys.  
Perhaps some one can shed some light on the car's history.
 
The taller actor is the guy who played the partner of Will on "Will &  
Grace". In that show he portrayed an NYC cop. In this movie, he's Hispanic and  
operates a food truck with a Puerto Rican flag on the side.
 
One of the best scenes is when the Susquehanna's double team in their black  
and yellow rolls through and he drives the truck in the real train chase. He  
loves the trains, thus he follows until his truck can't keep up with the  
Susquehanna's bumble bees.
 
If you have IFC you know that sometimes the language is not for the kids  and 
this movie, as emotional as it is, is not for the younger ones.
 
If anyone knows more about this movie, if it was filmed in northwest NJ,  I'd 
sure appreciate you sharing what you know. 
 
It's one of those movies that apparently "never made it to mainstream" but  
the railroad content is very good. I enjoyed the scenes where they walk the  
tracks, especially the scene where they're on the one track and you can see that 
 it was once double tracked. Very good shots of what Erie Lackawanna was in  
northwest NJ if it was filmed there.
 
Just wanted to share what I found to be a real interesting film.
 
Rick


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