Matewan the Movie

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

If you like Steam Locos you’ll like watching this movie

Matewan a movie tells the story of the miners of WVA in 1920 trying to form a union

It also tells of the Matewan Massacre Which was a shoot out between the miners and the Mine Company’s paid gunmen It has some great shots of some steam trains in it and was shot on location in my favorite town Thurmond

At the time the movie was made Thurmond had more butterflies than people so the film crew had full access to the town You can read more about it here http://matewanwv.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=49

2

Terry–

A very fine and VERY disturbing movie. I like the setting and the authenticity. It’s one film that I get so wrapped up in, that I almost forget the trains in the background, and I forget how well done the railroading scenes are.

It’s considered by most critics to be a very great film. It’s easy to understand why. But it’s also hard to watch, at times.

I like it–but I can’t watch it unless I’m in the mood.

Tom

3

It is a disturbing movie ! I think it’s what the makers intended

I was saddened to see the plight of the miners It gave me a hopeless feeling

to see what they had to go through just to feed their familys !

4

wow it’s so long since i saw that movie i don’t even remember the trains . gonna have to watch it again because it was an amazing movie

5

Yep they are there

There’s one shot of a loco coming thru the New River Bridge

Just a blowing and a going

where they laid the camera down in the center of the tracks and let the loco run over it

Totally awesome !!!

6

Matewan lies 9 miles (by rail),east of Williamson,WVa.And is located on the Tug River.

The movie was filmed in Matewan and the surrounding Mingo Co. area.

The buildings shown in the movie of the downtown,still stand .

I run thru Matewan occasionally when I take an I.D. train from Portsmouth,Ohio to Bluefield,WVa.The NS’s mainline runs right by the cities business district.

Matewan is a big attraction for history buffs of the Matewan Massacre and the Hatfield and McCoy’s fued.It’s also getting big for ATV trail riding.

The city of Matewan has erected a mockup of an early 1900’s depot and has an old N&W caboose on display.

7

Actually the movie was filmed in Thurmond because Thurmond was vacant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matewan#Locations

they changed the name on the station and built a false store front for the general store

on the side of the engine house.

The engine house is gone now but the rest of the buildings are still there

The station is a dead giveaway because of it’s unique shape and size

8

I lived in West Virginia for 15 years, I just left to return to Nevada. Matewan is the movie natives tell you to rent and watch when you first come to West Virginia. It explains a lot of undercurrents of attitudes and politics that you see in the area today. Absolutely great movie with great actors. Adding trains is like the frosting on the cake. - Nevin

9

What suprised me was no one ever went to trial for the shootings

Years Later when sheriff Hatfield was gunned down on the Mingo

County court house steps by the coal company’s hit men.

{shot him 15 times in broad daylight}

No one went to trial on that one either

Wild place !!!