Capt Carrales of the Garden Railways forum here. I initially posted this in the Trains forum, but they tend to be very contemporary and I felt that it would be given more attention here!
Being a Microferroquinologist (Large Scale) and denizen of Classic Television, I came across a contoversy! On the Classic Television show Leave it to Beaver, it has been widely debated as to what Ward Cleaver, the father of the show, did for a living.
I finally have an answer that seems made for those if us that enjoy Trains!!!
Last Christmas I was given some Railroad videos, one of them was titled… 225,000-Mile Proving Ground and was Narrated by Hugh Beaumont, the same actor who played Ward Cleaver!
The Beaver’s father then…must work for the American Association of Railroads!
Geepers, Wally. I thunk he worked in an office with Lumpy Rutherford’s father or sumtin. He kept his suit jacket on all the time and just looked at papers.
The Beav. (Mitch)
Did you ever see that episode where they went on a train trip and spent their fare on food instead and made up this rediculous lie about Ward falling out of an airplane. It looked like they went Southern Pacific, where ever they went.
Lumpy’s dad was also on that train? Hummmm…it might have been some protoptyical field work.
How about the episode where June gives away Beaver’s (Lionel) trains - I think it was to some neighborhood youngsters - after considering he’s apparently too ‘old’ for them?
They were just going one stop, to Mayfield. They were on the Daylight alright, but the conductor had a Wabash uniform. Wonder if he was gonna cut a cash fare when Ward sent him the dough.
Wally, “What’s there to look at at a train station?”
“Lot’s a stuff. Like a fat lady hollerin’ at her kid.”
Mitch
If I remember correctly, Wally and Beaver rode on the Santa Fe, and Ward worked in an office building in downtown, several episodes actually showed him in the office talking to Lumpy Rutherford’s dad.
I get it, the Cleaver boys were on the “Stock Footage & Excess Wardrobe Express.” (SF&EW R.R.). As for the conductor…It must have been the “Eastern/Western Railroad Conductor Exchange Program.”
What do y’all think would have been a better “ubiquitous” locomotive than the Daylight to have shown?
Yes, but what did they do in that office in downtown? They were “suits,” I still maintain they worked for the AAR. Although it is probably pure speculation.
Anyone seen that Company film 225,000 Mile Proving Ground?
Capt’n,
I think there was an East-West Cinema Railroad exchange program. I remember stock shots of Santa Fe trains when the folks were coming into New York.
Mitch
Ok ok I got it. First of all it was a run through Wabash coach on the Daylight the damn conductor just forgot to get off it in Missouri.Second Ward worked at a field office of the AAR or Railroad retirement board(had to be government like posted earlier he was home all the time)And third "Golly mrs Cleaver you look lovely today i was hoping Wally could come out and help me study"Translation"I am just sucking up to you so I can take your two sons and cause all kinds of mayhem and mischief,they get caught EVERY time and I get off scot free and your non the wiser! Eddie Haskill criminal mastermind [^][:D][}:)][}:)]
What’s with all those “ubiquitous” little towns from '50s and '60s television?
Did Andy of Mayberry ever have a railroad episode? I remember Petti Coat Junction, namely the Railroad that ran right behind Sam Drucker’s General store.
I forgot Eddie became a cop!! Petticoat junction ahhh the good old days.I dont think Mayberry had a railroad run through it.Barney would have been out trying to nail the engineer for speeding or whistling too loud
With regard to a railroad scene on the Andy Griffith show. There were two that I recall.One was when Barney returned to Mayberry after being gone off the show for a while. The train he arrived on was a UP streamliner. The markings were very clear. The other was when Andy, Helen, Howard Sprague and Howard Sprague’s girlfriend whom he intended to marry were traveling together on a Pullman to New York ( I think) There was a scene in the diner where Andy and Howard order the cheapest thing on the menu.
This has become a very good topic. We forget that classic trains appear in classic TV and it is a cool place to “train spot,” even though much of the stock footage is wildly inaccurate and out of place.
Does anyone remember and episode of Lassie where they are reactivating a railline and there is some Ducks or other birds who have nested on the tracks and they fight the railroad company to preserve the birds until the ducks hatch?
I also recall one when there is an old model T railcar that goes out of control?