Buste Keaton rides Stephenson's Rocket

Silent film great Buster Keaton was quite a rail fan! His most famous film was "The General", where he rescues a train stolen by the Union Army during the civil war, and one of his last films, "The Railrodder" featured him riding a speeder across Canada. 

He also featured a replica of Stephenson's Rocket in an earlier film, titled "Our Hospitality". Keaton purposely set the film in the 1830's so he could use Stephenson's Rocket. Our good friend Chuck Huard sent us this link, featuring nearly five minutes of Keaton riding the Rocket. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXBwzC4JYC0

Watch Buster Keaton travel across Canada on a Speeder in "The Railrodder"

    In 1965 the National Film Board of Canada released a short film featuring legendary silent movie comedian Buster Keaton, titled The Railrodder. Buster travels across the entire country from Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia to the Georgia Strait in a CN speeder.

     This was one of the last Films Buster Keaton ever made, and it was a fitting ending, as one of his most famous films was The General, where he rescues a train stolen by the Union Army during the civil war.

     The Railrodder is a delight not only for Buster Keaton fans, but for rail fans and historians alike, for it gives us a rare glimpse into what Canada looked like in the mid 1960's all from the perspective of an open speeder.

     If you have 24 minutes to spare, sit back an click here to see The Railrodder.