MovieChat Forums > Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (1974) Discussion > Infamous Train Crossing Location FOUND!!

Infamous Train Crossing Location FOUND!!

posted 19 years ago by Avenger69
29 replies | jump to latest

So, with a LOT of spare time on my hands this weekend, I decided to "road trip" it to Linden, California to see if I could find some of the locations where "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry" was filmed.

The good news is, I found several:

1) The "general store" where Mary "gets something for Deke's hand" is in Farmington, California (not far from Linden). It still looks EXACTLY the same (I took some pictures, and hope to post soon), except in the background, the railroad grade has been taken out and smoothed over.

2) The "pool hall" is in Linden, California, and is now closed. It was called "El Charro" bar, when last opened, but it looks to have been closed a while. I tried to park my truck where they parked the Charger behind the building, but turns out, that is someone's backyard now.

3) There is a shot in the film where both the Charger, and the Polara ("with no sirens or lights yet") take a hard right turn (right after the Charger runs another patrol car into a canal) I found this intersection as well (look for it on MapQuest -- it's the corner of Comstock and Clements Road in Linden).

4) Another shot during the final chase between the Charger and the Polara, where they make a hard right, and then a hard left (the Polara sideswipes a blue '68 Polara).

5) And the biggie -- without a doubt, I found "the train crossing!" SPOILERS AHEAD!!

It wasn't easy, but as I was driving around the Linden area, it was eerie how much the area looks just as it did 31 years ago -- the walnut groves and everything. There were a few intersections that looked very familiar from the film -- and then I figured, what the hell... I'll look for railroad tracks! I had my navigation system going, so I set out on a "sweep search" in Linden and nearby (where I'd seen many of the locations already), and after about 1/2 hour of looking, I found the crossing. There was no mistaking it. I took several pictures of it, and just now compared them to the final shot in the film. Looking at the tracks, the telephone poles, the street behind the tracks, the trees, etc,, this is clearly the intersection. MapQuest it to see... 17100 block of Ketcham Lane, and the 5100 North block of Archerdale Road in Linden. It's pretty clear the tracks are no longer used, but they are still there.

Anyway, wanted to pass this info along to the curious. As soon as I can build a site for the pics, I will post the link here.

I already updated this info on the IMDb, so it should appear shortly.

[–] billymac72 19 years ago

Cool! Let's see those pics!

[–] CheckM8 19 years ago

I'm very curious. Did you notice any small pieces of metal like broken car parts laying around the tracks there?

Okay - took me a little while of searching my Garmin GPS map software, but I have found the crossing you speak of. I place it at the following Latitude and Longitude coordinates:

N38° 01.363' W121° 06.292'

Thanks for posting the information - hope to visit there someday. I am also hoping to see your photos soon.

[–] chrelle-1 19 years ago

I entered "archerdale road linden, california"
into Google Earth, and it put me right over it.
I thought that was pretty cool.

[–] j-schwandt 19 years ago

Got on Google earth, and entered Linden, CA. Found intersection of 17100 block of Ketcham Ln. & 5100 N. block of Archerdale Rd. From the air, it looks like the railroad tracks are GONE.

Google coordinates are: 38 degrees 1' 21.58" N. longitude,
121 degrees 6' 18.24" W. latitude.

The Google earth software gives satellite photos, also lets you tilt
the "camera".

And now on to see if anyone has traced the "Vanishing Point" route and site of the Challenger (actually a '67 Camaro) crash!

[–] chris828 19 years ago

Yes- A group of guys including the ultimate VP expert Ted Stephens, made the vanishing point trip awhile back. It's been a few years but I can tell you from talking to him and his staff and reading about it in one of the MOPE" mags, It was a very complete story. There were pictures of the one lane bridge, the town where super soul was and the site of the crash. I have it buried somewhere, It was either MOPAR MUSCLE or HI PO MOPAR from at least 4 years ago, maybe more. I do remember there is a white challenger on the cover.

[–] Sirsharp 19 years ago

Where's the photos...I want to see!!!

[–] Avenger69 19 years ago

Here are the photos, along with accompanying text:

http://members.aol.com/bargemobile/DMCL_2005_a.jpg

Enjoy!

FYI, I spent quite a bit of time walking around that location, but didn't see any reminders of the filming. It has been 31 years, after all.

[–] RoatJr 19 years ago

That's cool ! Thanks for sharing. When is the road trip to Texas to find the RACE WITH THE DEVIL sacrificial tree , ha ha ?

[–] mobocracy 19 years ago

The photos don't load for me, but I looked up the coordinates mentioned above and it mostly looks like it does from the air. There are dense sections of groves, but there sure seems to be an awful like open land as well (I'd imagine the price for walnut lumber had something to do with that).

[–] joel_long 19 years ago

Great Find Kent!!
Thanks for posting this for us, it clearly is the one and same crossing. That movie had a tremendous impact on my life, especially with such a sudden and tramatic ending. You have done all 'Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry' fans a great service with your research.

[–] JPFolkspro 19 years ago

Thanks Kent! I really enjoyed the pics and info. Great job!

Brian

[–] gitan-leger 19 years ago

Sweet...Great job, thanks Kent!

[–] vinozorvfhe0 19 years ago

Thanks for the pics! The movie was just re-broadcast this PM on Fox Movie Channel and, as always, it was a real hoot to watch!

Google Earth has a fair satellite pic of the train crossing - not very high res, but enough so it is easy to match your photos with the overall scene around the intersection.

Get the free software here:

http://earth.google.com/

(You'll really need broadband speed to download and use this - but do try it if you haven't already.)

[–] vhm_14u2c 19 years ago

That is a good comparison picture.

vhm_14u2c

"Put on your red shoes and dance the blues..." - David Bowie

[–] hondacrrider 19 years ago

For some reason, i cant view the pics .. is anyone else having this problem??

[–] Avenger69 19 years ago

Globemaster,

Yeah, I wondered the same thing about the neighbors peering around, seeing me take pictures of an old railroad track! Also, when I went to the Farmington General Store, and told the gal behind the counter "you know, they filmed a movie here..." and she replied "yeah, Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry!" I thought it was pretty amusing.

And, about those roads -- I was fighting the urge to drive like Crazy Larry...

[–] chris828 19 years ago

Avenger- I MUST SEE THESE PICS!!! Im a life long fan of the movie and collector so when I found this site and your dedication I was overwhelmed. I typed what you have in but got nothing. Help me out?....scatpk

[–] chris828 19 years ago

I FOUND THEM! OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I personally know the guy that retraced the vanishing point route and a while back saw some NOW pictures of the town and track from TWO LANE, so now we really need to find that tree in race with the devil!!!(maybe I have too much time on my hands)

[–] j-schwandt 19 years ago

On the DVD, I wish the film makers would have showed us how the final stunt was done, how the train pulled the car into it. In the film, you can't tell how it was done, it looks like someone actually drove the car into the train.

[–] Avenger69 19 years ago

Which was the whole point of the stunt -- LOL!

Seriously, when you see the shot on the DVD, pause it right when you see the reaction shot of Mary and Deke, and then frame forward. When the shot changes to the overhead of the Charger and the train, for about 5 frames, you will see a cable right in front of the hood centerline of the Charger. This cable goes into a hole and disappears under the tracks. On the opposite side of the tracks in the middle of the road, you will see a large "block and tackle." This is where the cable goes off to to the frontage road. There's the trick!

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[–] mjb442olds 19 years ago

Thanks for posting the pics and researching the movie sights!! I just purchased the DVD the week before the holidays and already watched it twice, today included. This is a very nostalgic flick, musical score, clothing styles and of course the cars. If you can, please post the other pics you took on your journey, I'd be glad to see them.

[–] sfkid43 19 years ago

I love the photo! That's dedication my man, truly a DMCL fan. My hat is off to you.

[–] morganmorgan 19 years ago

That is so cool... thank you!

[–] Globemasterload 19 years ago

Thanks! I went out a few weeks ago and found it. I had ALOT of time on my hands, so I walked the tracks and about 2 miles up (on HWY 26) the tavern. The track leads to the factory, visible across the street from the tavern scene) I too was amazed that the scenery was still the same---especially the crossing. I wonder if the people that live right by the crossing ever wonder why these "strangers" are walking around taking pictures?

[–] elkoralp 19 years ago

I was very impressed with the car and the movie and could'nt forget for years.. I'd like to watch it again if I find a DVD.

[–] bl-nevada 19 years ago

Hi Avenger69 i know where you are talking about ! back in 1975, I owned one of the 8 yellow/pale green 69 Chargers used in the movie. I worked on the film crew for the tv show "THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO" and had access to used movie cars. The charger that was available was the "Beauty Car" meaning the one they did the closeups in. It was the same one that was picked up at Dutton Flats, the oneat EL Charro ( went there with the car AND parked in back where they did.) YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE LOOKS WE GOT GOING THOUGH TOWN !!! that was back in 1975 and the movie was still fresh in peoples minds, i went with my girlfriend soon to be wife and ex wife, and my best friend on this trip this was the same car that was used in the helicopter chase scenes also.To get this car i sold my 1973 Mustang MACH 1 in a hurry (i wish i had that car now) Here is the fun part. the movie was still playing at the drive in and was now the second feature, i would park in the back near the snack bar where there was good lighting and everyone had to pass by, and i'm telling you when movie was playing, and someone would turn their head and notice the car on the screen sitting right next to them people would come unglued !!!! that was the fun part.always had a huge crowd standing around the car after that.Some thought is was a replica car but as soon as they stood behind it and saw the license plate i had people wanting to sit in it that i wouldn't do !but i really loved that car, and my ex wife was coming to pick me up from work in S.F. and this twit brought her little 12 year old sister and they were goofing off and not paying attention to driving and totalled the car !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! at least i still have a couple of pictures of it somewhere from way back when, i sure would love to get another 69 and make me a replica, since i know exactly what it should look like.

[–] Avenger69 19 years ago

That's cool, Nevada!

Must have been a pain to drive around in the beauty car with the huge dent in the front. LOL! Do you know what happened to the other Chargers (well, we know what happened to ONE of them!). Was your car an "R/T?" Sorry to hear it was taken out and totalled.

Would love to see those pics if you have them...