Railroadin'

film no. 90

availability:

The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Vol. 15 (VHS) from Cabin Fever and
The Little Rascals Remastered & Unedited Volume Three (4 LD set) from Cabin Fever: Released 1995. This is a nearly complete print, missing only the MGM lion at the beginning. The picture quality is very good. The total footage is 18:40. This version has appeared on numerous bootlegs.
The Little Rascals Comedy Classics Vol. 1 (VHS) from NTA Home Entertainment: Released Apr. 1991. This is a home movie print from Blackhawk. The opening and end titles are remade. The crew credits are a negative image freeze frame of the original. The picture quality is good. The original footage totals 18:15, but the original soundtrack lasts for an additional 0:23.
The Little Rascals Book I (VHS) from Blackhawk Video: This is the Blackhawk print.

technical details:

Production G-24.

Filmed April 17 to 25, 1929.

Released June 15, 1929. It was the 88th film in the series to be released.

All-talking two-reeler, sound on disc only. (In actuality, there is a very small amount of silent footage in this film.)

Copyrighted December 9, 1929, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Corporation. Registration no. LP892. Renewed December 19, 1956, with registration no. R182606. This copyright is currently due to expire at the end of 2024.

Opening title: "Our Gang" Comedies; Hal Roach presents His Rascals' Voices in "Railroadin'."

the crew:

Produced by Robert F. McGowan for Hal Roach: This is the way Maltin & Bann put it. The film credits Roach as a presenter, with a separate credit reading "A Robert McGowan Production."
Directed by Robert F. McGowan: This credit appears in the film, but without his middle initial.
Photographed by Art Lloyd and F. E. Hershey: This credit appears in the film.
Film Editor: Richard Currier: This credit appears in the film.
Story Editor: H. M. Walker: This credit appears in the film.
Story by Robert F. McGowan: This credit doesn't appear in the film.
Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: Indicated in the opening credits.
Passed by the National Board of Review: As indicated in the film.
A Victor Recording, Western Electric System: As indicated in the film.
studio personnel
possible uncredited involvement

the kids:

Allen "Farina" Hoskins as "Farina": Featured role. He repeatedly gets run over by the train, and then joins Joe and Harry for their wild ride.
Joe Cobb as "Joe" aka "Jody": Featured role. His father is the engineer, so Joe shows Harry the engine, and doesn't know how to stop it once Loco Joe starts it up.
Harry Spear as "Harry": Supporting role. He talks Joe into showing him the engine, and then is present throughout the wild ride.
Norman "Chubby" Chaney as "Chubby" aka "Chub": Supporting role. He's with Joe at the beginning of the film and later helps Farina to free himself from the track. This was his first appearance in the series.
Bobby "Wheezer" Hutchins: Supporting role. The nickname isn't used in this film. He's seen with the girls throughout the film.
Mary Ann Jackson: Supporting role. She's with Wheezer and Jean in an open-air car, and sings "I Faw Down And Go Boom."
Jean Darling: Supporting role. She's also in the open-air car, accompanying Mary Ann on banjo, but otherwise isn't given much of anything specific to do.
other kids: Extra. The only remaining kid is the girl who's shown in the other train sitting next to Bob McGowan.

the animals:

Pete (no. 1): Small part. He's in the open-air car with Wheezer and the girls, but is given very little to do.
Leo: Bit part. The MGM lion appears at the opening of the film (but is cut from the Cabin Fever print).
other animals: Bit parts.
(1.) The chicken that lays the egg.
(2.) The billy goat being bottle-fed by Wheezer.

the adults:

Otto Fries as "Otto," Joe's dad: Supporting role. He's shown at the beginning and end of the film.
Ed Brandenburg as "Bob," the brakeman: Bit part. He's the first to come up to the boys after they get off the train. I don't see the difference between him and Chet Brandenburg, so they might be the same person.
other adults: Supporting roles, small parts, bit parts and extras.
(1.) "Ed," the other engineer that works with Joe's dad.
(2.) "Loco Joe," the lunatic that starts up the engine.
(3.) The conductor and two engineers of the other train.
(4.) The passengers on the other train, which include Bob McGowan, who's seen sleeping in one shot, and stumbling in the next. Maltin & Bann also list Dorothy Hamilton Darling and Mrs. Norman T. Chaney, but I haven't verified these. There are four additional women and two additional men on the train.
(5.) The grocery truck driver, who Maltin & Bann list as Jack Hill, but it's impossible to tell in the film. Perhaps there's a photograph that reveals this.
(6.) The engineer of the train that blows steam on Farina and Harry at the beginning of the film.
(7.) Various pedestrians, drivers and streetcar passengers shown in the background, as well as a few railroad workers.

the music:

"I Faw Down And Go Boom" by James Brockman and Leonard Stevens: Published in 1928. This is sung by Mary Ann. At the time, it was a hit (peaking at no. 15 on April 20, 1929) for Eddie Cantor.
"That Old Gang Of Mine" by Ray Henderson: Written in 1923 with lyrics by Billy Rose and Mort Dixon. This version is an instrumental. It appears at the end title, but not in the Blackhawk print, suggesting that it was probably not an original part of the film.

the locations:

Santa Fe railroad yards: The tracks run along the west side of the Los Angeles River. The roundhouse is just north of Washington Boulevard. In his book Following The Comedy Trail, author Leon Smith mentions the Olympic Boulevard Bridge, which is north of this location. It can best be seen right after Joe convinces Farina not to jump from the train. Smith also mentions the 4th Street Viaduct as appearing behind the open-air car in which Wheezer and the girls are playing, but it doesn't match the photo in his book, and looks more like the Olympic Boulevard Bridge. He also mentions that the Sears Building (at 2675 East 12th Street) is shown numerous times, but this doesn't match the photo in his book, either. Maltin & Bann state that some of the location footage was shot behind the Samuel Goldwyn studio near Santa Monica Boulevard, which is a pretty good distance from these other locations. They mention some identifying oil cylinders in that area. This location can also be seen in Laurel & Hardy's "Berth Marks" and Charlie Chaplin's "The Kid."
The Optimistic Donut: This is probably an advertisement rather than an actual location. There are numerous buildings with signs on them seen during the runaway train sequence, but most of them are too blurry to read.
F streetcar: Or perhaps it's the E. At one point, the train races past this streetcar, so the location footage was shot somewhere along this streetcar line.

miscellaneous:

During the scene where the two engines are heading towards each other, the gang is in engine no. 1272 while the opposing train is engine no. 1373. However, earlier shots show the gang in engine no. 1373.

During the runaway train sequence, some election posters can be seen, but I can't make out who it was that was running for office.

Another poster seen during the runaway train sequence advertised the 1928 feature "Abie's Irish Rose."

Copyright Apr. 30, 2005, by Robert Demoss.
2005 updates: 5/16, 7/9, 8/30, 12/19.
2006 updates: 1/8, 2/11, 5/16, 10/25.
2007 updates: 4/1, 10/22.
2008 updates: 1/19.

Thanks to Rob Stone, Joe Moore and Paul Mular for assistance on this page.