Railroad Forums 

Discussion relating to the past and present operations of the NYC Subway, PATH, and Staten Island Railway (SIRT).

Moderator: GirlOnTheTrain

 #300330  by MNRR PA OPERATOR
 
Hey guys. I was just wondering why is it PATH is not in many movies or TV shows. The only movie I can remember seeing PATH in is (if any of you remember) the movie Coyote Ugly; the lead star had a fight with her boyfriend and was thinking about it while riding a RED line train. However, PATH is now in a new McDonalds® commercial; it appears a passenger is so into his Mcdonalds coffee, the doors of a PA-2 or PA-3 are closing on him and he doesn't care. Location appears to be 33rd Street.

Is there any particular reason why PATH is not in a lot of movies or TV commericials? PATH sure doesnt seem to be a popular railroad either. I often offer them as an option when asked by Metro-North customers on how to get to Jersey City, and they had no idea what PATH is.

 #300446  by pgengler
 
Usually when I see a PATH train in a TV show (usually Law & Order) it's acting as a stand-in for the subway). The most prominent but of PATH I've seen in something was in the music video for the White Stripe's song "The Hardest Button to Button".
I don't think I've ever seen it highlighted anywhere, but that's not really surprising: it's a very small railroad, relatively speaking. Sure, it handles a lot of people, but outside of rush hour it's usually just local people. I think that PATH is just dwarfed by the subway, which, if you're getting around NYC, is almost always more useful to people.

 #302324  by electrokeystone
 
pgengler wrote: I don't think I've ever seen it highlighted anywhere, but that's not really surprising: it's a very small railroad, relatively speaking.
...the PATH is a dutiful little creature, and yes, small only relative to the big guy accross the river, it is fairly average. It actually outclasses its heavy rail counterpart in Los Angeles for track miles, annual passenger mileage, and rolling stock. It has impressive infrastructure for such a small system.
 #303913  by Allan
 
MNRR PA OPERATOR wrote:Hey guys. I was just wondering why is it PATH is not in many movies or TV shows. The only movie I can remember seeing PATH in is (if any of you remember) the movie Coyote Ugly; the lead star had a fight with her boyfriend and was thinking about it while riding a RED line train. However, PATH is now in a new McDonalds® commercial; it appears a passenger is so into his Mcdonalds coffee, the doors of a PA-2 or PA-3 are closing on him and he doesn't care. Location appears to be 33rd Street.

Is there any particular reason why PATH is not in a lot of movies or TV commericials? PATH sure doesnt seem to be a popular railroad either. I often offer them as an option when asked by Metro-North customers on how to get to Jersey City, and they had no idea what PATH is.
The location looks to be Hoboken because you can see those arches in the ceiling. 33rd St doesn't have arched ceilings.

If you check this Tuesday's Law and Order, PATH will be making another appearance. Jerry Lewis guest stars.

The Port Authority is rather camera shy. They usually don't allow photography unless obtian a permit ahead of time and are escroted by PATH personnel. They must've been in a generous mood for the McD's commerical and again for the L & O shoot.
 #306548  by protrain
 
Interestingly, there is an ad for 110 Livingston, a rehabbed building in downtown Brooklyn that can be found currently in some subway cars advertising the convenience of the Borough Hall stop (with 2, 3, 4, 5, M, R service) to the building that I would SWEAR is actually a picture of PATH, one of the stations with a curved arch ceiling of metal panels (probably Exchange Place). Has anyone else seen this? It amuses me that they are advertising subway access, and a particular station at that, yet the picture does not match at all! (Note that the ad picture is not on the web page to my knowledge).

 #307985  by ryanov
 
The door chimes on the McDonalds commerical are from one of the NYCT cars, maybe R68 or R44/46 -- they are not PATH chimes.

 #308508  by arrow
 
Yea, they are definitely R44 chimes, not PATH ones.

 #308736  by Idiot Railfan
 
I saw a movie on late-night TV many years ago (the 1970s!) that even then seemed dated with PATH. At the beginning, as the credits rolled, a young rebel-type guy is seen getting on the PATH at 33rd St., rides under the Hudson, gets out in Hoboken, and then emerges onto the street across from Hudson St. in Hoboken. You can see the old Schaeffer's Restuarant, across from the Hoboken Terminal, as he comes out of the stairs.

Rest of the movie had something to do with his girlfriend and her banker father or something, and of course they all make peace in the end. It never got back to the PATH after the opening, so I suppose that's all you really need to see. I think it was filmed in the late 60s. Jeez, would I love to remember the title!

 #309675  by drewh
 
On the Sopranos, you could often see street signs pointing to PATH.

 #328412  by Launcher
 
am I wrong or are details of a commercial such as door chimes usually voiceover anyway? maybe they used a recording of a door chime.