Think bullet trains are cool?
In 1902, Germany built a train that dangled above the city. This short film captures it in breathtaking clarity.
The train looks like it’s floating, giving the film an almost dreamlike quality.
Check out the 2 kids rolling a giant carriage wheel along — I love that!
Thanks to Jackson Chung of TecheBlog for first pointing this out.
Watch “The Flying Train” (1902) (Colorized)
This version is colorized, slowed down to what’s believe the same speed as the original film (includes AI enhancements):
Watch “the Original Black and White Version of “The Flying Train” (1902)
Here’s the original from MoMa. It’s shorter than the colorized version above because the original film was slightly sped up.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: na
Release Date: 1902
My Review of “The Flying Train”
The Setup
“The Flying Train” is a short silent film from 1902 that shows what it was like to ride on the Wuppertal Suspension Railway in Germany. The footage was shot using Biograph’s special 68mm film, which was super high-quality for its time. For years, experts thought it was 70mm, but they later realized it was actually 68mm. The train itself was an engineering wonder—the world’s first hanging electric railway! Even today, it looks futuristic.
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- In 1902, while most cities still used horse-drawn carriages, people in Wuppertal were riding in a train that hung from tracks in the air.
- Berlin, Munich, and Breslau were offered this train system first, but they all rejected it! So, three smaller towns—Barmen, Elberfeld, and Vohwinkel—built it instead.
More Highlights from the Doc
- The railway was built between 1897 and 1903, with the first section opening in 1901.
- The railway stretches 13.3 kilometers (8.3 miles) and hangs 12 meters (39 feet) above the Wupper River.
- The ride takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.
- The design was genius because it let the train move above busy city streets without getting in the way of cars and people.
- The railway helped the towns grow, and in 1930, they combined into one city: Wuppertal.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- In 1950, a circus elephant named Tuffi was put on the train for a publicity stunt. She panicked, broke through a window, and fell 12 meters (39 feet) into the river below. Amazingly, she survived with only minor injuries!
- Today, the train still operates, carrying about 25 million passengers every year.
- The railway’s full name is Einschienige Hängebahn System Eugen Langen, named after its inventor, Eugen Langen.
Wrap Up
This film isn’t just a cool piece of early cinema—it captures a transportation system that still looks ahead of its time. “The Flying Train” shows how people were thinking big in 1902, building something that’s still in use more than 120 years later.
If you love old films, history, or crazy engineering projects, this is a must-watch!
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc