After 'Unstoppable,' Tyrone on board for more film roles
By Greg Bock, gbock@altoonamirror.comTyrone resident Mike Ieraci said he is used to seeing trains roll only yards away in front of his Washington Avenue home, but last week he got to see something out of the ordinary, as "Unstoppable" began filming several blocks away.
"I've never seen a train go that fast," he said as he compared the movie's train to the slow-moving coal trains that usually occupy the Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad line across from his house, where the line rises above street level. "It was pretty fast for a train 8 feet above you."
As Tyrone returns to normal after three days of filming last week by production crews making the 20th Century Fox movie about a runaway train that stars Denzel Washington and Chris Pine, the memories of the experience won't likely fade soon.
"It went real well," said Jean Nein, president of the Tyrone American Legion Post No. 281 Ladies Auxiliary. The post's parking lot served as base camp and its kitchen helped the caterers feed the small army of 300 crew members every morning, beginning with breakfast at 4:30 a.m.
That meant Nein and other Legion members had to be at the post by 1 a.m. so the cooks could start preparing about 2 a.m.
"Those guys cooked all day," she said. Even star Denzel Washington took a few minutes to eat Wednesday.
"It went real well," said Nein. "The producers, all the cast, the director - they were really good. Everyone was real nice and friendly."
Ieraci pointed out filming near his house originally was slated for Wednesday, but last Monday the production company informed him they needed him out of his house on Tuesday as well. He said despite having to park block away, the few days of filming wasn't that much of an inconvenience - plus he made $100 each of those two days.
Susan Bonsell, who owns Scents of Life candle store on the 100 block of West 14th Street, a stone's throw from the central focus of two of the three days of filming, said she rented her parking lot to the film's producers and thought the inconveniences were small compared to the benefits, which included spending a lot of money in town.
"We had a good experience," she said. "It was good exposure, and I thought it was exciting. If it was a month and a half, then I might have been irritated, but it was only a couple of days."
Bonsell said it brought plenty of folks downtown to check out the movie, not including everyone who had a part as an extra. She said she kept her store open throughout the three days and said the second and third day she did notice an impact on the business.
"It was a good thing they were paying me," she joked.
At the Church of the Good Shepherd, the Rev. Susan Halverstadt said the congregation enjoyed having the production company rent its parking lot and social hall to help clothe and feed extras.
"We enjoyed having them," she said. "It was a wonderful experience."
Halverstadt said she thinks people in town managed to live with the inconveniences of having a few detours for three days for the experience of having a major motion picture film on their streets.
She said the church hopes it isn't the last time, either.
"We'd be up for another film crew," Halverstadt said. She said she thinks the movie might have helped bring out a few more voters on Tuesday, when the church hosted one of Tyrone Borough's seven polling places.
Councilwoman Pat Stoner said she believes the movie filming had the opposite effect at the downtown First Presbyterian Church on West 13th Street, a block from the movie set on Tuesday. How the movie impacted voters will remain unknown, although all polls in Tyrone did see an increase in turnout from the spring primary election and saw 33 percent turnout. Countywide the turnout was just 19.44 percent.
"I definitely think it was good for the town," Stoner said, adding that the postponing of the movie to the week of the election had been a concern for her.
Still, she said she heard from a few voters who avoided the polls because of the crowds, but overall she said she didn't think it interfered too much.
Dawn Keezer, director of the Pittsburgh Film Office, pointed out that Pennsylvania saw 11 films shoot in 2008 and three this year. Despite the state tax incentives - a total of $42 million this year - the movies generate millions.
She said so far the $75 million in tax breaks given by the state has meant $300 million in the pockets of Pennsylvania businesses.
With "Unstoppable," Keezer noted the film office, established in 1990 to promote filming in the southwestern part of the state, worked with three production companies over five years. "We were thrilled to see it come to fruition," Keezer said.
Mirror Staff Writer Greg Bock is at 946-7458.
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rsdnt1
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11-10-09 12:08 PM
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Is he REALLY gone??
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DemoDerbyAce
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11-10-09 11:43 AM
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Sure is quiet with blogs gone. Looks like all his posts are gone too. RIP
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nospinhere
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11-10-09 9:14 AM
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My intent was not to insult you. You willingly disclosed that info on the blogs, silly you. My point was watch out what BO has instore for anyone who does not meet his standards. Somewhat similar to what Hitler's plan was. What color are your eyes?
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Monainpa
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11-10-09 5:09 AM
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---about the title of the article
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Monainpa
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11-10-09 5:06 AM
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nospinhere---I thought the same thing.
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BBTrekkies
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11-09-09 11:11 PM
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Doing just Great lambs. Some rude little boys never grow up do they LOL. Come on. If your going to try and insult me at least think of a good one. Im still working, saving lives as a volunteer EMT. How bout you?
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rsdnt1
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11-09-09 8:35 PM
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LOL lambs1.....I was wondering if anyone else remembered!!
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lambs1
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11-09-09 7:54 PM
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That only supports the problems with today's society!!!! Hey BO will have FAT camps for everyone!!!
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lambs1
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11-09-09 7:48 PM
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BB, how is your weight problem going, not to worry BO will take care of that!
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Lass615
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11-09-09 4:44 PM
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LOL BBTrekkies
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Lass615
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11-09-09 4:42 PM
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I have a railroad tracks running right across the street and have absolutely no problem with it...you get used to it...no matter where you live in Pennsylvania you hear a train somewhere...its a part of our landscape.also..my father worked 33 yrs for the railroad..it is a part of Pennsylvania that we should be proud of. This Lassie is!! I am also happy they choose Tyrone to film the movie even if it is for only 10 mins of fame..it was fun to watch and I enjoyed it very much! I thought It was very rude to mention that Tyrone is returning to normal because of a drug bust...Everyone in Tyrone are not drug addicts and there are also hardworking, taxpaying people who live there and are proud of there town.
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BBTrekkies
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11-09-09 4:35 PM
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LOL maybe if you cleaned the drug dealers out of ALTOONA then the "trashy" surrounding towns like Tyrone could actually clean up.Since you love to make assumptions and say that all of Tyrone is poor and doesn't work...yeah dealing all those drugs that are always in the paper is legitamate hard work. Guess Altoona needs those dealers so they can take care of all the welfare moms with 6 kids to different daddy's. Yep, Altoona is a wonderful example of how Tyrone could be LOL
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nospinhere
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11-09-09 2:34 PM
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Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal took a similar step on Sunday for that state. Although the forecast track does not show Ida making a direct hit on Louisiana, Jindal said Monday, residents should be alert and prepared for the possibility of flooding, particularly in low-lying areas. Authorities were continuing to monitor evacuation routes, he said, in case they need to be utilized. No way are they going to let Bush take the blame for this one.
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Tuna83
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11-09-09 2:11 PM
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A tanker train going around the horseshoe curve at "runaway" speed ? Im sorry Jhanna2012 , but that makes no sense.
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rsdnt1
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11-09-09 1:46 PM
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nospinhere...good one! Every other day there's another article about this. People on here get upset with the posters stating we need to "let it go" or "move on" about certain issues. Well, obviously the AM needs to LET IT GO already!!! Or at least change the title! How about....UNDESIRABLE!!!
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Jhana2012
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11-09-09 1:30 PM
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OH, why didn't they use horseshoe curve, that would have made more sense.
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Jhana2012
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11-09-09 1:28 PM
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nospinhere- I agree, nothing they print is news.
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PizzaGuy192
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11-09-09 12:56 PM
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Please, no more 'Unstoppable' stories.
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DemoDerbyAce
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11-09-09 12:10 PM
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I have a friend who used to live between Degol Lumber and the Grazierville Bridge. The trains went by there at all times of the day blowing the horn and literally shaking his home. I would kid him about it when he first moved in, but I could see as time went on, he didn't think it was funny. He said he got used to it, but then moved less than two years later. So to answer your question Lassie, 'Yeah, I am so jealous. I only wish I had a train running through my front yard too.'
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nospinhere
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11-09-09 11:49 AM
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What is 'Unstoppable' is how many articles can the AM print on this?
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DRILLMAMMA
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11-09-09 11:25 AM
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$7,500. bond? Thats not much. He only needs 10% to get out. He can be back out selling in no time.
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rsdnt1
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11-09-09 11:09 AM
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Exactly....who cares where they film. The garbage will continue, movie or no movie.
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epoch1
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11-09-09 10:17 AM
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Lass615: He may be jealous, but probably not jeolous. Lol, who actually cares that they filmed part of a movie in Tyrone. Likely only the residents.
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nospinhere
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11-09-09 10:11 AM
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Tyrone is a train wreck, that's why they chose it!
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Lass615
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11-09-09 10:09 AM
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DemoDerbyAce....how rude!! Tyrone is returning to normal because there was a drug bust??? Drug bust go on in every town and city in this country...including Altoona!!! Whats wrong...jeolous because they choose Tyrone to film a movie???
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