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Whereas the majority of 'phantom rides' were shot from the front of a moving
train, The Arlberg Railway was filmed from the back, resulting in shots of the
beautiful Alpine landscape trailing into the distance. However, unlike the typical
phantom ride, which sought to thrill the audience by offering an impression of
movement, this film has been constructed into a multi-shot travelogue more
concerned with showing off the exotic foreign views. The film transports the
viewer through the Arlberg mountain range of western Austria, where it catches
glimpses of snow-capped mountains, picturesque valleys and remote chalets.
This was exactly the kind of film that allowed audiences to view the globe
without having to travel themselves and it takes full advantage of the
distinctly European views that would have expected to appeal. Although the
Arlberg railway is entirely in Austria, the brief appearance of a Swiss flag
raises slight doubts over the location of at least a segment of this film.
A railway route through the Arlberg pass was much sought by the British as
part of a route linking Egypt and England. The project, including a
massive 6 1/2 mile long tunnel, was completed in 1884, around a year ahead of schedule.
Christian Hayes
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Complete film (5:36)
