"The Silver Streak" is a film from RKO that celebrates two American engineering marvels of the time...the Burlington Zephyr and Boulder Dam. The Zephyr, also named 'The Silver Streak', was the fastest train of the day and was on display at the Century of Progress Fair in Chicago and it was one of the highlights of this World's Fair.
The story begins in Chicago, at the fair and the train is a sensation, as it's reported to be able to travel 120 mph...the fastest speed of any train at the time. Well, this speed will be needed when there's an outbreak of 'Infantile Paralysis' (Polio)...and the lifesaving iron lung machines need to be transported to the cite where the outbreak has occurred...at the construction site of Boulder Dam. But to get there, they have to run the train as fast as humanly possible...and it might not get there in time.
This film is not only a nice history lesson, it's also exciting and the footage of the speeding train are awfully exciting. Well made and enjoyable...I'm actually surprised this movie isn't more famous.