model railroading

His epic films like 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' and 'Lawrence of Arabia' feature meticulously detailed railway sequences that showcase the engineering and human drama of rail construction.

His silent masterpiece 'The General' centers entirely on a locomotive as both subject and character, with innovative practical effects and stunts that treat the train as a model of mechanical precision.

His documentaries and films obsessively explore human endeavor and obsession, with railways appearing as symbols of civilization and folly in works like 'Fitzcarraldo' and various documentaries about infrastructure.