MovieChat Forums > Back to the Future Part III (1990) Discussion > How Doc built a flying, time traveling t...

How Doc built a flying, time traveling train in 1885

posted 7 years ago by TMC-4 (19412)
7 replies | jump to latest

https://www.reddit.com/r/FanTheories/comments/66kaoh/back_to_the_future_how_doc_built_a_flying_time/

He didn't do it in 1885, he was brought to the future by a past version of himself.

During the time between Part 1 and Part 2 Doc is off on his own time traveling adventures. We know he went to 2015 and bounced around a bit, getting the hover-conversion, change of blood, checking out future editions of USA Today, but it's never confirmed how long he spent time traveling between the events of Part 1 and Part 2. With Mr. Fusion there is essentially no limit to the number of trips he can make.

I propose a theory: During this time Doc traveled to Hill Valley on the same date every year, going back potentially hundreds of years, and stayed in a certain spot for say, an hour, as a fail safe for himself.

If he ever became trapped in time he just needed to meet up with himself, and did so in 1885. "Past Doc", the one experiencing events before BTTF Part 2, brings "Future Doc", the one who was left in 1885, and Clara to the future to get the tech they need to create a flying, time traveling train.

[–] Strannger (2007) 7 years ago

Its possible that one of his incarnatons like Rick came to help him. Alsov he does seem like a wiz and maybe the circuits that help it fly were repaired.

[–] painbow (259) 7 years ago

"During this time Doc traveled to Hill Valley on the same date every year, going back potentially hundreds of years, and stayed in a certain spot for say, an hour, as a fail safe for himself"

I don't know what you mean exactly. Can you elaborate?

[–] DracTarashV2 (4475) 7 years ago

It does make sense that he had to travel in time in order to get the thing built, especially for a hover conversion.

All the same I wouldn't doubt that a super scientist like Doc was able to built it without needing to go into the future, or having his future self travel back in time and give him a hand.

[–] hurricane (1908) 5 years ago

Somehow I doubt that. What with all the fuss Doc made in Part 2 about meeting yourself causing catastrophe.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

His future self probably delivered the parts to him with no physical contact between them.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

yeah , he could drop them off in that cave 10 years before Doc arrives

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I would think he wouldn't even need to do that. Perhaps Doc in 1885 kept a journal for his own future self, to let himself know when he wouldn't be around, so he could travel back in time and just drop off brand new parts instead of letting them decay in a cave for 10 years.

He could just write in the journal something like "May 4th 1885, went out of town for two days." And then Doc in the future would know to drop off the stuff during those two days.