Green Frog Productions
Length: 55 minutes
Time Period: 1950’s – 1990’s
Locations: Chicago, Louisville, Blue Island, Toledo, Delray Jct., Marion, Pittsburgh…
Sources: Bill McClellan, Emery Gulash, Jerry Carson, Roger Koenig, Steve Neff, Frank Schlegel, Gene Miller
Green Frog has assembled B&O film from it’s huge catalog. There are some familiar photographers and seasoned fans will be able to tell some of the identities by some trademarks.
Emery Gulash film pops out with that beautiful 16 mm film. Jerry Carson prefers, low angles and he sometimes shoots tight to the track. Quality ranges from good to excellent.
All the shots are narrated and depending what program they were on originally , you have the varied voices.
The scenes jump around, keep in mind, this is a best of… type program. The convenience of having all this material in a single DVD, makes up for some inherent choppiness.
We start with a snip of black and white , proceeding to all color film.
Fantastic B &O steam action, in color. At Chicago, steam types: 4-8-2, 2-8-2, 0-8-0. Steam fan trips leaving the city.
Fast freight service with T-1, 4-8-2 Mountain type on freights. Two Doubleheaded T-1 freight trains! Nice segment.
Passenger trains are heavily shown. The name trains such as: The Capitol Limited, Cincinattian, Metropolitan.
Amtrak era George Washington. Shenandoah, Cherry Blossom Special, are some others. Heavyweight cars are plentiful.
E8 locomotives wear a variety of paint: original, sunburst, solid blue, blue and gray.
Cincinattian observation car.
Note the torpedo tube GP with an F unit.
Too many Cincinattian. Otherwise, the assorted equipment, paint, weather, and locations of the other trains, keep it liveable.
There is some good freight action within the show. Not enough freight for my interests.
Still there are: GP30, SW7, GP9, F7A,F7B, NW2, … in the 1960’s.
C&O checks in with a GP30 and a pair of GP9’s. Chessie System.
Look at the 2nd switcher. B&OCTRR. Likely, in Chicago area.
The show is in chronological order, for the most part. You’ll recognize some of the shots from previous Green Frog programs.
Much of the steam and those 1960’s freights. I haven’t seen before. Other scenes from previous shows.
There is a great shot of four Blue Sunburst GP30’s leading a piggyback Trailer-Jet train.
Chessie System 4144 arrives with a freight at Riverdale along with 2 B&O painted units. That GP40 is a real eye opener after 20 odd years of viewing blues.
It was just the same effect, when the scheme first appeared. This has became an instant classic. Good moment.. The Frog!
This is a fine show for B&O, Chessie and even CSX fans. Also, a good one for young and/or newer railfans. It does portray the evolution of this railroad. A very good train video.
Rating 4 Stars
American Train Video Reviews 