All Aboard Series (Boxset)

All Aboard (Boxset)

Green Frog Productions

Format: 5 DVD set

Length: 11 Hours

Time Period: 1920’s to modern era

Locations: United States and Canada

Sources: Many high quality, including Emery Gulash, John M. Koch, Jerry Carson, James T. Koch, Steve Neff and more.

This mega set contains the entire All Aboard series. Created for PBS television broadcast and hosted by Howard Goodwin. There are 26 programs contained on 5 DVD’s. Many railroads are covered. This is a wide selection of longer, feature-length Green Frog shows.

The shows have been edited to fit within a 30 minute tv format. Howard Goodwin is our happy and friendly host. He brackets each show, with a brief introduction of the show. He also does a quick closing comment. As Howard says at the start of each show                  All Aboard..

After the intro, the viewer is transported into a Green Frog program. Many of these titles represent a best of collection. The vast Frog catalog yields a nice overview of railroad history, in the USA and some Canadian too.

Emery Gulash is one of my favorite vintage film cameramen. His 16mm color footage is among the all time best sources, for classic railroading. Fortunately, there are many shows that are based on this high quality source.

Modern era railroading is not overlooked. In fact, there are some uncommon and unusual operations. Rockets & Rails is about NASA railroading. Florida East Coast,was innovative, yet does not appear often in train videos. Steel Rails- Private Varnish fits here as well.

Classic railroading is abundant. Santa Fe Odyssey Vol.1, Pennsylvania, Illinois Central, Rock Island, DT&I Vol.1, and Jerry Carson’s Rails In Transition Vol. 1 are some highlights.

Narrow gauge is the subject on: The Chama Turn, Colorado Steam Mecca, East Broad Top, Narrow Gauge Passenger Chase and The Search for Narrow Gauge Steam.

Contemporary railroading offers modern technology for the shows. Rails To Steel City, Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, and Amtrak all have programs.

Steam Locomotives are also present. Steam in the 50’s, Canadian Steam, Suwanee 1218, all offer fine looks at these popular engines.

Area based programs which involve multiple railroads, and are great. They have much variety in a short time span. Michigan Fast Freight is an Emery Gulash 1967 landmark! Rails in Transition Vol.1, is St. Louis area and beyond. Rails Chicago has Steve Neff in the 1980’s with the assortment that only Chicago provides.

There are additional shows in the series. Various episodes have individual reviews here.

All in all, this boxset is a nice value. If you don’t already own the full programs, this set gives you 26 entries. Wow!

Majority of the programs rated highly. FYI- I usually won’t rate them outstanding, based on the fact that the full length versions would deserve the outstanding honor.

This collection has something for everyone. A super choice for family entertainment. A no-brainer for train enthusiasts.

Hey Folks, this is a mecca for PBS broadcast quality programs. Professional in every sense, you just can’t go wrong with this fine boxset from Green Frog Productions.

Rating: 4 Stars