Vignettes of the Baltimore and Ohio,Volume One

Vignettes of the Baltimore and Ohio, Volume 1

Producer: Todd Miller

Length: 56 minutes

Timeframe: 1950’s

Locations: Columbus, Toledo, rural Ohio, Grafton WV…

Source: Karl Walters

The initial offering for Baltimore & Ohio Vignettes. Vintage 1950’s era. Mostly steam footage. All color. Silent film, augmented with, a surprisingly lively, music background.

Highly detailed narrative on this release. Paul Geiger is a familiar sounding voice on Clear Block programs. He is on the dry side. Direct delivery as the script is read…

Original cinematography has good camerawork. Film is not restored. Appears to all have been shot on 8mm. So there is not a high level of clarity.

Post production is sorely lacking in the visual department. First half of the show contains random red/ yellow flares. Color balance issues throughout the show. Some other quality control issues.

There are no maps. No chapter menus. You get this basic show. However, a hidden 14 chapters. Viewers can jump in at a given point.

It is an early style of train video. Back when viewers were satisfied to just see some real vintage film! Often, one had to mail order via the magazine ads. The old days.

Keep in mind this old style premise. You will get what you get! However, there is tbe benefit of acquiring rare steam film here. In full color.

Karl Walters was apparently domiciled near Columbus, Ohio. Much of this show is shot in rural Ohio. Secondary lines is what I am thinking. Those were abundant in the 1950’s.

Fairly amazing for the area. Behemoth EM-1 frequent the lines. Who would have guessed? They were displaced by new technology diesels, out on the mainlines. End result was the big steam was assigned East.

Imagine, a single F7 diesel could not replace an EM-1. Only rated at 1500 hp. Yet, an F7 unit, when strung in multiples… Unlimited horsepower in sets!

There are plenty of passenger trains still operating. Blue and gray heaven.

An ultra rare EMD EA unit #51, leads a passenger train at Harper’s Ferry, WV. This car body is on display at the B&O museum in Baltimore.

Everything is identified in detail. Those who like all of that information will love this narrative.

Karl travelled around a bit. Grafton, West Virginia. He made it over to Pennsylvania.

This is a show that I would not rewatch much. Prefer to hear steam operating versus musical background. Also, that 8mm unrestored gets hard on the eyesight!