“Q” Connections

Producer: Steve Bransfield

Timeframe: 1940s- 1963

Locations: Chicago, Galesburg, Denver, San Francisco, and more..

Length: 50 minutes

Sources: Blackhawk collection

Burlington Route is the main railroad in this show. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, had the connections that are featured. This leads into offshoot tangent storylines.

Therefore, Q Connections.

The California Zephyr is a major part of this premise. Serving from Chicago to San Francisco, CA. This train involves multiple lines, as it traverses across the Western United States.

E7 units are the modern locomotives on this passenger service.

Program contains mostly color. Additional black and white films. No chapter menus on the disc. Instead, a laminated card has Chapter details. Single DVD-R.

Ted Dalaku is the clear voiced narrator. Familiar on A&R Productions. Full narration. Script is well written. To the point and descriptive.

Audio is dubbed with train sounds. Narration level is dominant.

6126 is a 2-10-2. This works the Galesburg Yard in 1954.

The images do vary by the source film. Good overall. Not by modern standards. Fine for older train videos. Editing is good. Everything is watchable. Nothing weird.

There are some maps. Older release. They are fine. Some interesting pan shots, of the old cities throughout.

Two 6:10 pm departures from Galesburg. Both are E unit led. Number 12 is the Nebraska Zephyr, on the right. Number 47 a local, for Savannah.

Galesburg, Illinois had a major yard for Burlington Route.

Burlington Route has the California Zephyr. F3 units depart Chicago Union Station.

There are multiple shows about the CZ. Does have the vintage factor in it’s favor. Ride the California Zephyr.

At Denver, Colorado. Locomotives change to Denver and Rio Grande Western. Alco PA set.

Rio Grande, has spectacular scenery. Vista Dome viewpoints. Additional views. Amazing ride!

Colorful, Western Pacific EMD F3 ABBA sets lead the Zephyr on the final leg of it’s journey.

California has it’s own, Feather River Canyon. This 118 mile trip. As scenic as anything else on the trip.

Burlington Route steam fan trip in 1963. CB&Q 5632. This big Northern type is dispatched from Denver.

Western Pacific Fast Freight. As an attached seperate film. A WP freight move in the 50s.

The Fruit Block Train. It is followed and explained. Oakland to Salt Lake City, Utah. Number 62 travels the line. Cab ride and airplane shots.

The intricacies of moving this train are studied. A time capsule. An old black and white film. Apparently, a vintage Blackhawk release. Well done piece.