Producer: Ron McElrath
Timeframe: 1960s-70s
Locations: East-South
Length: 2 hours 20 minutes
Sources: R. McElrath, W. Sasser
.
One of three Rail Trek volumes. Eastern version. Wide coverage over 20 railroads. Updated in 2017 by Revelation Video for DVD release.
The new DVD has film repairs listed as: cleanup on splices and edits. Original sources of 8mm and Super 8. These still show limitations. Good to fair picture quality. Green overcast on occasional scenes.
A detailed Chapter Menu is a fine addition. This lengthy program needs this feature. Especially, as it spends too much time on certain subjects. Definite pacing issues.
The show is in full color. Brief segments with some live audio. Mostly a musical background. Same as previous edition. Fully narrated by Ron McElrath. Same as the VHS series.
Show is a mixture of lineside and passenger train ride films. Covers a huge range of territories!
To the Trains… 👉
The railroads in the Southern states are hard to find. These alone, make this worth consideration. L&N, C&O, Southern, Auto-Train. Ride upon and view trains. You just don’t find much of anything, in the South on a train DVD.
Earlier on, it was dragging badly. Roads that I like too. Just revolving, around and around, on passenger trains. Breakdowns are boring. The audience doesn’t care. Stuck like a bug on flypaper. Cut it short! The show is dragging…
Endlessly looking around on New York Central. Finally, get out of there. Only to get fixated, upon the very attractive Delaware and Hudson Alco PA locomotives. Move it along…
Norfolk and Western. This one scene is the best looking. Kind of loses it at Kenova. Experiments with shots and most don’t work. Chesapeake and Ohio. He blows most of the shots here miserably…
Louisville and Nashville. Excellent choice. Rides an oddly named Pan Am train.
Birmingham. Hot Spot deluxe. A manned swing gate. Frisco here. More trains are seen. Who knew about this? Gate open…
Take another look… Gate closed. Excellent.
Florida. Auto Train gets a glimpse. Florida East Coast with a caboose is included within. Florida has much more.
Pittsburgh in 15 minutes.. A fine chapter!
Obligatory Amtrak shot. Cooler than most, with Three Rivers stadium!
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia had vibrant trolley systems too. McElrath shows quite an assortment in both cities. I only have space for one. You’ve been told about it.
Still in Pittsburgh. B&O action all around.
ATVR bonus. The Orange C was a give to ‘Green team’. New York Central. Red P was supposedly Red team. PRR staff. Neither side was satisfied. Everything reverted back to all white lettering. The rare, Orange C sure looked better to me! At Marion.
In Ohio, things really get moving along. Erie Lackawanna is plentiful. A new, update (on- screen graphic) is used to correct previous narration mistakes. Even a bit of additional information.
Recent early 1980s steam inclusion. Needless here. Better quality, easily is obtainable elsewhere. Quit when you are ahead.
Matter of fact. All steam on this show doesn’t really fit. Including, the poorly filmed breakdown outing, in the cold. Drags it down. Time waster that should not be here.
Now, Atlantic Coast Line is a caboose, one rarely sees in service. There are some hard to find ones, bringing up the rear.
Rail Trek Volume 1 The East The 1960s- 70s.
This show sure gets around. Large amount of railroads. A supply of rarities. Overall, weak on film quality. Needs some additional editing, for time. Create a stronger presentation. Nice updates on the VHS. You have: the good, the bad and the ugly. A mixed bag. Make your choice.
Rating: 2 1/2 Stars
American Train Video Reviews 