Atlanta Steam Celebration

Producer: Pentrex

Timeframe: 1994

Locations: Atlanta

Length: 90 minutes

Two classic steam locomotives star in this show. Norfolk & Western 611 and Frisco 1522 .

The Frisco engine receives better coverage. It was a newer restoration at the time. Notice, it was the leader on the doubleheader moves.

N&W 611 does get screentime. Sharing it with everything else. A definite co-star.

No Chapter Menu. On screen locations. Full narration. Environmental audio. There are several route maps. Filmed with the reliable quality of Pentrex.
The Peach Blossom Special begins the show.

The New Georgia FP7 pair, with a dinner train. Run out of Atlanta for their part.

Georgia Northeastern is featured with a rare mileage trip. Behind geeps. A Marietta, one way, out and back.

Frisco 1522, is a 4-8-2 Mountain type. An Oil burner now. It is shown running from Atlanta to Macon.

A good sequence of pacing the Frisco!

The show sidebars into details of an off day for the steam engines. Veering off topic. Checkout the model train swap meet. Look at the classrooms. Look, the banquet! Feels like filler.

Items not of interest. Activities at a hotel. Spending time on the local transit system tour. Yawn.

They continue with the Norfolk Southern tour. Their nearby training facility. Locomotive cab simulator. Real train on training trackage. Model train with signal training. A welding shop. Repair facility. All quickly.

No promised ride on the 9 mile training track! Only a runby.
Back to steam engines. The 611 pulls an excursion. At least, about halfway.
Two Norfolk Southern diesels will handle the return trip.

The train is then reassembled. Return to origin. Royal Palm Special departs town on the final day.

Atlanta Steam Celebration

Shows like this don’t get me too excited. The thrill of seeing any restored steam locomotives operate, usually falls into a repetitive formula of runbys. Too much filler in this program.

This one is not my cup of tea. Maybe it’s yours.

Rating: 3 Stars