Burlington Northern- In the Former ‘Q’ Coal Fields

Producer: Mary McPherson

Timeframe: 1986- 1991

Locations: Centralia, Goreville Hill,

Length: 1 hour 49 minutes

Source: George Redmond

This Heritage Series release is on Burlington Northern coal trains. Shot in Southern Illinois. Some general freight and intermodal trains, are included.  Various BN diesel power.

George Redmond was out with his video camera. What you see, is what you get. Enviornmental soundtrack. Mary does the narrative. A numbered Chapter Menu. Plenty of on-screen graphics. No maps.

Video quality is variable. Weather and natural light levels. Colors are good. It’s old videotape sourced. The best is here. Do not expect a modern image. Let’s take a look, see what’s going on.

General Electric 12 axle locomotives, are heavily utilized. Older, U30C engines are mixed with C30-7 power. The ubiquitous SD40-2 locos are here, but must be concentrated elsewhere.

A GP20 makes the scene!

BN, was easily identified on the coal hoppers, in the old days.

Cabooses are frequently seen throughout. The intermodals, were amoung the first to lose them.

There are discrepancies. Compass heading, versus timetable direction. Simple solution, is to see the show and let Mary explain it all. 

Centralia, Shattuck and Cravat Hill. These are the main areas frequented.

Cravat Hill has a grade. These locomotives smoke it up. Also, check the graphic.

Experimental scheme. Big BN, plus a whiteface, on this GP50 unit.

Neilson Jct. is another busy location. GP38 pair, with a mixed freight.

The blue units are Electromotive.

A whiteface C30-7 caught George’s eye.

It gets chased, all the way to the Metropolis Bridge!

Electromotive units on their own.

A GP30 with the whiteface, is rare! The show is well paced. Nicely edited, doesn’t drag.

These two cabooses sport the old and the new. A green BN. An original CB&Q, Burlington Route. You can just make the rectangular, Burlington Route logo.

Burlington Northern- In the Former ‘Q’ Coal Fields.

Certainly does the job. Coal trains and more coal trains. A minimum of variety. There is the weather! The advertised clearly states, Coal. So, if a Railfan enjoys; Burlington Northern and coal. That is a clear match.

Everyone else, realize these are specific tapes. Check the Diverging Clear line for your own mates. Solid show for BN fans.

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars