Producer: Pentrex
Locations: system
Timeframe: 1940s- 1971
Length: 2 1/2 hours
Source: Tony DeRosa
A former Great Northern employee filmed the Railroad over a 30 year timespan.
This program is divided into 3 volumes. Narrator is Jim Knight. Video Rails was the original Producer. Dubbed train audio. Pretty good on the sound.
Each volume runs at 45 minutes. Master Chapter Menu. Each Volume has individual Chapter Menus. Preview section follows the program.
Part one: Iron Ore
The story of the mines and companion ore Docks, could be another volume. Suffice it to say, these were humongous operations. Loading in excess of 300 ore boats annually. This Volume 1, covers the Superior region.
Mesabi Range. This consists of Iron Ore mines. Open Pit mines. One in particular , Mahoning, was the largest world. Steam shown. Kelly Lake was a large rail facility. GN 2000 is a huge, 2-8-8-0 steam engine. They can pull 180 ore cars. Film circa 1949. Color in 8 mm. Historical value.
A variety of Steam pulled Ore trains are seen, transporting the ore to Allouez classification yard.
Overall film quality is good, considering it is early color source. Some from 1949!
Allouez.
Roundhouse and a yard. Iron Ore Docks. Huge Loading Facility.1949. Steam Switchers. 4 Primary Ore Docks. Largest in the world.
Rails are eighty feet above water. 0-8-0 steam and later SD7 serve the docks.
Mine run, Classification yard and Ore Docks. These are the GN jobs for trains.
Some Ore Boat footage.
Superior
Car repair facility. Roundhouse. 1956. Steam on the decline. GN 0-8-0 switchers still steam. 800 class. Big steam in storage here.
Duluth
Served GN and NP passenger trains with a large depot. A Northern Pacific 2-6-2 works.
Minneapolis – St. Paul
1946 black and white winter Shops/ Yard scenes. City Depot. Steam Engines in color. They work Depot vicinity.
Minneapolis jct in 56-57 has great steam action. Roundhouse.
Volume 2 Diesels
The Orange and Green era begins
Switchers. Electromotive and Alco. FT. Alco FA. Havre shops.
367-A or 312C, F7A in Big Sky Blue.
Other Roads
Northern Pacific with some additional power. NP Freight and Passenger schemes are shown .
CB&Q . Silver passenger E8 . SP&S Fs. Bit more.
Early BN passenger Lashups.
Gas Electrics Doodlebugs, handy combination units. Similar, to later Budd built RDC cars.
Trucks, Buses and Rail Cars
Assortment of various GN owned vehicles. Early Piggyback seen.
Maintenance of Way A 1962 continuous rail program is seen.
Electrics Cascade Division. Large Y1 class motors. 5015 shown. Pairs used as mid-train helpers too. Additional locomotives, including Milwaukee Road off location.
Volume 3 Steam Power
Mikado 2-8-2 locomotives are viewed. Many. Svenes 4-8-2 class followed
GN 2500 class were even larger.
Large Engines
Baldwin Q1 class 2-10-2 begins this coverage.
2-8-8-2 were the largest of the Great Northern steamer fleet.
Other Roads
A wide variety of sizes. Small to the largest. Northern Pacific has an assortment. Spokane, Portland and Seattle is interesting. Union Pacific. Southern Pacific cab forward. Additional locomotives from other roads.
The 3 Volumes cover much of the old Great Northern. Rarities abound on this sparsely filmed lined. Plenty of Steam. The Transition Era. Mostly color films.
Mr. DeRosa seemed to get about in Track Inspection vehicles. At least in part.
Pentrex/ Video Rails has a fine release. Great Northern is a hard to find, vintage Railroad. The comprehensive Steam coverage, makes it a winner.
Great Northern Railway Volumes 1,2,3 combo
Rating: 5 Stars
American Train Video Reviews 