Today’s Steam Across America

Producer: Pentrex

Locations: USA

Timeframe: see below

Length: 4 hours

Source: Pentrex

Pentrex with a large collection of American Steam Locomotives. These have appeared in previous releases.

Multiple engine types. Largest to smaller Narrow Gauge. Double-header action on mainlines.

Roadnames: Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Santa Fe, Frisco, Norfolk & Western, Nickel Plate, Milwaukee, Chesapeake & Ohio, and others.

A 2 DVD-R set. Main Chapter Menu. Maps included. On-screen graphics. Narrated by David Drui.

Live environmental audio with narration. The narrative has an on/ off option.

High quality Pentrex in all areas.

A genuine smorgasbord. Moves along, at a brisk pace. Too much to list it all.

Limited Highlights

Disc One

Union Pacific’s Challenger 3985 A 4-6-6-4. Second in size only to the Big Boy on UP Steam. It is 120 feet long.

Different years are shown. 2nd is 1993 and trip to Chicago.

Frisco 1522  4-8-2 Mountain type.  Oil burner. 2 trips. 1990 in Missouri.

The Firsco 1522 leans into a curve.

NW 611 4-8-4 J class. 1993 in West Virginia. Ohio. 1994 Georgia w and wo 1522

NKP 765 Berkshire 1989 Pennsylvania Ohio 1991 dh with Pere Marquette to Huntington WV. Passes Lima locomotive works.

SP 2472 4-6-2 Baldwin oil burner. San Jose to LA train. Earth Train next.

Southern Pacific Earth Train. SP 2472 on the LA to Oakland, part of the trip.

819 Cotton Belt 4-8-4. Pine Bluff to 1990 Convention at St.Louis, Missouri. East St. Louis arrival and service. Returns.

Cotton Belt 819 paced. Pentrex has multiple cameras on many shows. Highlighting assorted viewpoints, with this review.

Sacramento Railfair 91. A 10 day event.

Early US steam. SP 2472. Sacramento RR Museum.

UP 8444 Years are 1987 to 1990. 4-8-4 FEF Northern. Oil burner. Greyhound paint. Climb on Sherman Hill. Steve Lee Engineer. Additional…

The 8444. Cheyenne to LAUPT for 50th Anniversary in 1989 Arrives with SP 4449 GS Daylight.

Durango & Silverton This Narrow Gauge train is best, on the spectacular high line.

Durango and Silverton. This Tourist Train is a remainder of old Rio Grande.

SP 4449 4-8-4 Northern.  1986 Portland to LA. For Hollywood movie. Railfair 1991.

Nw 611 The Rathole line. 1987. Junction City, KY. to Tennessee

Disn Two

Santa Fe 3751 1986 Displayed since 1958, at a San Bernardino Park. Moved to restoration at Fontana, CA.

Santa Fe 3751 with California Limited. Two trailing Warbonnets, 95 and 97. East of Barstow in 1991. Los Angeles to Bakersfield trip.

Chesapeake & Ohio 614T. Here is a 4-8-4. Now designated as 614T. The T added for test. Chessie Safety Express. Winter. Thurmond and New River Gorge. Cab ride shots included.

The Greenbriar type 614T. Trial runs on New River Gorge area.

SP 4274 Cab Forward 1957 Last run on Donner Pass. AC11. Type is 4-8-8-2 .

Cumbres and Toltec. Narrow Gauge Locomotive 487. To Chama, NM. DRGW 488. 1990 the final Freight Train Special. In 1991 the Rotary.

Norfolk and Western 1218 A class. 2-6-6-4. Three NRHS trips. 1987 began excursions. 1987 Roanoke, 1990 St. Louis, 1991 Huntington to Cincinnati

The 1218 and 611 in a Doubleheader.

Cajon Pass 1989 SP 4449 UP 8444. LAUPT 50th Anniversary. Later, 3751 ATSF at Cajon.

At Cajon Pass. This memorable race. The Union Pacific 8444 and Southern Pacific 4449 Daylight train.

UP 3985 as Clinchfield 676. Santa Claus Train. CRR mainline Elkhorn City, KY to Kingsport, TN.

Southern 4501 2-8-2 Mikado class. Chattanooga  over US 24. to Alabama.

Cass Scenic Weekend. Shays and  Heisler at Cass WV.  Three engines seen. Railfan weekend.

Milwaukee Road 261 Alco S3 class. Minnesota to Wisconsin on maiden run.

Milwaukee Road 261 4-8-4 Northern. Seen on 1st excursion. Speed held to 20 mph, for proper break-in.

NKP 587 Berkshire.  Also, as C&O 2765. The masquerade is along the New River Gorge.

Atlanta and West Point 290  1989

Pere Marquette 1225 1st run 1988.

Vintage UP Big Boys Color footage. Road freights and Maintenance.

Big Boy Doubleheader. The Chapter has high quality film segments.

Today’s Steam Across America

A worthwhile compilation of American Steam Locomotives. Drawn mainly from late 1980s to early 1990s. An overview of the Steam scene, during those years.

Vintage films round out the story. To a certain degree. Many key locomotives are lost forever.  However, this set does a great job. Covering the (then) current US Steam.

This 2 disc set is a handy one to have. Packs quite a bunch in one place.

Rating: 5 Stars