The CB&Q – Top Frog – Volume 7

Producer: Green Frog

Locations: Chicago, more

Timeframe: 1954 – 1970

Length: 45 minutes

Source: Emery Gulash

Emery’s wonderful 16mm film coverage of the Burlington Route. Also known as Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy.

A DVD-R. On-screen subtitles. No maps. Bob Carrera narration. Script is informative.

Emery was an excellent cinematographer. Enjoyable to see his films. Soundtrack includes train sounds. Well put together program.

The show begins in Chicago, 1954. Proceeds in chronological order. It appears to end near the BN merger in 1970. Steam and Diesel locomotives.

Special Excursion with 6352 meets Zephyr.

Action with an F7A/B at Congress Park, Illinois, in 1964.

Electromotive E units with Empire Builder train. Here on a cold January day, depart from Chicago.

Burlington called the local commuter trains Dinkies. Operating in push-pull fashion. Chicago Union Station to Aurora with various daily scheduled trains.

A General Electric U30B leads New York Central and a Great Northern in Big Sky Blue paint. Action is at Naperville.

Two blackbird GP7s and a pair of Chinese reds at Naperville. Emery had filmed an Afternoon at Naperville. An engaging sequence of freight and passenger moves there.

Red SD24 units surround an experimental BN scheme on the Chicago mainline.

Burlington Route GP20 #924 leans into a super elevated curve on the Chicago line. One of 36 ordered from Electromotive Division of LaGrange. . The CB&Q had used the EMD trade in program.

Old Burlington Route FT locomotives provided many parts. Truck frames, Traction motors etc… Remanufactured with a factory warranty. All 36 units made it into Burlington Northern.

LaGrange and Congress Park are in close proximity on the Chicago Racetrack.

The CB&Q – Top Frog – Volume 7

Excellent vintage coverage of the Burlington Route. Concentrated mainly in Illinois. The high quality is a winner!

Nearly every scene has highlight potential. Many long-distance trains. Empire Builder North Coast Limiteds, California Zephyrs are included. Local passenger ‘Dinkies’, that serve Chicago, as well. A little light on freight selection.

A must-have for Chicago, Burlington and Quincy fans, or Model Railroaders. It’s hard to find in quantity on movie film.

General viewers should also enjoy this great show of a classic railroad.

Rating: 5 Stars