Producer: Pentrex
Locations: Seven States
Timeframe: circa 2012
Length: 2 hours 14 minutes
Talk about variety. Steam, Diesel, and Electric power. Action in seven states. Mega carriers to Shortlines and Tourist Trains. An interesting assortment.
Coverage includes: Arizona, Colorado, Arkansas, New Mexico, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma.
A single DVD. Factory pressed. Main Chapter Menu by geographical area. Maps are included. Preview section. On/ Off narration.
Widescreen presentation.
Let’s see some trains…
This show begins in Northern Arizona with Williams, Holbrook, and Page.
BNSF from Phoenix to Belen, NM. Viewed from Williams Station. 7133 leads this pair with mixed freight. Grand Canyon Flyer.
Alcos at Holbrook on Apache Railway in 2012. Number 81 is an ex: L&N C420 in front.
Black Mesa and Lake Powell. Electrified line. Dedicated coal hauler. GE G60 power is former NdeM. Train gets paced.
Cumbres and Toltec from Chama, NM. The diminutive number 484 gets a train chase with a Tourist Train.
Amtrak moves at Levi, NM. Plus Delphi, Colorado. Southwest Chief passes the last wigwam signal.
Kansas City Southern is a good catch at Joplin.
Arkansas has Springdale. See the Arkansas and Missouri with two Alco C-420 units on a slow-moving local freight. Various A&M trains are seen in operation.
Oklahoma checks in at McAllister. Arkansas- Oklahoma Railroad is another shortline. An SW8 in a Rock Island Tribute paint scheme. Part of the long former Rock Island Sunbelt Line.
Kansas. Abilene, Baldwin City and Ottawa. Former New York Central Alco RS-3 8255 works on the Midland Railway. Ride a Midland Tourist Train.
Abilene and Smokey Valley. An Alco switcher. This Baldwin steam locomotive #3415 is again operational. The 3415 is a former Santa Fe engine. Pulls a speed restricted passenger move.
San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad. Shown at Alamosa, Colorado. Class 3 railroad with approximately 150 miles of track. Steam engine #18 on a daily passenger train. Modern diesels also serve this line. LaVeda Pass is the high point for United States freight trains.
Back to Southern, Arizona. The former Southern Pacific Sunset Route. Aztec water tank survives from the steam era. A Union Pacific freight passes.
Rail Explorations
This is a good value show. Something for about any Railfan. A nice one for family viewing. Plenty of slow speeds. Cab Rides and onboard Passenger experiences.
The issue of this release is Volume levels. Dave Drui narrative is loud, versus the quieter train sounds. Unusual flaw for Pentrex.
Besides the audio levels. A fine show!
Rating: 4 1/2 Stars
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