Beaumont Hill combo DVD

Producer: Bill Lambert

Locations: West Colton, San Gorgonio Pass, Indio

Timeframe: 1990s

Length: 2 hours 26 minutes

Source: George Llamas

A pair of shows on a single DVD. Video Rails was the original producer circa 1993. Beaumont Hill and Beaumont Hill cab ride. This release was by Pentrex. It features Southern Pacific before Union Pacific merger.

The route featured is on the Yuma subdivision.

A single DVD. Main Chapter Menu by locations. On-screen graphics include elevation charts. Preview section. This show is narrated by John Leslie.

To the Trains…

Beaumont Hill 1 hour 28 minutes

Begins at Colton Yard Tower. It’s a huge classification yard on 560 acres. The GP60 is often on the point of trains. Note the Cantilever Signal mount. Last of the sugar beet trains. Elderly gondolas in dedicated service.

SP 8525 fronts the lash-up. Auto racks on an upgrade. These SD40T-2 types are workhorses for the railroad.

Extra 9737 GP60 leading. Manifest is stalled on Beaumont Hill. A helper set from a Westbound is to be cut off to render assistance. Check the Cowboy SP crewman, inspecting the incoming train.

The doubletrack mainline section allows action such as 2 trains going Westbound. The faster one can overtake a slow mover.

A pair of GP60 motors with a Passenger Special at the superelevated curve near Beaumont.

Three Mid train helpers on a rare running wash.

Wind farm at Garnet.

At Thousand Palms, this double-stack slows to have helpers added on.

Five frontend helpers were added at Indio. Thr Ringling Brothers red train.

We end up on Southern Pacific SD40T-2 8305 for cab ride departing from Colton Yard. Travel aboard this locomotive until the conclusion of the show.

Beaumont Hill Cab Ride 58 minutes

West Colton to Indio for 76 miles. Train is SP LA to Memphis Fast Fowarder. A Priority train. Locomotive is SD40T-2 8305. Minimal narration. On-screen graphics. Some cab chatter and the squawkbox, too.

A roving camera gives the maximum lead locomotive experience.

A green signal and making good time along this stretch.

Indio with the camera crew now de-trained. Bye-bye…

Beaumont Hill cab ride

Does some of the footage look familiar? Video Rails has some scenes in the Beaumont Hill show. Of course, this is an in-depth experience. Chapter Menu lists locations. West Colton to Indio, CA.

After the introduction at the yard. Narration is gone. Subtitles mark locations. A Pilot Engineer offers advice to the Engineer at the helm. The radio cracks in occasionally.

Videography is excellent. Even includes some shots of the locomotive. Often neglected in many cab rides.

The viewpoint moves around. Keeps interest high. Beats the all too common method of a single forward view.

Beaumont Hill combo DVD

The main title has excellent coverage of this route. Full-on helper sets on various sections of the trains. Manned Helper sets. There is plenty of foreign power.

The cameras provide action from a multitude of viewpoints. As shown above. Soundtrack is a fine one.

Cab ride is one of the best to be found. Smart filming and tight editing. This gives the feeling of being onboard the train.

Any Railfan should appreciate this outstanding two for one set. Nicely done!

Rating: 5 Stars