Producer: Green Frog
Locations: Cajon Pass, Barstow, Kingman Canyon, Grand Canyon
Timeframe: 1990’s
Length: 1 hour 11 minutes
Sources: Rich Schied, Emery Gulash
I took the liberty of adding (Volume 1) for clarity within this series. Starts with BNSF Cajon coverage from Summit through Victorville. Onward to Barstow. Union Pacific runs via trackage rights, as well. Onward to the bulk of this release in Arizona. Modern video by Rich Schied. Several snippets of ATSF back in the 1970s. This is on vintage 16mm film by Emery Gulash. Rich Schied is the show’s 1990s videographer.
This release is sold in a single, or as part of a multi DVD set.
There is not a main chapter menu. A chapter advance function is included. No additional extras. On/ off narration.
Fullscreen aspect ratio. Live audio. Per the usual Green Frog practice, digitally processed on state of the art equipment. Narration by Peter Youngblood.
To the Trains… 👉
Jumps right with several freights at Summit, on Cajon Pass. A hot BNSF Intermodal is seen here. Victorville follows this brief segment for a quick look.
Barstow Station. Union Pacific 4063 with a double-stack. The UP runs on trackage rights over Cajon Pass.
Three BNSF paint jobs display a Heritage One, relettered warbonnet # 785, and a Burlington Northern unit at Needles, California.
An Eastbound at Toprock is where the railroad crosses the Colorado River. Western Arizona follows with heavy intermodal traffic.
At Yucca, AZ. Engines 4460/ 3115 and a grimy BNSF on a stack move. Numerous freights are shown running through the desert terrain.
Kingman Canyon is explored with plenty of BNSF traffic. This area is seen on videos much less versus the common Cajon Pass. Beautiful scenery. A show highlight!
Passing a track maintence crew. An interesting five unit lash-up includes a CSX. Route 66 runs parallel through here.
Action is plentiful at Kingman. Here we have, BNSF 5399 , relettered warbonnet 780, and 915 in original Santa Fe superfleet scheme. This train passes the Kingman depot with a double-stack on its way to Flagstaff.
Older paint on BN 7838. It leads a BNSF hauling auto rack cars past the flatop Cottonwood Mountains.
Based at Williams. The MLW/ Alco as Grand Canyon FPA4 6776 diesel. Serves the Grand Canyon on a former Santa Fe branchline. The actual Grand Canyon is also shown.
While an active caboose is not seen in the Rich Schied video. Emery Gulash shot this 1970s scene at Barstow Yard.
BNSF Tracks of the Old Santa Fe Volume 1
Videography is the best element of the show. Narration has a simple script and is adequate. Mostly, location awareness and occasional details. Nevertheless, it still beats a non-narrated presentation by a country mile..
This program is predominately in Arizona. Kingman Canyon is the star. The Cajon- Barstow material is fine, albeit a bit brief.
Overall, it is a quality show by Rich Schied and Green Frog.
Rating: 4 1/2 Stars
American Train Video Reviews 