Houston – A Decade of Difference

Producer: Pentrex

Locations: Houston, Rosenberg, Eureka, Palastine

Timeframe: 2000- 2014

Length: 2 Hours 55 minutes

Houston is visited on two separate trips. This two disc set is divided by the years. A composite tour in the early 2000s. Next is a 2014 show.

The first show is dominated by BNSF and Union Pacific. Kansas City Southern in mostly gray paint. Several shortlines, as well. A variety of pre-merger paint is still around at this time. Also, some run through units like CSX.

The second disc was filmed in 2014. This one includes more scenes that were actually shot in Houston. There is more to see and some highlights in this review.

A 2 DVD-R package. Fullscreen 4×3 aspect ratio on Disc One. Widescreen on Disc Two. Live environmental audio. High quality Pentrex production.

Main Chapter Menu by location. On-screen graphics. No maps. On/off narrative. The narrator is David Drui.

To the Trains… 👉

Disc One – 128 minutes

This disc is not limited to Houston. In fact, very little of the title city is seen. Starts on Kansas City Southern in Blanchard, Louisiana. Some action at Texas Junction for the start. Newer gray and an older ‘ghost’ white in the lash-up. The 4801 leads a double stack on the Shreveport sub.

A BNSF freight train is behind #4367 (C44-9W). This one passes by, close to the Rosenberg Tower. There are ex: Santa Fe and ex: Burlington Northern locomotives trailing in the lash-up. This structure gets relocated by the time of the later 2014 revisit. This location is 35 miles from Houston.

Union Pacific 9730 (C44-9W) Southern Pacific 8310/ 9606 and 8251 haul mixed freight on the Palestine sub.

Four GP38-2 units led by 759, 2099, 2031, 1992  work this yard job.

Texas Southeastern 1000 is a Baldwin VO 1000, which was built in 1944. Working in Diboll, Texas. See additional Shortlines on both discs.

CSX 9011/ 9026 haul a double-stack past Imperial Sugar in Sugarland, Texas.

Disc Two – 2014 – 90 minutes

Two Norfolk Southern engines 9673/ 7589 pull covered hoppers and tank cars. They can be run through, or leased power. Seen on the Union Pacific West Belt subdivision. Yes, Port Terminal is present but those trains are not pictured in this review.

A trio of BNSF units 5785 / 5748/ 8922 haul a long string of Ethanol tank cars. Galveston sub. Tower 210. 

Amtrak motor 23 with The Sunset Limited through Rosenberg. The Interlocking Tower has been relocated and a highway overpass had been constructed, too.

There is action on the Union Pacific Sunset Route at Tower 13 / Eureka Jct. A Kansas City Southern 3910 (EMD SD70MAC) fronts this move with KCS 3926 trailing. Traveling East, with a train of covered hoppers.

Union Pacific 4826 on the point of a Northbound with a trio of SD70M locomotives at Spring, Texas.

A visit to the 25 mile long Texas State Railroad in Palastine. Look, a Steam engine! Magma Arizona #7 is a Mikado, also at the museum. Wearing fresh paint. Here it is paused on a turntable.

Houston – A decade of Difference

The city of Houston is uncommon as a main subject in a railfan video. That being said, much of these two shows are outside of Houston! Rosenberg Tower is 35 miles from the city. Still, a fine show with busy Texas spots.

Slow speed trains are plentiful. Great for trainwatching. Excellent Videography. A relaxed narrative that is light on details. Natural audio is mixed at a lower level. Besides the loud horns at times, train sounds are rather quiet. Hence, a little unbalanced soundwise. However, the second show is stronger audiowise.

Overall, an interesting assortment of power on the trains. Good Texas hotspots in this worthwhile show.

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars