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Locations: Fond du Lac, Steven’s Point, Byron Hill
Timeframe: 1990s
Length: 1 hour 52 minutes
A two hour dive into Wisconsin Central in Wisconsin. This dates from the 1990s. See many trains and some interior operations.
A single DVD-R. No Chapter menu. A thorough Chapter advance. No maps. Full narration.
An informative script, as far as train designations and locomotives. Narrated by Peter Falconi. Does well, except he always misprounces Fond du Lac.
Image is letterbox on a wide-screen HDTV. Picture looks good to very good. Live environmental audio that is mixed well.
A variety of diesel power. WC purchased used locomotives from many sources. Large quantities of SD45 locomotives.
Highlights… Action starts at Shops Yard
SD45 pair enter Shops Yard
WC SD45 6610 SD45 is an ex: Santa Fe. Trailing is a former Burlington Northern SD45 6500. This Intermodal enters Shops Yard in Fond du Lac. The repair facilities are visited.
An ex: Algoma Central 6614 at Shops West
WC now owns: Algoma Central, Green Bay Route and Fox River Valley by 1995. Former AC SD45 6614 leads Algoma Central 6004 SD40-2 and more at Shops West.
Train FL95
Train FL95. A GP35 2557 and GP40 3010 ( ex: C&O). Westbound to Fox River Jct.
Dale
Two F45 units roll through farms at Dale.
SD45 6625 leads CRLD Hopper train with Taconite. Goes to Conrail.
SD24 still painted as Fox River Valley 2401 is at Fox River Jct.
WC switcher 1554 at Stevens Point
1554 drills cars at Stevens Point yard. Look inside these shops and Dispatch.
Grand Trunk move
A Grand Trunk Ballast Train has crossed the Wisconsin River at Stevens Point. WC 6513 leads two GT units.
Local with DM&IR SD9 pair
DM&IR SD9 pair with a local at Wisconsin River Bridge.
Local 58 on Byron Hill
On Byron Hill. The Chicago sub. Local 58 is led by an ex: Soo Line GP30 700 and SDL39 585.
Wisconsin Central
Numerous WC trains appear in Wisconsin. Moderate portion of the actual consists, once past the lash-ups.
Maps would have been helpful. Those small towns are not notable.
The videography is well done. Gets a little horn happy at times. Yet, spares the audience excessive crossing bells.
Highball with a look back to Springfield Terminal. Operations on B&M Rails. Circa 1990-91.
Now, Highball has been a hit or miss label. How does this show work out?
A single DVD-R. No Chapter Menu. Full screen aspect ratio. Narrated by Peter Falconi.
Notice the very TOP is displayed along the BOTTOM.
Picture quality is AWFUL! A horizontal bar that displays the TOP of the picture, which runs across the bottom of the screen! Unbelievable. Makes this release UNWATCHABLE.
This error plays throughout the show on FULL RETARD. Where was the quality control?
Why are the number boards seen at the bottom?
In February 1991, a CP Rail 5684 SD40 leads a coal train at Manchester, NH. Check that sizeable horizontal error bar across the bottom of the screen. Notice the number boards at the bottom of the picture. Annoying!
Smoke and mirrors…Geez!
Here a Guilford performs a trick. Travels below and above the Signal Bridge.
GP9 #16 pulls the same number board antics.
Another locomotive with bottom display numbers.
Well, now you can see for yourself. It is not a random fluke. Super distracting on a large screen HDTV.
Springfield Terminal
Right at the top of the list for some wasted shows.
The featured hotspot is Pine Jct. at Gary, Indiana. Three lines converge here. CSX, Norfolk Southern, plus EJ&E. This is the third of the Highball Hot Spots being reviewed. The previous two shows reviewed were disappointments.
A single DVD-R. No Chapter Menu. Hidden chapter advance. An area map/ diagram. Timestamps are displayed on-screen for trains.
75 trains in about 12 hours were seen when they were filming. Too bad that the results are mindless runbys. Unidentified Amtrak trains, as well. No Amtrak trains are identified.
This is well filmed. Live environmental audio. Again, advertised as a narrated show. Barely, any narrative is present. I mean, one can find this style on YouTube all day long, for free!
Another Hot Spots which lacks a standard Narrative.
NS 7043 leads UP power
Norfolk Southern 7043 leads Union Pacific engines.
Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range
A DM&IR is an unexpected surprise on an overpass. Yes, we see 7:05. Some narration would have been helpful…
That’s enough.
Hot Spots 6 Gary
Another loser Hot Spots from Highball. Surely would NOT have bothered with yet another non-narrated show! Extremely dissatisfied…again.
Consider, there are plenty of Chicago area shows with complete narratives. Similar rail traffic.
A few blurbs as an introductory segment does not make for a fully narrated program. Straight to the junk heap.
This hotspot is on CSX. Willard, Ohio, was a key point on the former Baltimore and Ohio.
A single DVD-R. Chapter menu. On-screen graphics with some timestamps and locations. No map. No previews. Narrated at a low volume. The narrative quickly drops off into none! Several sentences over the remainder. Not a true narrative here.
This is well filmed. Live audio. The narration level is mixed too low. The narrator stops after a few minutes. Hence, it fails on the advertised as a narrated show.
Not really narrated –
CSX
Mainline CSX freight at Peru Center begins the show.
CN 2550 leads an auto rack train.
Union Pacific 4986 now. Another mindless runby.
Announcer returns after about 30 minutes. A single line about Daniels Road.
Hot Spots 15 Willard
Another disappointing Hot Spots show. It is just barely narrated. Wouldn’t have bothered with this release.
Highball has a double feature in this release. LaGrange and Homewood, Illinois. Two well-known hot spots near Chicago. The title has the running order reversed. Nevertheless, it should be loaded with freight trains… right?
A single DVD-R. Main Chapter Menu. Narration option is on/ off. No extras, except a Preview section. Narrated show.
Cinematography is well done. Live audio.
I had high expectations for LaGrange. The famous BNSF racetrack near Chicago. Busy freight line and passenger service. What a huge letdown!
A couple of shortcomings. Too many trackside bells, that are constantly sounding. Doesn’t this guy like Freight on the BNSF? The low hanging fruit is to film at passenger rush hours. Which he does. The freight trains move around the rush hours. Takes more waiting time to catch those. Looks like a quick, in and out job.
LaGrange Road during Rush hour
Heck, this chapter has the BNSF line appearing like Long Island commuter service in New York! Never would have wanted this show. Time waster. Unidentified Amtrak train above.
BNSF unit coal
Several BNSF freights are seen at Hinsdale Highlands station. It is quick and moves into the ultra repetitive evening rush hour. FYI, it’s the same as the morning rush hour.
Tim Walter does an excellent job as a narrator. Although the script dissappears during the afternoon parade in LaGrange. That part is dumb anyway. Also, during Homewood. Would have liked more narration.
Seen one, seen them all Metra commuter at LaGrange
The wheels fall off quickly. Repetitive trains are boring. The Metra paint is not attractive either. All stainless fleet. Everything becomes extremely monotonous. Is this over yet? Film away from the bells. Ugh! Stand away from the bells…
Homewood.
Note the parallel freight and passenger tracks
Originally, this was Illinois Central. Markham yard was once, the world’s largest. Historically, it is an excellent location to see freight trains. A viewing platform was installed here. Electric bilevel Metra commuter service.
Electrified Metra at Homewood
Seen one, seen them all. Electric Metra commuter service at Homewood.
Finally, a freight train. A Norfolk Southern led auto racks. 9323 and 9212. This seems like a railroad quiet zone.
The 4909 is switching back to Markham yard
GT 4909 GP38-2 appears going to Markham Yard. This proves to be a yard switcher. Let’s see the railyard… Doesn’t happen 😦
Repainted Illinois Central 9635 leads here
Illinois Central GP38-2 9635 and EJ&E GP38-2 703. Hauling a double-stack. They reverse direction, to back into the yard. Yes, this pair reappears with different cars. There is a large yard. Perhaps, pick up and move the camera, film the yard.
Interesting CN with BC Rail lash-up
Canadian National 2708 leads an Eastbound double-stack. A BC Rail unit 4616 trails in the lash-up.
The Homewood portion is more of what one would expect. Freight trains and some passenger moves. Better balanced here.
Hot Spots 35 LaGrange and Homewood
The LaGrange is super disappointing. That line is loaded with freight traffic. Instead, 2 featured sections of same- same Metra rush hour trains! Not to mention almost constant bell ringing. Barely any freights. Inaccurate representation of LaGrange rail traffic. Yuck! A dealbreaker. Not Recommended.
Researched for a possible alternative. C Vision has a Windy City Rails Volume 4. Appears to be a better representation of the actual traffic, although includes the entire line out to Aurora. Plenty of freight trains. That one looks like the one to have for the modern era.
Homewood is much better. Still, a bit of missed opportunity. No shots of the actual railyard. The public road runs alongside parts of that. Seems like another fast job. Filming at the yard lead area only.
Overall, it is a disappointing show. By the way, looking at another Hot Spots 15, Willard now. Almost no narration. Save your money.
Even more disappointment in Hot Spots 6 Gary. Basically, it is NOT a fully narrated show. There are a few blurbs on the introduction. Although, it is advertised as narrated. Shall avoid anymore Hot Spots in the series.
There are far better, narrated Productions in the market. Check around.
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