Category: Main Line Motion Pictures

Hardworking Steam on Steep Grades Volume One

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date February 3, 2024
No Comments on Hardworking Steam on Steep Grades Volume One

Producer: Tim Walter

Locations: USA

Timeframe: 1982- 2000

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes

Source: Ron Loving

Featuring 19 different steam locomotives. Every engine has a 2023 informational update on this new release. New scenes added vs. a previous incarnation. Many locations from East to West. Special notice. Every scene has either a: hard pull on a notable steep grade, a wheel slip, or worthy exhaust.

These steam locomotives are all restored. Modern video with some 1980s material. Some locos shown anywhere from around 10 minutes to an occasional single runby. Sometimes, they are redressed and operate on a different railroad.

A single DVD-R. Main Chapter Menu is grouped by railroad or tourist. Smart! On-screen graphics. NO Narration.

While I dislike non-narrated shows and avoid them. This one is an exception for a review. Railfan Depot kindly sent this out as a Christmas gift to customers. It is a new release.

Recognize Tim Walter is the Producer/ Editor for this 2023 show. Geri Cook with an Assistant Producer credit. A Pentrex production. An original version under a different title was by Mainline Motion Pictures.

A 4×3 aspect ratio. Picture quality ranges from good to very good. Live environmental audio is awesome! Digitally restored. Color corrected.

Some highlights. Let’s check this out.

To the Trains…

N&W 611

Norfolk & Western 611. This Class J is a 4-84. Shown on Saluda Mountain. Active in 2023. A few sentences are spoken! Additional grades with titled locations. A large chunk of 611 scenes.

4501

Southern 4501 in Cresent Green livery. Save some typing. Checkout the information box.

261

Milwaukee Road 261 at Huntington, WV. A large Northern 4-8-4 type.

UP 3985 as Clinchfield 676

Union Pacific Challenger 3985 is decked out as Clinchfield 676. The drivers are slipping in North Brody, Virginia. The 676 pulls a solid UP consist.

UP doubleheader

Union Pacific 844 and 3985 on Sherman Hill.

7002 at Strasburg Railroad Museum

Strasburg 7002 is one of the Tourist Trains seen. Pennsylvania Railroad 4-4-2. This one is a rare inclusion. Currently, it is on display in Pennsylvania.

1361 at Tyrone, PA.

Pennsylvania Railroad 1361. A K4 locomotive which is a 4-6-2. This formerly was on display at Horseshoe Curve. Awaiting full restoration.

587

Nickel Plate Road 587 is a Light Mike. The big drivers slip while going upgrade. Black Mountain, South Carolina. Not currently in running codition.

614 Chessie System Railroad

C&O 614. Greenbriar class. 4-8-4. Afton Mountain, Virginia. Chessie System.

2765

Nickel Plate Berkshire 765 at Hurricane, WV. Masquerading as C&O 2765. A Kanawha type in Chesapeake and Ohio nomenclature.

One of multiple locations for 2716

The C&O Kanawah 2716 at Atlanta. This has an outstanding audio track scene from 1982. Hear the locomotive booster engaged as the engine struggles uphill. Shown above in the different location. Read the information box.

There it is. Several engines and even more not seen here. Some surprises in there.

Hardworking Steam on Steep Grades

The show is well-paced for the most part. Would have liked a little more of some locomotives and a bit less on a couple. Reality is source supply. Hence, it is what it is.

Production quality makes the best of available images and sounds. Fine editing. The on-screen information is brief and direct. In fact, the steam sounds are excellent on the big stereo!

An issue with a non-narrated show. One cannot look away from the TV. A piece of information may get missed. Narration also has the ability to share quickly and efficiently. Convience with easy viewing.

The soundtrack does benefit from steam starring. It plays well.

The sum total. A fine release of a previous show with additional value. While I never would’ve purchased this release. Due to no narration. It earns a recommendation based on the overall quality and a unique premise.

A bump up for the singular focus on the few featured areas. Wheel slipping!

A big Thank You to Railfan Depot for this Christmas gift!

Rating: 4 Stars

Tags American Train Video Reviews, C&O, Clinchfield, Milwaukee Road, new releases, Nickel Plate, Norfolk & Western, Pennsylvania, Railroad, southern, Steam, Steam engine, steam train, tourist trains, trains, Union Pacific

ATVR Reviews Main Line Motion Pictures

Atlantic Seaboard Memories

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date January 6, 2023
No Comments on Atlantic Seaboard Memories

Producer: Main Line

Locations: FL, GA, KY, AL

Timeframe: 1950s- 1971

Length: 45 minutes

Sources: Marv Clemmons, Howard Ameling

Here is a collection of movie films, from the 1950s to early Amtrak in 1971. Heavily focused on Passenger trains. Freight is scarce, until the last portion of this show.

This plays, as if a couple guys took movie cameras along on vacation trips. Filmed their traveled Railroad sections. Someone shot some freight action. Added near the end of this show.

A DVD-R. No Chapter Menu. A hidden Chapter Search. No Narration. No maps. On-screen graphics with; train information and location. Additional information given, as needed.

Mixture of 8mm and 16mm color films. The movie film appears to be good overall. Full color. Not HD standard. Historical value.

Audio is mixed. Some was shot with live sound Remainder is dubbed. Variable results.

So happens, this timeframe is an interesting period. Pre- Amtrak years. Not often filmed, Florida and Georgia locations. Railroads that are now mostly rare, on film.

Atlantic Coast Line F units at Waycross, Georgia

Five EMD F units at Waycross Georgia in 1956. A stunning sight.

Atlantic Coast Line, Florida East Coast, Seaboard Air Line. Those are rare. Additionally, Seaboard Coast Line, Illinois Central, and more. Predominantly, in the 1960s.

City of Miami stop in 1968.

The City of Miami stops at Fulton, Kentucky in 1968. Illinois Central was famous for North- South passenger trains.

A Seaboard train ride view.

This was from a trip on Seaboard Air Line rails. Indiantown being a Station.

Rearview camera.

Much of the time is spent, riding passenger trains. Rearview riding. Camera out the side. These are the bulk of the views. Travel to Birmingham Alabama.

A view from the Florida East Coast cab ride.

A later cab ride on Florida East Coast. Daytona Beach Station above. This is a welcome relief. The passenger rides, do become monotonous.

Nothing against some ‘balanced’ train rides. In a context form. One enjoys, viewing the Trains, as well. In fact, seeing trains is a definite preference.

Seaboard Air Line paint .

Seaboard Air Line units, put power together on the Silver Comet. That SDP-45 shall lead the train.

Seaboard Coast Line 520 E6A, on the City of Miami.

Seaboard Coast Line was the result of a 1967 merger. ACL + SAL. Above, a rare Electromotive E6A. The 520 leads the City of Miami.

Florida East Coast F, with Geeps on a freight train.

Florida East Coast has some ultra rare paint! On a few fast freight trains, no less.

Atlantic Coast Line GP40 units.

A sparse few minutes at the tail end of this show. There is not enough, to recommend a purchase for the freight train action..

Atlantic Coast Line caboose in 1956.

The Atlantic Coast Line in 1956 at Waycross Georgia. This provided the best caboose shot.

Atlantic Seaboard Memories

On my end, I have 2 main preferences for any Train Video. First is narration. One cannot beat an interesting narrative. Always, something to learn. Second is freight. Enjoy watching various freight cars. The uniformity of passenger cars gets boring. No comparison.

This particular show, lacks narration and has almost no freight train action.

Now, for a person that loves Passenger trains. This is your ticket! To be fair. Ride on various trains. See the assortment of those trains. Many stations are shown.

Everything is in the hard to find category. The added audio is a bit stretched for authenticity. Better than silent or a fake movie camera sound. The visuals are good, given the age of films.

Hence, even though this is not my cup of tea. Be aware of what this release offers. Depending on one’s interest. Overall, it can be a good show.

Rating: 3 Stars

ATVR Reviews Main Line Motion Pictures

Southern Memories

Producer: Main Line Motion Pictures

Timeframe: 1950’s- 60’s

Locations: South

Length: 49 minutes

Sources: Marvin Clemons, Tom Rock, David Driscoll

This was going to be a hit or a miss attempt. Assortment of vintage films, on Southern Railway.

No narration. Something I usually avoid. The rarity of anything from this era and Southern states had my curiosity.

Mainline Motion Pictures was an unfamiliar producer to myself.

Let’s see. A bare bones release. No Chapter menu. Zero maps. No narrative.

They do advertise that sound has been added. Hope that soundtrack is not, a Harpo Marx bicycle horn, with a block and hammer. I despise cheapness!

The actual film collection is nearly all 8mm color. It appears to have had some restoration. Most looks very good to excellent! A small black and white section, from one cameraman.

Much of the sound has been dubbed. It sounds, very good to excellent. Beat my expectations, by a country mile. At the end they have some live audio. All in all, the audio is fine.

Check that GP30 leading F units.

On screen graphics, label many locations and trains. Original film sources, as well. General years when available. So, pretty good in the basic information department.

Alco switcher is doing it’s job.

You still cannot beat a well written script. Give me a solid narritive everytime. There is so much to learn about Southern railroading. What a missed opportunity!

That being said, it is fantastic to have a show, where one can see, hear and ride, Southern Railway.

We are at Saluda, North Carolina in the above frame. This one, is actually a more recent Norfolk Southern train. Triples the steep grade, on this tough hill. Definitely worth inclusion!

This movie sure gets around. Alabama, North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee.

A large variety of diesel locomotives. Alcos and Electromotive.

Rare E6A type above. Passenger and freight. Through trains and locals. Some rare paint schemes, for sure!

I am always watching backgrounds. Check those flatbed trucks. I know trucks, of all types. Except those. My best guess. Based on the area… Tobacco?

Carolina & Northwestern Alco RS-3.

See…a narrative. Also, is that then a Philip Morris plant or similar? Study the scene as it gets switched. My case for narration. FYI- This is an Alco RS3.

A matched SD-24 lash-up this long… No way! There are numerous surprises.

Another surprise. Birmingham, with this much trackage. Looks like Chicago. If only for a moment.

Savannah and Atlanta lettering, on a Southern painted EMD. What is the deal here? Thought the Carolina & Northwestern was confusing enough.

The passenger ride journeys were fun! Happy faces encountered. The trips gave a good slice at looking out at the local scenery. Tuscaloosa Station.

We stop at Tuscaloosa. No time for a long lunch? Maybe that beer truck is open for business!

Central of Georgia trains make some unexpected appearances.

Even more to enjoy. A caboose lettered, Central of Georgia. Rare!!

Southern Memories. This show turned out to be a nice surprise. Despite being a no frills package. It does contain an enjoyable show! The material is very rare.

Not much film has been released on any Southern railroads from the old days. Few were shooting there. Not much else has turned up. So, if this is of any interest. This is the move.