Category: Midwest Video Productions

Inside the Belt Railway of Chicago

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date March 30, 2023
No Comments on Inside the Belt Railway of Chicago

Producer: MVP

Locations: Clearing Yard

Timeframe:1990s

Length: 56 minutes

Here is a look at Operations on The Chicago Belt Railway. Comprehensive overview. Facilities with detailed visits. Belt Management and Employee interviews. Plenty of railroad action.

A single DVD-R. Maps are included. Narrated show. Preview section.

Clearing Yard is the highlight of this program. A massive place in Bedford Park, Illinois. Visit these: Tower, Hump, Diesel Service inside the Engine House.

Belt Railway is one of Chicagoland’s transfer railroads. Assorted mainline roads, drop-off, and pickup from them. See the yard jobs at work.

As with similar Midwest Video Productions from this era. The ones I have seen. Video quality is a concern.

A quick look at the Dispatch Office. There are 280 plus trains dispatched every 24 hours. Computers have replaced the earlier board in the background.

West Receiving Yard

SP Ore Train arrives

Arrivals enter here. SP unit ore MNGVC. Minnesota to Geneva Steel. C44-9W trio.

Freight car classification The Hump

Hump yard

East and West classification yards. Single Hump with bidirectional operation. Filmed from a catwalk in the Hump area.

GP38-2 Hump Locomotives

GP38-2 pair 491 and 490 are Hump engines with low-speed mods for this duty. Pacesetter controls and extra weight has been added for high performance in this service.

Note the Steam Era structures to the left. More is seen in the show. Diesel Shops, an old turntable, water tank.

Clearing Yard processes 4500 cars daily. They build trains for nine major railroads.

CSX Intermodal facility handles trailer and container traffic. Over 1/2 million yearly. There are a couple of quick shots there.

West Depature yard

Belt Railway 522

BRC 522 note the hand thrown turnouts. The BNSF is in the outbound area. Both Depature Yards are over 20 tracks each.

Canadian Pacific outbound

Soo/ Milwaukee Road bandits, 2064 and 2041 lead a Canadian Pacific Manifest outbound.

Engine Shops

Southern Pacific at Sanding Tower

Three SP mk rebuilds move in the Diesel Service area. Shops have interior scenes, like the cover.

Alco C424

The Alco C424 #604 sits outside of the Shop.

Many Cow and Calf combos are operating at Clearing. The 503 is a TR4A/ B set. These were rare in the 1990s.

Inside the Belt Railway of Chicago

An informative show on Belt Railway operations. Since, the basic principles are similar amoung many large yard facilities.

Viewers can gain knowledge of a working rail yard. Apply to general know-how. Great for Model Railroaders as well.

The show is a good one. As stated, it is the video quality that is a letdown. Historical value.

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars

Tags American Train Video Reviews, Canadian Pacific, Chicago railroad, CSX, Milwaukee Road, Santa Fe, Southern Pacific

ATVR Reviews Midwest Video Productions

Belt Lines of Chicago

Producer: Midwest Video Productions

Locations: Chicago area

Timeframe: 1996- 97

Length: 1 hour 28 minutes

Midwest Video highlights 3 key Belt Lines around the Chicago area. EJ&E, IHB and B&OCT. A well organized program. Yes, the fourth Belt Line appears in a separate series.

Nowadays, the B&OCT exists on paper. Today, we see it on the tracks, as CSX. The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern is a stand alone.

This is a DVD-R. Basic show here. Load and play. A narrative with good information. Display screen graphics, are full screen. Denote; Location and Railroads. Soundtrack is live Audio.

There are: Map references. Very helpful to unlocking the complicated trackage. The narrator takes the time with good explanation.

Narrator provides excellent details on train movements.

The video quality is far from current standards. Poor to fair overall. Color balance and frequent exposure issues. Too light or too dark colors, from this effect. Soft focus on modern HD screen. Edits are too abrupt at times. They interrupt the flow of the program.

Elgin Joliet & Eastern.

This show is divided into the three main Railroads. EJ&E has the leadoff position.

The Camcorder seems confused.

After viewing several of these MVD shows. All from the same time period. It appears to be the camera. Unable to discern, where to balance the light. Either that, or operator error on settings

Many shots begin overexposed. Little improvement seen.

This EJ&E part covers much territory. Overexposure is a major issue. The picture is too bright. Colors appear washed out. Sunlight is uncontrolled. Difficult to view comfortably.

A detailed map. Explanation of the operation and territory. Tower breakdowns. EJ&E begins at North end.

An SD in DM&IR paint on EJ&E train.

They show some DM&IR units in maroon paint. The above, is at Griffith. A parent Company owned both Railroads.

Southern Pacific appears at Griffith. SP is frequent around Chicago area.

Griffith Jct is a Featured hotspot. Has a Tower. Multiple Railroads use these tracks.

At East Joliet. This scene has better colors.

A good oral roundup of locations on EJ&E. The picture. Too bright, too dark. An occasional fair. The visuals are rough overall.

B&OCT / CSX.

The majority of the EJ&E, has poor color balance. This scene contains better imagery.

B&OCT is operating, under the CSX banner here. It was traditionally known as B&OCT. In fact, they used to letter those initials on the hood of some B&O looking, SW7 switchers!

CSX local and State Line Tower.

State Line Tower. Prominently featured hotspot.

Norfolk Southern Road railer moves through State Line Tower.

Norfolk Southern used State Line Tower, since the Norfolk and Western days. Above, An NS Road Railer train.

Indiana Harbor Belt.

Indiana Harbor Belt is the other third. These are intermixed. Both performing local transfer duties. IHB at one time, used New York Central look alike paint schemes, being partially owned by them.

State Line Crossing – (Featured) IHB operated tower is seen. This was once a major US hotspot. IHB. CSX. CP Rail. CSX local from Barr Yard. NS triple crown road railer

Even more trains here with CSX for Barr. IHB with Gibson yard traffic.

Hohman Ave Tower, under Conrail control. CSX, IHB. NS. Not shown in this review.

Canadian Pacific train going to Franklin Park yard.

Blue Island Jct. The Bridges seen here.

IHB SW7/9 pair . Argo Yard.

Argo Yard is shown, but only for a single shot. Argo Crossing receives greater screen time.

BNSF from Kansas City at Argo Crossing.

BNSF train, KCCH with engine 7423, on Illinois Central mainline at Argo Crossing.

Grand Trunk on IHB rails. Ducks under BN mainline at LaGrange.

LaGrange. Very brief. Grand Trunk runs on IHB track. BN tracks, mis- identification by narrator..

Soo Line paint on a CP train.

Franklin Park Tower B12. This has Soo Line paint on a CP move.

Transfer caboose of IHB.

Indiana Harbor Belt always had a caboose! At least until they did not. The transfer caboose was common.

Belt Lines of Chicago

Ends with non narrated Chicago Belt Railway preview footage clips. The Other Major Transfer Railroad. Has it’s own Midwest Video series, with clips at show’s end.

Amateur level video production. As far as the video itself. Ranges from poor to fair.

Does a fine job of sorting out the local trackage. Over 70 trains. See 7 Towers. Live sound is fine. Informative narration and graphics.. Video quality and edits are weak points. Drag it down to a lower rating.

Rating: 2 Stars

Tags American Train Video Reviews, Chicago railroad, CSX, trolley

ATVR Reviews Midwest Video Productions

Hot Spot: Argo

Producer: Midwest Video Productions/ Highball

Timeframe: 1995-1997

Locations: Bedford Park, Argo Yard, Argo Crossing. Elkhart, South Bend, LaPorte, IN.

Length: 83 minutes

MVP pulled the wool over buyer’s eyes here. Hot Spot: Argo, my foot! The show meanders, all over the place. Filler in front and behind.

This is exactly what drives buyers away, from train videos. Does not deliver on the advertised. Substandard viewing. Issue this junk. Then they whine… Where are the sales?

Where’s Argo? I did not see: Elkhart, South Bend or LaPorte, Indiana in the title. Nothing personal against Indiana.

This show was supposed to be about Hot Spot: Argo. That constitutes, Argo Yard and Argo Crossing. These locations are in Summit, Illinois. A specific targeted area. Inherent, are certain railroads and type of action, at those locations. I paid for THAT.

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Alternative. Look I get bunch of time filler… Not enough Argo in the can. Obviously.

What ripoff! No problem. Let’s have a look.

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We begin at a CSX ramp. This is listed. Feels like filler. This is Bedford Park. A little portion would pass. However, it does takes quite a while, to move away from this ramp. Twenty minutes. That is a big chunk.

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Sure. The vintage Belt locos are too cool. Perhaps, the best of show. Off topic, like much of the program. Proves my point actually.

No Chapter Menu, by the way.

Bedford Park CSX ramp. Runs excessive, considering the topic. Again, this is not the Hot Spot: Argo!

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Finally. We move. A map. He doesn’t bother to display the CSX ramp. Where we were stalled for so long. Does a good explanation of Indiana Harbor Belt and B&OCTRR, now CSX, trackage mapping. Ownership of IHB.

Which brings us to video quality…

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Throwback, would be a kind word. This appears one step above, a 1980’s era shot set of tapes. It is rough end to end.

Hard to watch. Lighting, colors, grain. He mentions some video lines! That is the least of the problems. UGLY!

Post production work may have been able to improve some of this. There is a general murkiness to much of the background. Auto-focus issues perhaps.

Narration offers plenty of train information. Train designation. Even where the trains are going. Including long haul destinations. Crew changes.

Audio is fine. Narration and live audio. No complaints.

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Argo Crossing. Used to be the GM&O line it crossed. Later on, that was Illinois Central Gulf into Illinois Central etc..

The steel truss bridge, crosses a canal in the background. At this point, the tower is in the process of demolition.

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Argo Yard is eventually acheived by the film crew. Nearly 28 minutes to arrive here! Too long, for the title and main feature.

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Argo Yard is a rather small one. Especially in the Chicago area. It is next to a humongous, Corn Products (CPC) plant. That has rail service. Surprisingly, this is not mentioned. Neither is the stench.

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Busy place. The 910 assignment switches the yard. Back and forth…

Argo is a crew change point.

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A Willow Springs bound power set passes by the camera.

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CN-GT power, with a Proviso to Blue Island transfer, via the IHB trackage. One never knows what will come down the tracks.

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A former CNW GP15 is now in Union Pacific colors. It is entering Argo Yard.

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Additional crew change. This BNSF train will travel to McCook Crossing. Not far.

Timing this at 54 minutes. That is all folks? Out of Argo already! Are you kidding?

Control point 466 at (who cares) Indiana. He mumbled it…

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However, by the time we are transported to Indiana. No map. All geographical orientation, goes out the window. Save for the location screens. Useless, sans a map.

Now, it is just an extended series of mindless runbys. Conrail action now, for the majority. A lack of being centered this round. Standing trackside in the middle of where? Makes all the difference…

(This deception, is about the equivalent of purchasing a show titled ‘Horseshoe Curve’ and spending more time, at alternate locations.

One would not expect to be spending significant time, trackside on a single CSX line, out in Ohio. Off topic, for a Horseshoe Curve titled show).

Same garbage here. How does Indiana relate to Hot Spot: Argo? Summit, Illinois.Does not fit.

Yet I myself digress. Back to our review. Back to Indiana. Back to the wasted money! Still stuck with a rather abysmal visual, as well. This isn’t much fun. Is it over yet??

On to Conrail’s Elkhart Yard. Still murky. Yawn.

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Where’s Argo?

Only 27 minutes @ Argo… Insulting!

There is nothing in this show, that you can’t find, in better quality elsewhere.

Wanted to sit back and enjoy the show. Ended up with this loser! One and done.

Argo… Not hardly. A Loser. Pass…

** BAD SHOW ALERT **

Rating : 1 Star

Tags American Train Video Reviews, Chicago railroad, CSX

ATVR Reviews Midwest Video Productions

A Day with Belt Railway of Chicago #525

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date January 31, 2019
No Comments on A Day with Belt Railway of Chicago #525

Producer: Midwest Video/ Highball

Timeframe: 1997

Locations: Bedford Park, Rockwell Street Yard, Clearing Yard, Nabisco

Length: 1 hour 25 minutes

Source: MVP

Midwest Video Productions had a series, based on Chicago area belt lines. Railroad switching companies, that serve the Chicago area.

Interchange service, that was part of why this city was the rail hub capital of the industry. Transfer train service across the city. Local delivery, as well. Belt Railway of Chicago is one of these railroads.

A Day With Belt Railway of Chicago #525. June 19, 1997. East End Series . Second Program. SW1200. 3 man crew.

Rockwell Street Yard. East End industries

In this episode, Belt #525 is followed as it goes about it’s daily chores. Viewers get a complete look at the job. Dispatcher’s office to locomotive controls. A hands on experience, well close enough for video.

The local ‘Cookie Job’ will switch a Nabisco plant. That will come later. It does have other tasks to perform.

An onboard camera allows us to cabride with the working crew. Additional ground camera augments the views.

Overall image quality, is somewhat disappointing. Considering the year it was shot. Expected more clarity, and better color balance. Inconsistency is the main issue. Although mostly in the good range. Not comparable to other companies videos, recorded during the same years. Probably, the original field equipment that was used.

The edits are often too abrupt. Not really bad. Just not smooth, pro transitions.

Check the too bright Union Pacific locos. Minor example.

Perhaps the imagery could have been improved in post production. Same with edits. Time is money, they say.

Fade to black and voila! Basic information screens.

This is how the program proceeds.

There is full narration. Live employee audio is sometimes heard. All audio is very clear. Enviornmental sounds include those of the trains.

The narrative is informative. At certain times, it falls short. Those familiar with the area, want to know… Which chemical plant?

Some maps are referenced early on. These outline the area visited. Covered.

It is interesting to watch the engineer work the locomotive controls. Listen to the radio chatter of our train. See it back up through diverging trackage.

Sensible editing keeps the show moving along. More critical than most realize!

Rather surprising, as all the turnouts are hand thrown! Even in the classification yard. That’s a different experience in minus 20 degrees wind chill. We are here in June.

The Cookie Job finally makes it to the plant. Tight clearances. This place is massive!

Nabisco is one of their largest plants! Flour, granulated sugar, liquid sugar, corn syrup and packaging products. All move via rail. The Cookie Job is very busy here.

In and out of Rockwell Yard. This is a big part of how the crew on 525 spends the day. Switching the local industries. Nabisco was last…

Pickup some cars and return to Clearing Yard. Park the locomotive, and done!

Some other various road power is encountered. Union Pacific, Conrail… This is Chicago!

A Day with Belt 525. This is an experience. Viewers will come away with the feel of what working a switch job is like.

Making it safely over the route. The routine and somewhat repetitive workload. Paying attention to surroundings and safety. Bits of humour. You may feel a bit tired, at the end of the day!

Good narration. Good audio. Video portion, far below expectations. Sum total; is a well put together program, with the listed faults.

The weak video, does make me hesitant to jump on the remainder, of similar MVP shows. At least, same years Chicago. A bump up, for the uniqueness of this show.

Far from perfect… Have a cookie!

Rating: 3 Stars