Tag: Canadian Pacific

ATVR Reviews Clear Block

Into the 90’s Soo Volume 3

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date April 19, 2024
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Producer: Clear Block

Locations: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri

Timeframe: 1990s

Length: 1 hour 50 minutes

Source: Todd Miller

Third and final volume of the Soo Line in the 1990’s series. Focus is on Kansas City and Louisville lines. Trackage is mostly, ex: Milwaukee Road and Rock Island.

A single DVD-R. Videotape source. Live audio. Todd Miller narrates. Maps are included. No main menu or advance feature.

The Videography is solid. Appears somewhat faded for much of the show. Videotape flaws throughout although minor ones. Soundtrack is lively. Good balance of narration and train sounds. Obviously, not modern sharpness. Historical value.

Some other railroad locomotives. Burlington Northern, Chicago Northwestern, GATX, Norfolk Southern and more…

To the Trains…

CP Rail with 2 Flags logo

CP Rail 5773 is street running with a Soo unit. Albany, Indiana.

Note the semaphore dropping

At Mitchell, Indiana. Here is an Eastbound as it splits the semaphores. Soo Line SD60 6002 leads red 6050. The B&O had crossed Monon in Mitchell.

Street running

6604 in the rain travels through Bedford.

Linton

Multiple old Milwaukee Road bandits on a lash-up with a Coal Move. Linton, IN.

Blue Island bridges in the background

The show continues with a look at the Chicago to Kansas City route. Begins at the famous Blue Island bridges. Soo train 240 to Louisville passes the street tower. 6034 leads. There is some good traffic here.

Along the Mississippi River

Soo SD60 6028 passes under the former Rock Island main at Davenport.

EMD switchers

Bandit Milwaukee Road MP15 switchers stand around at Muscatine.

Soo 6055 fronts this red pair on joint trackage with Union Pacific.

Three birds with one stone. A meet of CP Rail power with Union Pacific nearing Kansas City. There are plenty of freights around Santa Fe Junction in Kansas City.

Soo caboose in late paint.

Into the 90’s Soo Volume 3

A tour of additional trackage of the Soo Line up to 1996. The show is well done for its age.

Fine companion to the previous two volumes. Not modern picture quality. However, Soo is one of those harder to find railroads. Good for Soo Line fans.

Rating: 4 Stars

Tags American Train Video Reviews, Canadian Pacific, Chicago railroad, railroads, Soo Line, trains

ATVR Reviews Pentrex

The Best of Midwest Volume 3

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date April 1, 2024
No Comments on The Best of Midwest Volume 3

Producer: Pentrex

Locations: KS, MO, IA, WI, MS.

Timeframe: circa 1999

Length: 1 hour 21 minutes

The third installment of this Pentrex series. Midwestern area. Class Ones and smaller railroads are the subject material. Coverage is across 5 States.

Union Pacific is the big boy of this show on the Coffeyville sub. Also the Spine Line on the Albert Lea subdivision. Illinois Central is on the mainline in Iowa. BNSF’s St. Croix sub in Prescott, Wisconsin. Canadian Pacific’s River sub at Hastings, Minnesota. Regionals include; I&M Rail Link in Iowa plus Wisconsin Central’s Superior sub. There is enough Southern Pacific paint within for a guest star role.

A single DVD-R. Live environmental audio. Choice of On/ Off narration. On-screen graphics with symbols and further train info. Plenty of MAPS! Previews.

Dependable Pentrex quality. David Drui with a sharp narrative. Excellent Videography. Professional in every aspect.

To the Trains…

North Antelope Mine to Newark, AK

Show leads off with Union Pacific on the Coffeyville sub. Eastern Kansas to KC. At Bucyrus, train C-NANW travels to Newark, Arkansas, with a coal move. Led by SD9043MAC 8032. Early version SD90MAC with 4300hp.

Illinois Central 8732

Illinois Central has a nice extended chapter. Having left Webster City, ICRR GP11 8732 with a local freight. Travels yonder to Fort Dodge Yard.

IMRL Train 377

I&M Rail Link. Marquette to Mason City, Iowa line. Train 377 is followed to Mason City. Number 384, ex: BCOL SD-38 is the lead unit. Trailing is a former Southern in Susquehanna livery. Manifest, Marquette to Mason City.

CNW 8613 with O-MIGV

Leaving Mason City. Action directs Northbound via Union Pacific. The Spine Line is ex: Rock Island to St. Paul. CNW leased the line after Rock Island closed. A CNW C44-9W 8613 is in charge at Manly, Iowa. Minneapolis to Geneva, Utah. O-MIGV is the symbol for this Taconite move. It’s a long chapter.

Albert Lea Tower

Albert Lea Tower is a rare survivor. Another Taconite move with Southern Pacific units leading.

C-NAPU

UP EMDs on a Coal Train to Green Bay. Albert Lea Yard. Gets transferred to WC for final delivery.

Hastings Patrol

Twin Cities leads to Hasings, MN. Canadian Pacific 4599 is resplendent in a fresh Golden Beaver scheme. The ex: Soo Line GP38 is operating in Hastings at the old Milwaukee depot.

Burns on BNSF

4384 in BNSF Heritage premium paint. This Manifest symbol is M- NSINTW1-01. This is Burns on the BNSF trackage. Chicago to Northtown Yard. Norfolk Southern origin. The lift bridge spans the St. Croix River.

Junction City

WC is the final chapter. Junction City, Wisconsin is a hotspot. This Canadian National freight with 5690 leads number 177. The 6 unit lash-up rolls past the camera. Intermodal to Winnipeg.

Wisconsin Central F45 6655 and SD45 6598 on WC Train 18. Wausau to Stevens Point. Led by an Electromotive cowl diesel, these are highlight lineups for Railfans.

The Best of the Midwest Volume 3

An interesting assortment of railroads and locomotives. The high level of detailed information is great! In fact, the subtitles are fascinating. One wonders when trackside. What is the origin and destination of many trains? The foreign power too. Trackage rights, or leased motors?

The combined: narrative, train info, and maps are more intriguing than the ugly graffiti disfigurements on the freight cars.

Notice the contemporary era is best when featuring scenery or a ton of good information.

One would think that map references would be a standard on the majority of shows in the marketplace. They add a sense of geographical awareness and scale to a show. Sadly, this important facet is often neglected so often. Fine work here.

This is a fast paced show. The variety and detail create an enjoyable presentation. Well done Pentrex!

Rating: 5 Stars

Tags American Train Video Reviews, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, Chicago North Western, Chicago railroad, Coal, Illinois Central, railroads, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific

ATVR Reviews Pentrex

Those Incredible Alcos Volume 3

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date March 24, 2024
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Producer: Pentrex

Locations: USA, Canada, Mexico

Timeframe: 1986-1997

Length: 1 hour 58 minutee

The final installment of this series. Each features Alco diesel locomotives. Later models appropriate to the time progression. Big Century road power is featured. Schenectady built to Montreal Locomotive Works.

These engines are seen on a variety of railroads. Mainline, Shortlines and Industrial service. Contains some previously released film.

A single DVD. Main Chapter Menu by locomotive types. Billboards with locomotive specifications. No maps. Narration by Dave Drui.

Schenectady built designations. C-425 example. C for Century type. 4 is the four axles. 25 shows 2500 horsepower.

By the way. The old rule of thumb on Alco versus Electromotive of LaGrange engines. The Alcos blow black smoke. The EMDs blow blue.

To the Trains..

MLW RS-27

Montreal built RS-27/C424 types with CP Rail 4217/ 4250. Brownsville Jct, Maine, a freight from Canada to the Banger and Aroostook.

Former Delaware and Hudson

Two Centuries to New Brighton, Minnesota. C-424M is Delaware and Hudson. Old number was 462. Cheap paint over marks it as 62 now. The D&H was rebuilt. GBW 313 trails.

Hamburg, New York

Susquehanna 2010 with a high hood. Hamburg, New York. A C-420. 251 powered and was originally on Long Island.

Holbrook, Arizona

C-420M operate at Holbrook, Arizona, on the Apache Railway. The 5 units pull into the yard. This being located off the Santa Fe mainline.

Alco C-628 in Mexico

C-628. The last Survivors were working for FCP in Mexico. Number 606 was built in 1966. Pentrex Mexico’s Pacifico Railroad the source for this footage.

C-425

C-425. Erie Lackawanna had the first order. Former BCOL 603 is on Mohawk, Adirondack and Northern at Rome, New York.

The gray was originally Monon.

A trio of Alco diesels at Browns, Illinois. Lead is ex: L&N. The former BN was previously on KYLE.

Reading and Northern puffing smoke

C-630 5308 is restored in Reading Lines- Beeline Service scheme. This is on Reading and Northern. A 3000 horsepower diesel. Owned by Reading Technical and Historical Society. Working on a Special Excursion Train with an ex: GBW engine, nee Reading Lines.

Cape Breton

C-630M trio on Cape Breton. Trains operating in Nova Scotia. Impressive to see these hauling freight at track speed. Additional units in BC Rail paint are viewed in Mexico, working for FNM.

Alco in center is former demo.

Cartier still operating C-636 and M-636 models. They haul ore predominantly.

HR-616

Continues with a variety of Bombardier built units. HR-616 was a modernized Century.

Those Incredible Alcos Volume 3

An intriguing show packed with hard to find Alco and Montreal Locomotive Works power. Visits multiple countries to document the assorted examples. No vintage footage. Seems to have been shot in the 1990s.

There is much more to see. Obviously, the review format just has highlights.

The usual high quality Pentrex production.

Alcophiles need this program. Plenty of surprises and perhaps unknown diesels. Any Model Railroader od Railfan should find this wide-ranging show interesting.

Rating: 5 Stars

Tags American Train Video Reviews, Canada, Canadian Pacific, Chicago railroad, railroads, railway, trains, transportation

ATVR Reviews Pentrex

The Best of the Midwest Volume 2

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date February 29, 2024
No Comments on The Best of the Midwest Volume 2

Producer: Pentrex

Locations: NE, MN, IL, IA, SD, WI

Timeframe: 1990s

Length: One hour 30 minutes

A second compilation in The Best of the Midwest series. BNSF, Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific are the featured class ones. Shortlines: Nebkota, Dakota Southern plus Minnesota Central. Covers six States. Available in a 3 Volume set or individually.

A single DVD-R. Main Chapter Menu. On-screen graphics. Maps. Previews. On/ Off narrative. Narrated by Dave Drui.

Usual Pentrex high-quality show.

To the Trains…

F units in revenue service

Nebkota operates on the former CNW Cowboy Line in Nebraska.

SD9 leads a train to Missouri River bridge

Dakota Southern is on ex: Milwaukee Road rails. Kadota, SD. to Mitchell, South Dakota. This begins at Chamberlain Yard and is headquarters. An Alco C-420 and EMD SD-9 are the power for today. The 4427 leads an empty Hopper move past their Union Pacific Centennial.

Morton, Minnesota

The third shortline is Minnesota Central. Trackage is ex: Minneapolis and St. Louis. A trio of first generation Electromotive geeps with a Clay Train at Morton.

Illinois Zephyr

BNSF Mendota sub. This former Burlington Route line goes from Chicago to Galesburg, Illinois. Amtrak Illinois Zephyr blows by Sandwich.

Galesburg

BN 2770 is a GP39e at Galesburg with mixed freight.

Z train

BNSF St. Croix sub is next. More former CB&Q trackage. St.Paul to LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Z-CHCSTP9 at Bay City, WI. This being a Chicago to St. Paul Intermodal.

H-NTWBRC. A high priority Manifest from Northtown to Belt Railway of Chicago. BN painted 8079 leads.

Rum River

More BNSF on the Staple sub in Minnesota. Here is ex: Northern Pacific from Minneapolis to St. Cloud. Action at Anoka. S-CHCSEA1 over Rum River. A stack train routed Chicago to Seattle.

Medina, Minnesota

Canadian Pacific on the Paynesville route. This was Soo Line. Westbound from Minneapolis area. CP 5731 in front at Medina. This 565 move is St. Paul to Winnipeg. A long chapter.

Iowa has Union Pacific on the Boone sub. Chapter. Mainline to Chicago. Ames, Iowa.

Ames

Speaking of CNW. A pair of GP38 locos at Ames and going to Boone. The 4706 leads 4711. Plenty of CNW paint on this sub.

Work caboose

This former MoPac caboose had it’s attractive red paint traded for a Maintenance of Way dip job. Union Pacific.

The Best of the Midwest Volume 2

A diverse entry with 1990s entries. The timeframe offers unrepainted power from mega mergers. Also, some Shortlines.

Interesting show. Good for Railfans and Model Railroaders. The frequent maps are excellent. Simple but effective.

A fine show with variety.

Rating: 5 Stars

Tags American Train Video Reviews, Amtrak, Burlington Northern, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Canadian Pacific, Chicago North Western, Chicago railroad, non-fiction, railroads, trains, Union Pacific

ATVR Reviews Green Frog Prod.

CN North America Volume 3

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date February 22, 2024
No Comments on CN North America Volume 3

Producer: Green Frog

Locations: Pontiac, Detroit, Royal Oak…

Timeframe: 2001

Length: 1 hour 35 minutes

Source: Rich Schied

Travel on former Grand Trunk Western in Michigan. New is the CN North American livery. Start in downtown Pontiac on Holly subdivision. Goes to Detroit. South to Lang Yard in Ohio. End of CN North America division is there.

This is available as part of a Green Frog CN North America set in 4 Volumes.

DVD-R. Hidden Chapter advance. No map. Live audio. Narrated by Peter Youngblood.

High-quality Green Frog production. Image and audio are fine.

To the Trains…