Tag: Steam engine

ATVR Reviews Herron Rail

Reflections of the C&O Volume 1

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date May 1, 2024
No Comments on Reflections of the C&O Volume 1

Producer: James Herron

Locations: Kentucky, West Virginia

Timeframe: 1940- 1971

Length: 76 minutes

Sources: multiple

Old and rare Chesapeake and Ohio films from various sources. Contains black and white, to color films.

Lexington subdivision covers Louisville to Ashland line. The Logan sub and more.

A regular DVD on this one. Main Chapter Menu. Maps and diagrams are included. Narration by Danny Harmon. On/ Off narration choice.

Film quality varies by years. The early black and white footage is fair to good. Color is better. Audio is dubbed with train sounds and music. Script is excellent with many details and history. Still photographs and plentiful maps augment the program.

To the Trains…

Louisville in 1951

C&O 2737 arrives at Central Station in Louisville. Kanawha 2734 2-8-4 is the power. The year is 1951 for this rare scene. IC plus B&O are also shown, along with more C&O locomotives.

C&O Mikado 1166 was one of the 2-8-2 class usually assigned to freight duty. Arrival of Train 295 from Louisville passing MN Tower. Nice mix of freight and passenger moves.

Color is a major step up. The steam in color is hard to find.

In 1959 a rare BL2. This #1841 is a substitution for the regular C&O E8 power. The George Washington train.It arrives at Frankfort, Kentucky.

Electromotive only sold 59 units. This model was a modified F3 design. Several of these Chesapeake and Ohio units were equipped for passenger service. The BL2 was a predecessor to the highly successful GP7 and similar road switchers that followed.

They were traded into EMD for GP30 locomotives in 1962. Probably cut up at neighbor Pielet Brothers.

Lexington Yard

Over to Lexington. Train 23 at Lexington yard office. The area is visited with many trains.

Lexington Station

The last L&N led by 607 pulls into Lexington Station in June, 1956.

1971

Train 21 departing Lexington en route to Louisville in this pre-Amtrak scene from 1971.

C&O EMD GP7 5815 brings freight to the L&N yard. Note the modern livery.

B&O E8 at Louisville

B&O 1465 backs it’s consist into Louisville Station in 1969 on a cold day.

MN Tower

L&N GP7 404 at MN Tower in South Louisville.

The 610 en route to Hinton, WV.

Eastbound #93 freight is behind engine 610 as it leaves the Ashland Yard. Additional 1950s steam engines are in color at Russell, Kentucky and beyond.

2716 moves to a museum

The 2716 is donated to a museum in Louisville May, 1959.

Caboose 3545

Reflections of the C&O Volume 1

First. Vintage C&O film is rare. Not much in the marketplace. Generally, there were few filming trains South of Ohio in the East.

This collection is fairly extensive with ten film sources. Several of the mainline stations have highly detailed visits.

Film quality is source dependent. Much is grainy or soft focus 8mm. Especially the black and white footage. Some brief scenes in color are very good.

Danny Harmon is the smooth announcer on Herron Video. He is their best man.

Vintage Chesapeake and Ohio was seldom filmed. Especially steam era. This railroad was difficult to access in most places. Bad automobile roads in those days. Easier to cover railroads like Baltimore and Ohio or Pennsylvania Railroad were the popular choices.

This show provides an interesting look at assorted C&O as advertised. Well paced and constructed. It moves along quickly. The main caveat is the overall film quality. Historical value is paramount here. Vintage Chesapeake and Ohio is one of those hard to find railroads. Herron has done a good job, considering the old film sources.

Bump this up for the scarcity factor.

Rating: 5 Stars

Tags American Train Video Reviews, C&O, Coal, non-fiction, Railroad, Steam, Steam engine, steam train

ATVR Reviews Main Line Motion Pictures Pentrex

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 Charles Smiley Presents

Canadian Electric Rails

Producer: Charles Smiley

Timeframe: 1950s

Locations: Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, more

Length: 1 hour 11 minutes

Sources: William Warrick, William Whittaker, Bentley Salkeld, Lloyd Salkeld, Richard Pratt

Charles Smiley takes us back in time. The decade of the 1950s. Five Electric lines in Canada. Always said that Charles would have made a great History Instructor. Here is an opportunity to see and learn!

A single, factory pressed DVD. Detailed Chapter Menu. A 20 minute bonus section of previews. All the usual CSP extras. On-screen graphics. Custom made reference maps.

Let’s look at the five individually.

Predominantly, a color film program. Small segments, of black and white footage. All restored to best appearance. PBS style program. Period photographs. Meticulous attention; to a recreation of trolley/ streetcar sounds and environment. Background music that is appropriate. Everything is first class. Full narration by Charles Smiley.

London & Port Stanley

This electrified line ran from Port Stanley to London. Recreational passenger service, and local service.

Station @St. Thomas, Ontario.

BX Tower. The Interurban lines had facilities similar to regular railroads. Yards, Towers, Stations and some a turntable. Specialized equipment too.

Niagara, St. Catherine’s & Toronto

The largest Company. Controlled by Canadian National. Served Niagara Falls, amoung other areas. Commonly known as the NS&T.

One of many custom made maps.

Charles will use still photographs to augment discussions. NS&T freight motors here. Maintenance of way and various passenger cars, are some additional subjects. Valuable information.

Toronto Transit

Original, 1938 built streetcar. You will learn much about the history of the Toronto system. Excellent city scenes!

1954 Stop with PCC car. What is PCC? Inquire within…

Before the Internet… Newspapers were vital. Big cities offered Morning and Evening editions. A Newspaper truck!

This was the first Toronto Subway. Some sections ran above ground. Many scenes are long gone.

Montreal & Southern Counties

Scenes from the early 1950s to about 1958.

A more involved map. Green line is M&SC. This line ran 47 miles, to Granby.

Connecting the city to countryside. Before, the advent of common automobile travel, with good roads.

Montreal street scene, with a classic 1950s work vehicle. A panel truck. Makes my day!

Quebec Railway Light & Power

The most interesting streetcar line, to myself. This turntable was used at Quebec City.

Served a huge textile mill. Scenic Montmorency Falls, as well. Also, the substantial Cathedral at St. Anne’s.

Another Canadian National line. Yes, there are several CN Steam locomotives. Brief appearances, in this show.

This is an intriguing journey into the past Interurban history of Eastern Canada. Never considered that they had trolley service. Charles Smiley has a class on this subject. Learned quite a bit. Viewed another world, that has long since passed.

Rating: 5 Stars

Tags American Train Video Reviews, Canada, Canadian National, electric, PBS style, Railroad, Steam, Steam engine, transportation, trolley

ATVR Reviews Catenary Video

Southern Pacific Steam Boxset

Post author By William J. Hudson
Post date May 17, 2012
No Comments on Southern Pacific Steam Boxset

Southern Pacific Steam Boxset

Catenary Video Productions

Format: 4 DVD boxset (Factory pressed discs)

Length: about 4 hours

Time Period: circa 1950

Locations: California- Oregon

Sources: many

MSRP: 139.80

These 4 shows have all been individually reviewed on ATVR.

The boxset has the shows housed in this cardboard case. Each disc is in the normal DVD case. Outer box looks nice, a little thin.

Artwork is nicely finished. The shows are in the standard DVD plastic cases. They match the single releases. The box is the extra feature.

The 4 programs are all excellent. There are many rarities to see. Tight scripts and sharp editing are very professional. Vintage footage has been processed for best possible quality. Narrator has a very dry style, and is the weak spot of these shows.

The reviewed set was the 2007 remasters. Have not seen any previous versions. The remasters are excellent. An uncommon high quality feature, these are factory pressed DVDs. Most production companies use the cheaper DVD-R discs. The factory discs are more durable to own.

A brief overview of the shows. See the full reviews on American Train Video Reviews.

For maximum enjoyment- these screenshots are different, than the full reviews!

Shasta Route: Volume 1

Timeframe from 1940’s to 1957. Scenic Siskiyou Line and desert type Modoc Line.

Plenty of SP passenger trains.

Dunsmuir

Scenic splendor.

Action on the Siskiyou Line.

Cab Forwards galore!

Classic- Southern Pacific Daylight train. The brand new E7 diesels are on a preview run!

Shasta Route: Volume 2

Mostly in Oregon. Cascade, Siskiyou and Modoc lines. Cab rides are included.

Many steam and early diesel locomotives, operating in Oregon.

Alco PA’s were the modern diesel of choice on passenger trains. Shasta Springs at dusk.

A 1949 cab ride aboard a daylight livery Alco PA is a highlight of this show. Cab Forwards are easily found. That’s brake smoke from the oncoming freight train. There is a wealth of cab ride action. Logging also is another highlight.

Dunsmuir.

San Joaquin Route: Volume 3

Oakland to Los Angeles. Tehachapi Loop. Circa 1950.

Many passenger trains in this show.

Ever see the movie Duel? That background gasoline tanker truck looks like the one!

LCL was: Less than Car Load. Many facets are seen, of other operations on SP.

Tehachapi Loop hosts much action in this show!

Freight trains are seen with mostly steam power. Those mid-train helpers are a must.

Coast Route: Volume 4

Los Angeles to San Francisco. SP Daylight trains are found here. Very Colorful show!

SP Coast Daylights are the stars. This is the place for these classic steam locomotives.

Ride on a Coast Daylight, behind steam!

Cab Forwards and doubleheaded steam. There are additional combinations in the show.

The Southern Pacific Coast Route, contains some ocean views, as seen here.

Catenary Video has a high quality series with, Southern Pacific Steam. The 4 volumes are very enjoyable. Any railfan with an interest in steam, will find this a valuable collection.

This set should be considered a deluxe level release. Heavily researched, very detailed, and well written programs. The only weakness, is the narrator: dry and rather boring to hear. Everything else in the shows is excellent, we’ll forgive the choice of the voice.