Railroad DVDs wanted
Kentish Contractor
looking for DVDs of the more scenic journeys, such as drivers eye
views.
Can anyone tell me what's available and where to get them. I am aware
of the Durango & Silverton videos.
Thanks
KC
Richard Steinfeld
Hello, KC.
I'm sure that there are videos that you would enjoy. I've seen
such things advertised as continuous drivers-eye view of the
Northeast Corridor segments, for example.
Trips that I've ridden myself that I enjoyed for the scenery have
been The Coast Starlight (from perhaps 10 miles north of Paso
Robles, California and southward to, let's say, Oxnard; the
traditional Chesapeake and Ohio (now CSX) from Charleston, West
Virginia east to Charlottsville, Virginia, , but especially
through the New River Gorge. I'd add the crossing of the Sierra
on the former SP between Sacramento, California and Reno, Nevada.
Also, the Delaware and Hudson route (now CP) from Schnectady, NY
to the Canadian border (I forgot the train name; I think it's The
Adirondack). There's lots more, of course. These are just the
ones I've been on that come to mind. I'd add the route along the
Hudson River between Penn Station, Manhattan, and Albany NY. The
section on Manhttan Island is a former New York Central freight
route that crosses the Harlem River on an almost ancient swing
bridge exactly at the point where the Harlem joins the Hudson.
The eastern approaches to Penn Station in NYC are very
interesting, and the view of Manhattan from the Hell Gate Bridge
approach is very interesting, showing Manhattan from an unusual
perspective. So, this is now Amtrak's only route from NYC east.
This entire section is part of the Northeast Corridor and would
be covered in, let's say, a video covering Penn Station through
Rye, New York.
I never got into train films because so many of them bore me from
the get-go and/or don't have lasting power (better for me to
borrow or rent them). I can only watch freight cars moving past a
grade crossing at close range for five seconds before I start
throwing dishes at the TV. Some video makers pride themselves on
showing the entire mile-long train this way. If you're going to
get them from here, make sure that they'll play on your DVD
machine and that the picture will meet your national video
standard (DVDs and players are nationally coded and our national
video systems are not the same).
I think that you'll see a lot of videos advertised on the Trains
Magazine web site and in Trains Magazine itself. I wish that I
could get my hands on a few issues of BackTrack magazine, but
their distribution in the US self-destructed a while ago. This
magazine also has reviews which may tip you off about which ones
may meet your tastes.
I'm interested in knowing what you wind up with.
Richard
Kentish Contractor
I've managed to get Great American Scenic Railroads, believe it or
not, in individual volumes from a local market stall. My favourite has
to be disk 5, Durango & Silverton, and Cumbres & Toltec.
One historic railroad I would love to have video of, is the Sierra,
with it's famous locomotive that has been used in numerous movies.
You mentioned the Hudson line, which immediately brings to mind it's
use in Hello Dolly, with Garrison being used as Yonkers.
I could talk for hours about railroad movie locations.
Thanks
KC