Wouldn’t this be a good idea? … because right now there are far too many worthless home shopping channels as well as other garbage on cable. And if it’s not just about railroading, how about transportation in general? Then every so often at least a train video could be aired.
There’s a Discovery Wings. Why not a Discovery Rails?
I don’t know if there would be enough material out there for an all-train channel, but an all transportation channel would be awsome…
I know I would watch.
Checkout RFD-TV if you can get it. They have a different program every week at various times about railroads. Usually a film from one of the commercial producers, so it is good stuff. Scan for “locomotives”
Oh yes there could be. Think of all the NMRA, Trains Magazines, hobbyshop, model railroading manufactures and video producers that would climb on board to fill in with shows.
Not to mention you could get the railroads, builders, lessors,equipment manufacturers and organizations like Operation Lifesaver on board.
I suspect the video producers would want paid for their material to be shown on a syndicated cable channel. Whether they would trade “air time” and shameless plugs of their material in exchange for sponsoring an hour of programming remains to be seen.
What ever happened to ‘Trains Unlimited’? it was a cable program about railroads.
Good Idea! It would be nice to watch a channel like that. But until that happens, I will be trackside!
I dont think that had enough money to continue the program. I occasionally still see re-runs maybe once or twice a year.
Also, check out Modern Marvels on…um I forget what channel its on…I think The Learning Channel. They have shown the Dash-9 already on it and other railroad stuff.
Modern Marvels is on the History Channel.
I would love to see an all railroad channel but there is probably not enough continued commercial advertiser support to make it happen. An all transportation channel greatly expands the possibilities but I still don’t know if it has the attraction to keep commercial advertisers paying the bill. Even if the producers would trade program for commercial air time (I doubt they would) it is a small part of the cost of transmitting the program to you.
The garbage home shopping channels are there because they work, people actually buy that stuff and that pays the freight. It is the same as the railroad transporting a product from supplier to customer.
Trains Unlimited can still be seen from time to time on the “History Channel International”. As of now, there is none showing. Here is the link
http://www.historychannel.com/global/listings/listings.jsp?NetwCode=HCI
Also on some of your PBS station, you will find ‘Tracks Ahead’.
tom
I saw an episode of track ahead one time on PBS, it seemed to be an early 90s re-run, but I found it very interesting indeed.
I always watch for it in the listing, but never seem to come across it.
I don’t think it would fly–although I like the way you think. As many train buffs as there are, there are probably 450 times as many military buffs–ranging from Napoleonic, Civil War, naval warfare, modren military opperations, etc.
Admittedly, Discovery, A&E, and the History Channel run a lot of programs for such people. But, the fact that there is no channel for them indicates we are a long way away from seeing a less popular transportation/train channel.
Alas, (despite spending a considerable amount of my years reading about naval history) I would much rather watch mankind build things for the betterment of mankind rather than blow things up to mankind’s detriment–so I would be all for a train channel. I don’t expect to see it in my lifetime though. But, then again, I wouldn’t have expected to see a golf or cooking channel, so there is always hope.
Gabe
I have to agree!
rfd tv has trains and locomotives and trackside and i love toy train videos
the A&E network(history channell too) did trains and locomotives and modern marvels
pbs locally runs the tracks ahead and new thomas episodes.
check local listings
matt and I are good to go
stay safe
Joe
I also agree with Gabe, but if a really good format could be put together you never know. Maybe start the day with rail business and safety issues like Operation Lifesaver. Then during the evening you put shows on about railroad history and hobby. Then there could also be trackside shows, which could preach safety and instruct fans on where there are good places much like what is already done on Trains webiste. But, the best we’re going to get is the scattered tidbits on the various networks already mentioned.
“Trains Unlimited” can be seen on in the Chicago area on Comcast High-definition PBS channel only. For some reason the regular PBS station does not include it in its programming. But the HD picture is incredible.
“Trains Unlimited” or “Tracks Ahead”? The local PBS channel dropped “Tracks Ahead” about a decade ago.
Backing up gabe and n-stephenson, I think railroads have as much to cover as airplanes. Air history goes back to the early 20th century wheras railroads go back even further by another hundred years. Just look at how many DVDs and VHS tapes are out there now. The library is huge!
Was ESPN the result of Sports Illustrated? Discovery Rails + Trains Magazine? Hmmm
RFN = Railfan Network
RRC = Railroad Channel
TMC = Trains Magazine Channel
There are enough programs dotted around that are regularly shown to support this. York Pennsylvania has “Rails around York”, MPT (a PBS channel) shows “America’s scenic railroads”, Trains Unlimited was excelent (and that was a history channel show by the way), and should be brought back. The potential is out there, and there are quite a few viewers who would watch it. Make some of the daytime programming family-oriented, and kids would watch it.
Dish Network Has RFD TV on channel 9409 and they air "Trains And Locomotive on Monday nights at 10:00 Mountian Time.
The cable channel would be a good idea, it would give all the Model Manufacturers, Railfanning Equipment Companies and Even Railroads themselve a great place to advertise.
The idea should get piched to Discovery.