STEAM ON DVD

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

This will be my first time buying steam on dvd. So I need your help.

Can someone/anyone recomend a good quality steam action dvd??

It can be standard or narrow gauge action.

I would like it to be as real as possible, but not with all that extra black smoke that they just put on for showing off and for drive by’s, but as an everyday operation.

It doesn’t matter if it’s passenger or Freight.

Thanx.

Mark.

2

My favorite is “Runnin’ That New River Train” by Hopewell Productions. It is available from O Gauge Publishing (or just OGR) for $19.95. http://ogaugerr.com/railroad/index.php?cPath=25_29 This link should take you there. I also recommend Herron Rail for their videos made from vintage movie film. Nobody showing off - just railroads doing their thing back in the day.

3

Check around for videos by Machines of Iron, a series that ran on RFD-TV. I don’t know who sells them, but some of their episodes were about steam locomotives. Hopewell productions was one company that was involved in producing MOI videos.

4

Well, could you be a little more specific on what you’re looking for?? Do you want a DVD of current restored steam running, or are you looking for historical film footage transfered to DVD??

5

Historical film footage is good.

Restored steam is good.

So both would be good.

.

Mark.

6

Golden Twilight of Postwar Steam

There’s three volumes, I only have Vol.1 (above) but I like it. It’s nice in that you can turn the narration off. After I’ve watched a video a time or two I don’t really need the narration anymore, so I set it to just have the train sounds and video.

Midwest Challenger (Scroll down, I think it’s the third DVD down.)

This DVD from Highball Productions shows UP 3985 (4-6-6-4) running on it’s Upper Midwest tour in Sept 2008. It only costs $10 if you buy another DVD at the same time. It starts with a tour of the cab, then has a long stretch of run-bys with no narration.

If you check out online, or at the LHS, or a DVD/Video dealer at a flea market, you’ll see there are literally thousands of DVDs and Videos out there now about steam, covering all areas of the country (and the world - don’t forget about those Chinese engines that are still in daily use over there!) using both current video and historical film footage.

7

if it is steam action that you are looking for i would strongly recomend getting extreme steam.it is a six disc set with 12 hours of steam action,i own tis set and i watch it with great enthusiasim.it is by pentrax,visit www.pentrax.com for more information.hopes this helps

8

Pentrex’s Cubres & Toltec Scenic RR: Passenger Train is great video and has some shots in the cab and some doubleheader action![8D] http://www.pentrex.com/catspdvd.html

Pentrex’s Cab Foward Collection is very good and is filled with all the different types of Cab Fowards and shows the last run of a Cab Forward. Also, it show the Cab Forward being pushed into the California State RR muesum. http://www.pentrex.com/pccfdvd.html

Pentrex’s Today’s Steam Across America has pretty much all the Mainline Excursion engines you can think of, like the N&W 611 & 1218, SOU 4501, NKP 587, NKP 765, FRISCO 1522, A&WP 290, C&O 614, Cotton Belt 819,UP 844/8444 3985, SP 4449, the Shays at Cass, MLW 261,and much more! http://www.pentrex.com/tsaadvd.html

9

The one DVD that I have watched more than any other that I have is “Steep Steel & Slipping Stalling Steam - Volume 1” from Main Line Motion Pictures (P.O. Box 3985, Chester, VA 23831). These have some “extra black smoke”, but it is when the locomotive (usually in excursion service) has a wheelslip. 21 different standard gauge locomotives trying to make it up a grade…

For overall quality of production, it is hard to beat those films put out by Pentrex.

Bill

10

Thanks to everyone who replied. [bow]

Now it’s time to go shopping!!!

Mark.