Best of SOO Volume 1 DVD

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The Best of Soo, Volume 1

The year 1980 would mark tremendous change for traditional North American railroading. Including the SOO. Industry deregulation began. Line rationalization, abandonments, reorganization and even bankruptcy would ultimately affect traditionally steady Midwest carriers like the Rock Island and Milwaukee Road. Despite difficult years in the 1980's, the Soo Line remained a fascinating railroad. Technology alone would create an entirely different landscape and appearance to a road that would someday become a fallen flag...but not quite yet.

Watch as lens man Bob Rivard captures the transformation era with some of the first and finest VHS footage ever recorded. You will see aging SOO F units, Alco's and early Geeps. Second generation power includes the EMD GP30, GP35, GP40 and SD40, transitioning into the later series of GP38 and SD40 "dash two" series locomotives. Even one rare appearance of "The Beast"! View day-to-day switching and classification activity at Minneapolis based Shoreham and Humboldt Yards. Visit transfer activity taking place at locations like the old "Railway Transfer Yard" downtown and the busy mainline locations of New Brighton and Cardigan Junction in St. Paul, MN. Watch Soo Line trains drag grain, potash, company ballast and Canadian "bridge traffic" in and out of the Twin Cites on Shoreham Hill often requiring helpers to shove behind the caboose! Witness a little drama out the bay window at the original New Brighton depot as the operator debates train movement with the conductor of SOO's Transfer #1 job on "Pre CTC" portions of Twin Cities trackage. This footage shows it all!

Both unique and rare is this video coverage of the Soo Line during the decade of 1980. You can be certain this production will offer you a program to watch over and over again!

Copyright 2011, Bob Rivard, C. Vision Productions
Running Time 100 minutes
Color and natural sound, no narration, on screen graphics