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Great American Train Rides Volumes 1-4 2-DVD Set
 4.6 of 5 (5)

Great American Train Rides Volumes 1-4 2-DVD Set Pentrex GATR-DVD 748268005770
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4 Hours on 2 Discs!

American history is the story of the railroads. All across the country, millions thrill to our heritage each year as they visit America's excursion railroads and museums. Pentrex traveled to dozens of these popular destinations from New York to California during the early 1990s to highlight the unique features each one has to offer. Whether it's to relive a visit you've made in the past or to preview a spot you'd like to see in the future, you're sure to find much of interest here: train rides in vintage equipment powered by mighty steam locomotives or early diesel engines, tours of railroad yards and shops, museums where reenactments and displays preserve local railroading lore, and the important world of the electric railways. Released originally as four separate VHS videos, Great American Train Rides is now available to you in this value packed 2-disc presentation.

Disc 1 features these Western US destinations:
California Western Railroad * Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad * Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad * Georgetown Loop Railroad * Golden Spike National Historic Site * Manitou & Pike's Peak Railway * Napa Valley Wine Train * Nevada Northern Railway Museum * Portola Railroad Museum * Railtown 1897 * Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad * Santa Cruz, Big Trees & Pacific Railway * Virginia & Truckee Railroad * Western Railway Museum * Yosemite Mountain-Sugar Pine Railroad * Yreka Western Railroad.

Disc 2 features these Eastern US destinations:
Adirondack Scenic Railroad * Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum * Baltimore Streetcar Museum * Blue Mountain & Reading * Cass Scenic Railroad State Park * Connecticut Trolley Museum * East Broad Top Railroad * Green Mountain Railroad * Lowell National Historical Park * Mt. Washington Cog Railway * New Jersey Museum of Transportation * North Carolina Transportation Museum * Pennsylvania Trolley Museum * Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania * Rockhill Trolley Museum * Seashore Trolley Museum * Shore Line Trolley Museum * Strasburg Railroad * Strasburg Toy Train Museum * Valley Railroad Company * Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.

DVD Special Feature:

* Chapter Menus provide instant access to program segments.

4 Hours on 2 Discs
In Color with Hi-Fi Sound and Narration
Presented in Standard Definition 4x3 Format
No region code; can be played in NTSC DVD players worldwide
Packaged in Sturdy Vinyl Clamshell Case
ISBN: 1-56342-294-8
UPC: 7-48268-00577-0
Copyright Pentrex 1993, 1994, 1995, 2011

DVD
TVD Price:$ 31.96
List Price:$ 39.95
Live Stock Status: IN STOCK!
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DVD Item#:GATR-DVD
Runtime:4 Hours, 00 Mins ($0.13/min)
Producer:Pentrex
Aspect Ratio:Full Screen
DVD UPC:748268005770
Shrink Wrapped?:Yes
Disc Type:DVD
Region Code:0 Worldwide NTSC
Great American Train Rides Volumes 1-4 2-DVD Set
Ben (Albany, NY) on 2011-07-11 12:33:53.

People who found this review helpful: 4

  •  5 of 5


Originally released on VHS, Pentrex has re-released the set on 2 DVDS (in one holder) for a low price. Steam trains, diesel trains, trolley/street cars, and toy trains are featured. The audio and video has been upgraded to DVD standard, but, it is not as clear as a video that was originally filmed in DVD resolution. There are 37 trips (16 one 1 disc and 21 on the second). The average length of time on each visit is about 6 minutes, 30 seconds. It's enough time to show the highlights of each stop, but, not much more than that. A great book to go with it is the 2011 Tourist Trains Guidebook from Kalmbach Publishing Co., featuring trains in the USA and Canada. I wish Pentrex would make another DVD disc featuring more tourist trains. Considering all the trains shown in the DVD (and the low cost of the set), I think this is one of the Best train videos I have ever seen. I recommend it to everyone who likes trains.

Additional remarks by Ben:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Yes.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value: Excellent Value!
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

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Great American Train Rides Volumes 1-4 2-DVD Set
streetcarguy97 (Massachusetts) on 2015-04-26 05:49:19.

People who found this review helpful: 2

We have verified that this reviewer has purchased this item from Train Video Depot because this reviewer is a member of our loyalty program and was signed in when they purchased the item and when they left the review.

  •  5 of 5


great collection of rail and trolley video. I am a trolley/streetcar enthusiast and I live in New England. I go to most of the trolley museums shown every year but I like it because it helps me get syked to go! I recommend this to anyone!

Additional remarks by streetcarguy97:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Excellent Value!
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

Did you find this review useful?

Great American Train Rides Volumes 1-4 2-DVD Set
WisconsinEric (East-Central Wisconsin) on 2011-10-01 08:51:24.

People who found this review helpful: 2

  •  4 of 5


If you're interested in a quick overview of tourist railroads, this is a good value, with about 4 hours of video covering 37 tourist lines and railroad museums throughout the US. Each one gets about 8-10 minutes, so you see just the highlights. There is plenty of narration, and the presentation is more "touristy" than technical, so this is closer to a rail travelogue. It is also useful in deciding which lines to visit. And while there are dedicated videos available on many of the lines (e.g., Cumbres & Toltec, Cass Scenic), for many sites this is the only easily accessible video out there.

The downsides: this is a DVD-reissue of VHS video shot 1993-1995, so some of these sites may not be operating any more (though the historical documentation is good). And thus it is not a surprise that the video quality, while clear, is certainly not up to today's HD standards.
NOTE: Contrary to the listing by Train Video Depot, this is volumes 1-4. There never was a volume 5. That's obviously just a typo.

Additional remarks by WisconsinEric:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: A little rough around the edges.
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? Yes.

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Great American Train Rides Volumes 1-4 2-DVD Set
chris collins (fletcher north carolina) on 2018-03-17 22:27:47.

People who found this review helpful: 1

  •  5 of 5


great American train rides was my first introduction to pentrex (the first volume on vhs was at my local toy's r us in the 90's which I'm sad that there closing) and I didn't know there were more this two dvd set features all four volumes on 2 disc's disc one looks at place to vist on the west and east some of these no longer operate and some still do to this so this might help for anyone who wants to take a vacation to some of these tourist attractions

Additional remarks by chris collins:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Definitely!
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value:: Fair.
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

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Great American Train Rides Volumes 1-4 2-DVD Set
Steamboy (Revere MA US) on 2016-10-05 19:20:38.

People who found this review helpful: 1

  •  4 of 5


As a Railfan myself, this 4 part set contains lots of great railway visits even to this day, including some out of business destinations like the Yreka Western in the California/Oregon Border, The Blue Mountain & Reading in Hamburg since all of the equipment is still at the Reading & Northern RR in the Jim Thorpe Area, & the East Broad Top is still Bankrupt and gone forever since the end of the 2012 season. Some Gripes that I've been noticing, One segment at the Sierra Railway Features Barely Naked Girls taking a shower at the water tower uncut! Come on! You're supposed to be a Family Friendly Company! The other things are that Part 2 features mostly California Attractions & the Cumbres & Toltec, While 3 & 4 however are mixed with out of order chapters Scattering through New England, Pennsylvania, Maryland & some other states. Oh well. you get what they made.

Additional remarks by Steamboy:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Yes.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? Yes.

Did you find this review useful?