New England Rails The 1980s A Decade of Change DVD
Steamboy (Revere MA US) on 2020-11-27 03:59:05.
On disc 1, there is contemporary freight action on the providence and Worcester as well as the final runs of the Original Boston & Maine before the acquisition with Guilford/Pan Am Rail. Some F units on the Massachusetts bay transportation authority commuters with odd looking coaches are also included.
On disc 2, there is more B&M action, as well as more freights on Central Vermont which is now the New England Central, as well as Grand Trunk with Canadian National units, and Conrail before it is taken over by CSX and Norfolk Southern. For tourist lovers, the Green Mountain Railroad in Vermont is shown as Alco built RS3 #405 is shown on a July 1983 visit, as well as other units number 400 and 401. A year and a month later in August of 1984, 401 is on a grain train with a bay window caboose on the rear, And the GMR concludes with 400 on a regular 2 car train crossing the bridge and switching tracks. For Maine Central, there is a November 1983 visit with a caboose cutting off the cars, as GP9 number 567 rolls by. Some night scenes are included.
On disc 3, there is a ton of steam action on the original Steamtown railroad before the big move to Scranton Pennsylvania as Canadian Pacific 4-6-2 number 1246 is on a trip at riverside Vermont during July of 1983, as well as the Conway scenic railroad in September of 1987 with 2-6-2 number 108, and Canadian National 7470 back when it was renumbered to 47 during the railroad’s first 13 years of tourist operations. Some diesels (B&M 4266, and Portland Terminal 1055) are also shown. On one trip, 7470 is pulling a freight special with a dead Maine Central consolidation number 501 in the consist. Here’s another thing that won’t be repeated in the present times, a doubleheaded Steam pusher with 7470 and 108. On the valley railroad in Connecticut during November of 1987, there are some interesting engines which are no longer working on this southern New England line. Which includes Alco RS-1 529, U-Boat 2525, Alco FPA4 number 401, and the recently returned to service steam locomotive: 2-8-0 number 97 pulling the regular passenger train at deep river. A year later in 1988, 529 is on a mixed train.
Next there is July 1984 action to a tourist railroad that have since been gone forever. This is what’s known as the cape cod and Hyannis railroad. Which includes GP9 number 1210, and alco S1 number 3 crossing the 1935 lift bridge. Amtrak is shown with a former blue and yellow Santa Fe unit in July of 1985. While the Santa Fe unit is on one end of the train, F40 number 349 is shown. There is more freight action on Conrail, as well as an excursion with New haven FL9 number 2019, and the bay colony railroad. Plus there is more steam action on the mount Washington cog railway which was also shot in July of 85.
All in all, this 3 disc set from 2005-2007 features a great mix of Steam and early diesel action, before today’s wide cab units on mainline freights, and the retired F40s as well as some tourist railroads shown in this program which are a thing of the past. This is also one of the fewer BKVP items to have steam engines.
Additional remarks by Steamboy:
Narration: Could have used more.
Would kids enjoy this? Yes.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value:: Fair.
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!