Railroad Video Quarterly Issue 131 Spring 2025 DVD
One theme this issue: the swiftness with which the diesel revolution spread. Bessemer 643, Baldwin 1944, found itself out of a job in only eight years as 2-10-4s gave way to braces of F/s, which would serve B&LE for nearly 50 years. Likewise, modern C&O steam also succumbed to the EMD chant, this time mostly in the form of GP units. On New Haven's Maybrook Line, featured in our final two chapters, it was the ALCO FA which vanquished the time-honored iron horses. While most steam was scrapped soon after being replaced, 18 B&LE Texas types wandered over to sister road DM&IR to serve several more years. 643 was not among these, but thankfully was saved by the railroad. On March 29th , 2025, she was officially placed on public display at Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio. Jim Ladwig relates tales of his career with C&NW while Mike Bednar paints scenes of night passages through the Lehigh Gorge. Out west, Chris Skow treats us to head-end glimpses from "California Zephyr" followed by a final passage through the train washer at Portola, CA. Follow the C&O's Dillwyn Branch Mixed in the '40s, stand trackside along the Erie-Lackawanna during the *60s, several Pittsburgh area roads in the '80s, 2010 and 2025 UP & BNSF activity. And, from the archives, a "first run" of WNY&P to Cuba, NY, to dump some ballast in 2002 in an attempt to reopen the former Erie mainline.
• B&LE 643 at Age of Steam Roundhouse (Ron McElrath With thanks to A of S Staff)
• C&O Dillwyn Branch & Mainline Steam (August Thiem, Thanks to Morrey Farcus, JMJ Video)
• Pittsburgh Rails, 1986-1988 (Richard Cadwallader)
• Western Pacific Special Days (Chris Skow)
• WNY&P 2002 First Run & Repairs (Alan Nagy)
• Erie-Lackawanna 1960s Eastern Action (Ron Wallace)
• Jim Ladwig's C&NW (Video Arts Prod.)
• BNSF and UP out West: 2010, 2025 (Walt Loevy / Peter Bowler)
• Mike Bednar's LV, R&N Career (Ron McElrath)
• Dieselizing New Haven's Maybrook Line 1947 (Alco-GE NH RR H &T)
• Maybrook Line through the 1950s (Greg Scholl Video Prod.)
• National Railroad Museum - Overview and Alco S-6 Ride Thanks to Daniel Liedtke & Staff (Ronald McElrath)
• Potpourri - NASA, Heritage Units, 765 and Other Quickies (Ron McElrath/Jeff Hartung)
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• B&LE 643 at Age of Steam Roundhouse (Ron McElrath With thanks to A of S Staff)
• C&O Dillwyn Branch & Mainline Steam (August Thiem, Thanks to Morrey Farcus, JMJ Video)
• Pittsburgh Rails, 1986-1988 (Richard Cadwallader)
• Western Pacific Special Days (Chris Skow)
• WNY&P 2002 First Run & Repairs (Alan Nagy)
• Erie-Lackawanna 1960s Eastern Action (Ron Wallace)
• Jim Ladwig's C&NW (Video Arts Prod.)
• BNSF and UP out West: 2010, 2025 (Walt Loevy / Peter Bowler)
• Mike Bednar's LV, R&N Career (Ron McElrath)
• Dieselizing New Haven's Maybrook Line 1947 (Alco-GE NH RR H &T)
• Maybrook Line through the 1950s (Greg Scholl Video Prod.)
• National Railroad Museum - Overview and Alco S-6 Ride Thanks to Daniel Liedtke & Staff (Ronald McElrath)
• Potpourri - NASA, Heritage Units, 765 and Other Quickies (Ron McElrath/Jeff Hartung)