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Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Freight Trains DVD
 4 of 5 (1)

Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Freight Trains DVD Kalmbach Publishing 15344 644651600198
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Trains Magazine presents Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Freight Trains, celebrating the last regular service freight trains over Cumbres Pass in 1968 and a glorious number of photo freights since then. Enjoy this glimpse into steam railroading of the 1920s. Approximate running time 75 minutes.

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DVD Item#:15344
Runtime:1 Hour, 15 Mins ($0.30/min)
Producer:Kalmbach Publishing
Aspect Ratio:Full Screen
DVD UPC:644651600198
Shrink Wrapped?:Yes
Disc Type:DVD
Region Code:0 Worldwide NTSC
Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Freight Trains DVD
Steamboy (Revere MA US) on 2020-10-10 10:58:09.

People who found this review helpful: 1

  •  4 of 5


In this program from 2018, it starts with a tripleheader in the snow that was led by 463, 484, & 489 on a freight train. Next up is 489 on a freight in the fall as it negotiates an S curve near lobato lake, followed by 482 on the Durango and Silverton, then back to the Cumbres and Toltec with a passenger special that was led by 484 as scrapped sister engine 485. Meanwhile in Chama, 463 is switching around, followed by a quick ride, as well as a 5 engine side by side shot in Chama, then 487 crosses over a small wooden trestle as the opening titles roll. A look at the map on The Rio Grande 4th division is shown from Alamosa to Chama, then it continues West on the since been ripped up Chama to Durango line, then it makes 2 options: north to Silverton, and/or south to the abandoned Farmington branch. One of the first pieces of silent film shows 493 in regular service, which has not only been restored to operating condition on the Durango and Silverton, but it's also converted to oil. Here we see 493 heading West from Alamosa to Durango. Afterwards, an interview with former Rio Grande chief budget officer Mr. Jackson C. Thode is included. During the interview, a black & white still image from 1908 is shown as a doubleheader is on Cumbres pass. Back to the silent films, 493 continues West to Durango. Meanwhile, a 1923 built Mikado is in the lead of the freight while 493 is pushing on the rear. Afterwards, an interview with former assistant to the President of the Rio Grande John Norwood is shown with 491 in the background. Back to the silent films however, a doubleheader is shown with 473 & 478 in charge. Today these pair of 1923 alco built mikes along with 476 are on the Durango and Silverton. Meanwhile some black and white still images of 473 is shown as well as its scrapped sister engine 477 on a passenger train. Back to the films, a freight with a 490 series engine is leaving Chama for Cumbres with a other locomotive pushing on the rear. Afterwards, an interview with the president of the Rio Grande modeling & historical society: Mike Carlson is included as well as some more black and white still images. One of them being 318 in regular service which has since been on display in golden Colorado, as well as 464 which resides at the huckleberry railroad in flint Michigan. Next, an interview with former Rio Grande conductor, George kingery is included. Back to the silent films however, the train passes by stock cars. Afterwards, an interview with former Rio Grande dispatcher Roy Eno is shown. Meanwhile, a quick ride on the Cumbres and Toltec freight train in the call is shown as George & Roy are talking about pipe trains. Next, another set of silent films are shown as 484 is leading a freight. In The present times, a look at the map of the Cumbres and Toltec is shown, followed by a morning departure from Antonito as 484/485 & 489 lead a westbound doubleheader to Cumbres. Meanwhile at Ferguson's trestle, 463 is operating it's own westbound freight as it was temporarily changed to Rio Grande southern 455. The real Rio Grande southern 455 was scrapped in 1952. At lava, 315 carries wooden cattle cars. This 1895 built consolidation was restored in 2007. On a different day, 463/RGS 455 leads a long freight east of big horn with 315 pushing in the middle. Somewhere Between Antonito & osier, 489 & 484/5 are negotiating the bends alongside the cliffs while 315 is still on its way to Chama. Moments later, 489 & 484/5 are at phantom curve near Toltec gorge. Orange & yellow leaves are falling from The trees as 315 is passing by Toltec creek. Next, we move to rock tunnel at Toltec gorge near the Garfield monument as 489 leaves the tunnel, followed by cascade creek trestle which is at the West end of the lunch stop in Osier, as 487 crosses the bridge with some wooden coaches on the rear. Afterwards, 489 is on a different freight train as evidenced by the pilot snowplow up front. Moments later, 489 passes by the los pinos water tower, followed by 315 approaching tanglefoot curve, as well as 489 creating an almost perfect reflection shot. Winter came to Colorado and New Mexico as 489 approaches the Cumbres station while negotiating tanglefoot curve or Cumbres loop, with another helper on the rear, then it's back to warmer weather as 489 repeats the process. Back to the silent films however, 493 is entering the wintry area, followed by some stock footage of OY in May of 1991 which was taken from rotary snowplow through the Rockies by railway productions & later choo choo trains: close up & very personal. While Jack, Roy, John & George are being interviewed about the railroad dealing with the winter season in regular years of service, 493 & 488 are still hauling freight through the bittering cold weather. Meanwhile, 493 is facing east to Antonito in warmer weather. Back in Chama, 484 is being serviced while doing yard work, followed by a westbound doubleheader on August 20, 1968 while negotiating a bend near big horn. 483 & 484 are passing by the campsite of sublette New Mexico. 484 is still operating on the Chama to Antonito line while 483 is still in pieces. The following day August 21, 1968 finds 498 operating the final eastbound at willow creek on the soon to be ripped up Durango to Chama line. Speaking of Chama, 483, 484, & 498 are switching around followed by 483 leading the final westbound freight from Chama to Durango. Back at Chama, 484 & 498 are preparing for The final eastbound climb to Cumbres on a regular service only freight train. For this task, 498 is up front While 484 is pushing on the rear as the train passes by the old highway route 17 at lobato, followed by a location between the lobato trestle over wolf creek & The cresco water tower. East of tanglefoot curve or Cumbres loop, 484 runs light while 498 leads the official final freight to Alamosa. Here the engine passes by the los pinos water tower, While a hi-rail inspection car & a speeder car follows right behind the locomotive. Due to the films being 100% silent, there is an appropriate musical background. Back to the modern era, a visit to the Durango and Silverton was made as 473 leads a mixed train with a pair of tractors on a flatbed as it negotiates the curves at Elbert creek canyon. After a look at the map, 473 crosses over the animas river after climbing through the high line. From the ground between the river & The mountains, 473 is north of the Tacoma water tower, followed by tefft, needleton, elk park, & back alongside the animas river, before crossing 2 more bridges over the animas river as it approaches Silverton. Afterwards, an interview with historian/author Doris osterwald is included. On the return trip, 473 is at elk park. Followed by another bridge over the animas river, passing by some tall trees, alongside the animas river once again, & taking some slow orders at the highline on its way back to Durango. Meanwhile, 478 is operating on its own mixed train while heading back to Durango. There are green coaches on 478's train, While 473 whistles for home. At Hermosa, 482 is operating the regular passenger train to Silverton. Meanwhile, 481 is on the highline, While we returned to the Cumbres and Toltec as 489 & 487 are on a regular passenger train in the fall, as well as 484/5 pulling red coaches in the warm weather. Again the real 485 was gone for scrap. On its way to Antonito, 487 operates the regular passenger train alone. Returning to the fall, a freight is shown with 2 cabooses on the rear. Back in Chama, 463 whistles for the crossing on one of the surviving pieces of track from the abandoned Chama to Durango line, followed by 488 taking on water as well as a service shot of 484, then comes 487 leaving with a freight of mostly cattle cars. Meanwhile, 463 has already crossed the Chama river bridge and it is passing by the fred Jukes tree. Afterwards a tripleheader is shown with 489, 488, & 487, then we see 463 passing by lobato lake before crossing the wolf creek trestle. Due to weight restrictions at lobato trestle, only one locomotive is allowed to cross as 484/5 leads a freight with another locomotive in the middle. Meanwhile, the tripleheader from The exact opening of this program is shown as 463 whistles for the crossing. Halfway up the hill, 463 is all by itself as it passes by the cresco water tower, followed by the Coxo telephone booth as heads for the highway 17 crossing with only 4 cattle cars & a caboose. Windy point is in the background as 484 heads for the mountain while 463 operates on a different freight. Next a brief onboard ride is shown followed by 463 whistling through windy point. East of Cumbres, 487 crosses over a small wooden trestle at Los pinos. Followed by 489 on a long freight. Returning to the winter months, 487 crosses cascade creek trestle. At Osier 487 passes by the water tower, & section houses. East of Osier, a doubleheader is shown with 489 & 484 as 485. Near Ferguson's trestle, 484/5 rolls through the desert. To close out the program, some final thoughts on what made the Rio Grande narrow gauge special which includes a silent film of 473 on a doubleheader, 484 on a normal freight, 493 in the blizzard, a 470 series engine on a freight, 478 on a passenger run, & 493 leaving the snowshed in Cumbres. Plus there is 463 on a freight, 478 on a mixed train to Silverton, & a tripleheader with 487, 88, & 89, followed by 315 on a short freight. During The closing credits, Ronald burkhard who was one of the recent team members of the GSVP crew was listed in the videographers section, While the silent films were recorded by Mr. Olaf Rasmussen. In addition to the 1991 footage of OY, the vintage interviews from the late 80s were shown in other early railway productions titles: narrow rails still shine from 1987, Cumbres from 1988, & of course rotary snowplow through the Rockies. In The still images section, noteworthy Walt Disney cartoonist Ward Kimball was mentioned in the credits.

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

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