In part 1 of the video rails version of the 3751 revival, it starts with a look at the San Bernardino railroad historical society sign at the Fontana shops, followed by a look outside and inside the abandoned shop since 1981. Days or months later, work on the 1927 Baldwin built northern is shown after the clean up of the abandoned shop. One by one, the men would have to use special tools to take 3751 apart and also put them back together. An interview with Alan Philips is included. Welding, sodering, and torching would be acquired to remove the damaged spots around the northern. An interview with team member Jim Woods is shown. More work on the oldest northern continues as a crew member talks about the stay bolts and rivets. Half of the fire pan has been removed, and replaced with new plating by the time the rivet holes have been reinstalled. Volunteers came to California for the big project. Most of the bolts are in good condition. In keeping with FRA regulations, the stay bolts will not be tightened in place, until the boiler passes hydrostatic test. All of the stud bolts in the Firebox have been removed and replaced. The tender during the 1938 modification has been located outside the tool shop. Fortunately the tools have been donated to Fontana. During the restoration, the society decided to use air power equipment. The air tools ran cooler than the electrical equipment. An interview with team member Fred Perry is shown. The cab has been removed for extensive building. Many of the parts on 3751 can be moved by a 15 ton overhead crane. For example, the crane moves the Firebox frame to the hole of the Firebox. The removal of the locomotive's boiler pipes has been removed by qualified society volunteers. All of the tubing would be replaced. The replacement tubes came from Pennsylvania and Ohio. Some of the other parts like the valves for example would have to be replaced and restored. The feedwater heater and piston valves have been repainted. To avoid confusion, paper tags are installed on the parts. Back outside the Fontana shops, the tender is alongside a retired observation car. The extensive piping would have to be replaced as needed. The drawbar pockets would need to be rebuilt after the society inspection. While the oil section of the tender is in excellent shape, the water section is badly corroded and just be cleaned out immediately. The original oil on the bearings must be flushed out on the tender trucks. Several months later, the tender has been repainted. A new red light for the tender has been donated after the original light has since been stolen and destroyed by vandals during the locomotives display years in viaduct park. All work must be checked and rechecked. Fred Coons reinstalled the drum style oil heater as an interview with him is included. Back inside, some leaks have been detected inside the units maze of heating coils, while the tender gets a little bit of sodering as well as studying vintage photographs. On a different day, a Semi truck donated the shop with water electricity, and telephone service. Alpheus cleaning corporation and it's employees volunteered with the restoration on the locomotive. Both the interior and the exterior of the boiler must be cleaned out. The cab would be sand blasted before it was repainted. The domes piping and appliances were removed for repairs. Ongoing repair tasks are either postponed or relocated for the duration to keep the area clear. An interview with one of the crew members are shown. The exterior pipes on the locomotive must be removed, inspected and reinstalled. The studs and other parts are tightened and reinstalled. Inside the sand distributors were badly cracked. They were removed and restored. Also, the tender has been recoupled to the locomotive. The workmen are looking through the photos of the locks pipeline. With the puzzle almost finished, the piping is reinstalled, but there is still more work to be done. Crew member Scott Brittin talks about the different pumps on the locomotive, as well as work on the cab. With the controls and gauges reinstalled, the foam glass must be put on. This material can also eliminate a major source of corrosion. An interview with Wayne Tucker is shown. Almost finished after a 5 year restoration, the sheet metal is placed inside the cab. A large engine must have huge amounts of quantities of sheet metal. Just before the test run on 3751 in August of 1991 (the same time Huntington West Virginia was the headquarters of that year's NRHS convention), the sheet metal is placed over the foam must inside the Fontana shops. The valves, the gauges and the controls on the cab have been paper tagged. An interview with Scott baker is included. 3751 would also acquire a large amount of copper tubing. An interview with crew member George Boilo is shown. Here he does some torching on one of the pipes. With the restoration almost finished, an open house tour is shown for their own families, own friends, the media, and other railfans. Before the traction rods are reinstalled, the boiler must pass it's hydrostatic test. With the test completed, the American flags and the bell has been installed as 3751 is leaving the Fontana shops under its own power. Retired engineer Phillip Cocke, took the throttle on August 18, 1991 (the week after the NRHS convention in Huntington, and a day and 11 years before 3751 traveled to the grand canyon railway in 2002). The bell works, the steam is hissing, and the oldest northern to be built finally whistles out of the shop, despite there is some Knicks in the whistle. For 3 days, 3751 would do a test run with freight. During the final days of 1991, it's December 20, and 3751 would go back to San Bernardino for a dedicated ceremony. Following that, the engine would power the freight. Meanwhile, emergency repairs are made quickly as possible. The problem itself came from the tender. The replacement parts on the tender came from hudson 3450 at the Railgiants in Pomona, where it was originally the display site of Union Pacific big boy 4014. Radio communications are heard as 3751 backs up with 3 private cars, and caboose 999784. Even though the wind is wild, the event doesn't stop there. At the ceremony, the mayor of San Bernardino does an important speech to welcome back the oldest operating northern, and also thanking the crew to rebuild the northern. Afterwards, 3751 uses the original peanut whistle to do a runby, and also grab it's assigned freight. The destination is Hobart yard. Without diesel helpers, 3751 did a magnificent job during its test run. A brief stop in Fullerton is shown, as crew member Jim Wood hands out the flyers. Stanley Hayes does a fine comment on the revival, as well as Bob Molton. The sun is setting as 3751 looks for a bright future. An interview with crew member Bill Plumpket is included. The program comes to a close as there is riding footage behind 3751 at night. Here it crosses the los Angeles river, and also passes by the Amtrak Redondo junction yard, which was 3751's home since 1999. Did you know that 3751 was the first steam locomotive to arrive at LAUPT? With the night scenes of cars on the highway, this concludes part 1 of the 3751 revival by video rails.

Part 2 of the video rails version of the 3751 revival contains the late December 1991 excursion to Bakersfield and return. Pentrex was also there as well. Will pentrex ever convert the Video rails version of the first 3751 excursion to Bakersfield and back? Only time would tell.

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