This is without a doubt one of the best 'Daylight' videos on the market, Pentrex have really outdone themselves with this one. Superb video and audio quality combined with unobtrusive narration makes this a real winner.

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

The Daylight's were very beautiful engines to see. Pentrex has done a fine job putting this video together for our enjoyment. Various locations across the western, southern USA are seen which really shows the beauty and the scenery they travelled through. But the hi-lite is a 1930 era film that really will stand out with the viewer.

Additional remarks by rrvideoman:
Narration: Just enough.
Narration CAN be turned off in special features.
Would kids enjoy this? Definitely!
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Excellent Value!
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

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.

Ever feel cheated? First off, my favorite steam engines are the GS class and the Daylight is my favorite passenger train. Secondly, I was a big fan and collector of Pentrex videos - until this release. With high expectations, I bought the Daylight Collection when it first came out; I waited over a year to write this review to see if my opinion would change. The positive aspects of this video are this is one of the best assemblage of Daylight movie clips available and the commentary is done at just the right amount (this is what Pentrex does best). Now for the negatives. The video is 1 hour and 20 minutes long. Great - but there are no chapters to ease getting to the parts of the video you want to. I think this was lazy on Pentrex's part for not setting up chapters. About 95% of the video clips were taken from previous Pentrex releases. Here is the main reason why I give the Daylight Collection a low rating score - the actual picture quality is horrible. For the price of this release you would expect the videos to be remastered - hopefully starting with the original film material. Instead, the video is at a lower quality than in previous Pentrex releases. The video quality seems like a poor film to analog video conversion, more video quality loss through several analog copy cycles, poor analog to digital conversion, and finally more quality loss from copying the DVD clips and transferring them to the master for this release. The video has a very pronounced "pixelated" effect to it - you can actually count the resolution lines on your screen. Pentrex - you are capable of doing better and missed an opportunity to really shine on this release - instead you got greedy and lazy in order to put out an overpriced low quality remix of your previous releases.

Additional remarks by Brian Parry:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: Poor.
DVD Value: Overpriced for the amount of enjoyment I got out of it.
Recommend to others? Not unless they REALLY were interested in the subject matter.

The Southern Pacific Daylight Collection is part of the fourth collection series by Pentrex. The others being the Southern Pacific Cab Forward Collection the Union Pacific Big Boy Collection and the Union Pacific Streamliner Collection. I own only the daylight cab forward and big boy collections I'll have to think about the streamliner one but this is excellent seeing the gs4s in the old days with footage showing how these steamers did their job with passenger and freight defiantly recommend with the other three pentrex collections they've made

Additional remarks by chris collins:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Overpriced for the amount of enjoyment I got out of it.
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

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.

In this 2013 DVD, the program starts with a montage of clips, and a map of California is shown. Keep in mind that some of the dubbed audio over these silent films were taken from one of the 2 surviving daylight locomotives: 4449 from Portland. At the mission Bay roundhouse, 2-8-2 number 3124 is waiting for some service as the camera pans into 4418. Next a trio of northerns are on the ready tracks, followed by more engines being serviced, as well as a bird�s eye view of the freight yard as the commuter train passes by. Later, train 99 is being led by a GS-3 as it passes by the tower. Afterwards, 4428 is backing into the service tracks at service bay, followed by a trio of GS-3s waiting for their call of duty. A head on shot of 4428 is shown. Next another northern would take train 98 to Los Angeles as it curves into the crossing. At the top of tunnel 1, an inbound commuter train meets with train 98. Later on from the ground, train 99 comes in as it is being led by 4429. At 7th street, a GS-4 leaves the station. Next, there is some short pacing at the yard which includes a look at the driving wheels. Afterwards, 4337 an Alco built MT3 class 4-8-2 heads south on train 133. Another view shows 4347 alongside the water. Again, most of the dubbed audio came from 4449 in excursion service. Next, a meet with a doubleheader light move is shown as another train comes out of the tunnel. 4436 is all in black paint as it is on a commuter train, passing by the tower and the wye. Next, a mountain class 4-8-2 number 4307 exits the tunnel on the morning train, followed by a GS-4 heading north, which is considered west by timetable direction. A 14 car noon daylight speeds by the camera crew on a windy day. Next a GS-4 passes by a freight led by Black widow F units as it rolls through the station with semaphore signals. Afterwards, the train passes by the rich farmlands. Next, a cab forward helps the daylight on Santa margarita over Cuesta grade. This clip was shown in the SP cab forward collection from 2007. Trains 98 and 99 are on the hill with 99 getting some help from 2 diesels. Afterwards, a quick ride onboard a doubleheader is shown as it passes by the siding. Next a clip from the 1999 pentrex video, SP film archives volume 1-daylights, cab forwards, and Early diesels are shown as the noon daylight arrives at San Luis Obispo in 1941. Noon daylights are trains 96 and 97, while coast daylights are trains 98 and 99. From the rear of the train, it passes by a wooden freight car with windows, as well as the Black Widow F units at Santa margarita station with and a yard on the left, as it heads for Cuesta grade. Later it slowly passes by a crash site. Further east, there is a going away shot of the train heading east through farmland communities. Note the wig wag crossing signals. At oceano, the coast mail arrives and departs on train 72. This engine is none other than future famous survivor 4449 in black paint, but We are not sure. Next, the streamliner speeds along through miles of rolling foothills. One train in each direction is shown on a really hot day. Next, the fog looms in as there is a meet going on at the station. Later a mismatched rainbow train heads west. Another clip from the 1999 SP film archives volume 1 video is shown at Gato. Note the semaphore signals. A brief onboard view shows the train over Gaviota trestle. Train 98 skirts along the shore line as it heads for Los Angeles, followed by 2 more eastbounds as it crosses Gaviota trestle from the ground. Later at the 15 minute mark of the Video, a westbound with a GS-4 passing through capitan, followed by another one. Next, it speeds along through the countryside. At Santa Barbra, the GS-4 takes its train through downtown. A fast shot shows the train on a foggy day. Train 98 arrives at Santa Barbara, as it picks up passengers and takes on water. This one is being led by GS-4 number 4458. A repeat of 4458 in Santa Barbara is shown, but it is from a different camera crew. Next, train 98 passes by the Clarke burge refuge and east Santa Barbara. Rolling past the trees, the daylight brightens another cloudy day. Followed by 2 trains at a unique crossing. The question remains unsolved: who is happier? The passengers onboard, or the photographer? Anyways, a pair of mail trains are shown, followed by the streamliners passing by the semaphore signals. At ortaga, another train passes by the searchlight signals. From the Pacific Ocean, a going away shot of a San Francisco bound train is shown. Next, the noon daylight passes by carpenteria station with a wig wag signal. The depot was sadly demolished in 1967. Near sea cliff, a GS-4 Powers the mail train to Los Angeles. Train 98 approaches Ventura in the afternoon. At Oxnard, 4456 is having a nasty wheelslip as it leaves the station. East of Oxnard, a mountain class 4-8-2 powers a passenger train with some mail cars. For a few miles, a pacing sequence of train 98 is shown. Next, a streamliner makes a bend at an unknown location. Afterwards, a clip from the video rails classic collector�s series volume 5 from 1991 is shown. Another daylight approaches on a foggy day. Train 97 smokes it up through miles of strawberry and lettuce fields. Near Moorpark, the daylight rounds a curve coming into town. At the station, a female station agent sets up orders for the mail train to pick up. The coast daylight passes by the passengers, as it waits for their train to arrive. Most of the children are climbing onboard the coaches. Afterwards, 4458 takes the train through downtown Moorpark. Later on 2 different views of the same train from the SP film archives volume 1 video is shown at Simi Valley. Next, a GS-4 passes by the camera crew. As the sun sets, train 98 has another 30 miles to go before approaching LAUPT. Following behind, train 72 led by a mountain class 4-8-2 is shown. Next train 97 passes through open land. Another shot of train 97 is shown, but it is shown in a going away shot. From the top of the ground, a GS-4 passes by the semaphore signals. The sun is still going down as the train passes by. Next, a GS-2 curves through the mountains, followed by a GS-4 on a mail train. Squeezing through the cliffs, another GS-4 is shown. Note the speeder shanty. At Santa Susanna Pass, a clip from the SP film archives volume 1 video is shown. Later a cab forward is on a freight, carrying mostly flatbeds. A GS-6 is on a mail train as it heads for chatsworth tunnel. From the top of the tunnel, another mail train with another GS-6 is shown. Train 98 is rolling through the trees at chatsworth. An old fashioned griswall crossing is shown next to the traffic light for automobiles with a stop here on red signal sign. As the crossing activates, the red stop light blinks. Next a diesel powered daylight led by E units are operating as it passes by the water tower in chatsworth. The only daylight painted diesel in the present century is 6051 at the California state railroad museum in old Sacramento. In chatsworth, the coast mail is arriving. One mail bag is in the cart, followed by the bags being loaded as it heads for various destinations on the outgoing mail. Next GS-4 number 4453 is pulling train 72 with different mail cars into town. Afterwards, train 98 the morning daylight races to make its 6:00 pm arrival in Los Angeles. On a different day, train 72 led by a mountain class 4-8-2 passes by the sidings. East of the depot, we are back at the curve once again as a GS-4 curves along, followed by another one. Thick fog rolls in as 4458 arrives at the station. At Glendale, Train 98 arrives. Glendale is 6 miles from Los Angeles. To avoid the bustling traffic at LAUPT, the AT&SF is at Pasadena, Union Pacific is at The east side of downtown Los Angeles, and of course SP is at Glendale. An arrival and departure shot of train 99 is shown with 4458 once again. During the departure, listen carefully for the wheelslip. With 4458 gone, train 76 the lark pulls in. On a different day, the lark is pulling out. GS-4 number 4455 is pulling the train with semaphore signals activating. Alongside the LA river, the morning daylight approaches union station as it heads under the trolley line. A short distance from mission tower, future famous survivor, 4449 arrives with train 76. At mission tower, a freshly painted GS-4 runs light and heads backwards to collect its train. Then it passes by the tower with the train in tow. Later on, 4464 and AC-11 cab forward number 4255 runs on a light doubleheader passing mission tower. Here the 2 operates on train 51 the San Joaquin daylight. On the very first day of the 1940s decade, the tournament of roses parade is performed every first day of the new year. The float of the daylight is designed by the brotherhood of railway clerks. Train 99 with 4458 once again leaves LAUPT. Next another train departs union station. Today it is All Amtrak and Metrolink. As the tail passes, a diesel switcher is towing a baggage car. Train 98 arrives at LAUPT. With everyone off, the GS-4 heads for the shops for service. At the 40 minute mark of the video, the doubleheader movement of the San Joaquin daylight is shown. Next another doubleheader is shown, as it approaches tunnel 19 on train 51. Note that the helper is in all black paint. Afterwards, a mountain class 4-8-2 and a GS-6 pass by a semaphore signal as it heads under Soledad canyon road. Near Vincent, another GS-6 and another 4-8-2 passes by. A cab forward pulls hard as it crosses pear blossom highway with a wig wag signal. A local heads east with an early explanation of an operation lifesaver moment, and more dubbed audio from 4449�s excursion years as a 2-8-0 heads through the crossing. Here�s 4458 once again, this time in black paint, as it arrives at Bakersfield. Note the man holding a stop sign and a red flag. On a different day, 4458 is on train 52. Note the pair of diesels on the right side of the screen. 4458 uncouples and heads for the service track. More diesels are shown as 4458 heads backwards, then comes the pacing sequence on highway 99. Afterwards, 4448 is rolling through small California towns on its way to Oakland. Next another San Joaquin daylight is shown but with different coaches from other railroads. More San Joaquin daylights are shown during the final months of regular service before the diesels took over, which includes mountain class 4-8-2 number 4308, then comes 4458 once again as it crosses the bridge. Train 51 crosses over the San Joaquin River Bridge west of Fresno. At Merced, train 51 with 4456 highballs out of town. In Nevada, the gold coast is in palisades canyon. In Utah, a pair of views from the great salt lake is shown on the overland route. Note the semaphore signals. In the Beaumont hill area west of Beaumont, a doubleheader is passing by the black widow F units as it heads for Colton.
At the 50 minute mark of the video, An unidentified Helper Engine passes by the camera crew. Next a cab forward is on train 40 the imperial as it goes under the highway 40 bridge. An eastbound freight led by 3742 passes by the Beaumont station. One engine is taking on water. In Arizona, GS-3 number 4424 arrives in Phoenix, as it is taking on water and being serviced. Next, a Santa Fe warbonet arrives. Afterwards, 4447 departs Phoenix. Later on, train number 1, the sunset limited arrives with E unit 6003. From the rear of the observation car, a meet with a diesel powered daylight passenger train is shown with a Union Pacific coach in the middle, and it doesn�t have an observation car. At the Rio Grande River, the diesel powered train crosses the state line as it approaches the US Mexico border of El Paso Texas. Later on, a westbound with different coaches from other road names, crosses the other trestle. At El Paso, train number 4 the Golden state limited idles at the station, then departs with the yard in the background. Next, a clip from the SP film archives volume 1 video is shown as the Steam powered sunbeam is operating between Dallas and Houston. Alco FPA-4s are on the Shasta daylight. Finally the program came to a close with an all black and white company sound film from 1937. After the film, there is an epilogue with clips, and more of dubbed audio from the lone surviving GS-4: 4449 in excursion service. Not only is 4449 operating with us today, it is sadly one of the selected mainline giants for Amtrak�s worst president Dick Anderson�s No Steam giants and private car policy, along with 3751, 765, 261, 4501, 630, 2926, 611, and more. While the case says 80 minutes, the main program is actually 76 minutes.

Additional remarks by Steamboy:
Narration: Just enough.
Narration CAN be turned off in special features.
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value:: Fair.
Recommend to others? Yes.