Very good DVD. Excellent scenery. Good amount of trains.

I thought this video was OK. The haze looks normal given the time of year it was made. Personally, I thought the color was a bit weak from the chopper, but I can increase the color on my TV set. That problem is solved. Somebody is complaining about the helicopter "microphones". I happen to know a little something about video. The video from the chopper had no audio! All aerial footage had dubbed sound. Otherwise all you will hear is chopper noise. I also understand the helicopter footage was made on the nearly new HD format known as XDCAM. I like how Pentrex is willing to try new formats in order to pave the way for everyone else! Whoever got that beautiful shot of the special near the Fullerton airport deserves a raise!!!!!

Once in a while, anticipation leads to disappointment. I got bit big-time on this one. 3751, Santa Fe's big Baldwin 4-8-4, is one of my favorite steamers, the only engine I would like to see more is a New York Central Niagara, and that is not gonna happen. I placed an advance order for Above 3751 to San Diego within minutes after seeing the announcement. One DVD that I have watched many times is Above 3751 On Cajon, which is in the Above The Rails Combo. Knowing this DVD would be in 16x9 widescreen format, I was really looking forward to it's arrival.

<p>Sorry 'bout yer luck, Dave! The program opens with aerial scenes showing 3751 departing LAUPT. Being an early morning shot, I did not pay any attention to the haziness, thinking maybe Los Angeles was just having a foggy day. Like other things, fog happens on many mornings when you are that close to the ocean. Then the scene cuts to ground shots, and the air is crystal clear, even off in the distance. Then it is back to more hazy aerial shots, including what would otherwise be very impressive close-ups of the side rods. Then bad turns to ugly as the program cuts to an in-cab scene on 3751. OK, remember what I said earlier about this being a 16x9 widescreen presentation? Well, the in cab scenes are shot in 4x3 format and edited into this widescreen program without compensation (letterbox display) for the different format. The engineer looks like he is so overweight that he would not be able to climb into the cab, and has arms that are at least 6 feet long! Now we are back to more hazy aerial scenes showing 3751 passing what appears to be a small intermodal yard.

<p>Then it is back to ground shots at Fullerton Station while the helicopter lands to refuel. Crystal clear. After the helicopter refuels, it is back to more hazy aerial scenes. This goes on all of the way to San Diego. The aerial shot of Santa Anna Regional Transportation Center looks like it was shot with a soft-focus filter like those used in some glamour and artistic still photography. Then it is back to the fog or haze problems. I have seen all I can take. This DVD will be on eBay tomorrow...

<p>Pentrex really blew it on this video. Above Southern California Rails, which covers the Surfline from LA to San Diego, on the Above The Rails Combo has beautiful photography, crystal clear even with extra long zoom shots and nice sharp sound. Likewise Above 3751 On Cajon. This program looks like it was shot through the smoke of a wildfire or through poorly done do-it-yourself tinted windows on a limousine wannabe. The sound in all of the aerial scenes sounds muffled. Just as I was ready to hit the eject button, the program cut to another in-cab scene of the engineer that looks like he is bigger around than he is tall with a six-foot-long arm pulling the cord on the whistle.

<p>Pentrex! What were you thinking with this one? Did the helicopter pilot forget to remove the protective cover from the camera lens? And why did you use 4x3 format cab scenes in a 16x9 presentation without compensating? And how many extra wind-muffs did you have on the microphones used for the aerial scenes? Unfortunately, I have to say that this is absolutely the worst railroad video that I have seen!

I watched this DVD once, and that was enough for me, I don't think I'll ever pop it in again. My issue doesn't fall so much with the video quality, but more with the audio dubbing. I understand that all you'd hear from the chopper would be the noise of the chopper itself, rotors, etc. Would it have killed Pentrex to put audio recorders at a few places on the train/locomotive itself as well, in order to actually capture how it sounded during the trip itself? The whistle cadence in certain spots was the exact same every time, regardless of how it actually sounded on the trip. The train would be either working hard or barely moving - and the audio of the locomotive at work would sound exactly the same either way, regardless of how the engine was actually moving. Don't make the same mistake I did - save your money for something else.

This was a great event. But Pentrex made some major blunders on this one. It is one of their first widescreen attempts and while that was all well and good, they would often splice in full screen shots into the mix. Most notably inside the cab shots. So you're watching a scene, and all of the sudden the scene is stretched like a fun house mirror.

But probably the biggest blunder had to do with the helicopter camera. Those that have seen Pentrex's "Above the Rails" will know how great these aerial shots can be. That's what I was expecting. With this one, it looks like it was shot through a piece of gauze fabric. The scene is very washed out looking. When they switch to land camera's, everything suddenly becomes bright and vibrant as it should. I really think someone screwed something up at Pentrex and they were stuck with bad footage.

I watched it, but it was not easy. I suppose if I had been on the excursion or had seen it in person, I'd have some interest in this video.