I saw a clip of this DVD on Youtube when I was searching for Climax geared loco shots. Although we live most of the year in the UK, we are very familiar with the railroads of the Pacific Northwest, a location we visit at least once a year, and the movie is an inspired re-visit to a much-loved line, the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad. This time, instead of the trains being loaded down with car-loads of happy railfans, it's loaded down with car-loads of rip-rap. All in a good and worthwhile cause, that of rebuilding the foundations of the new bridge over the river crossed by the line.

The photography is inspired - low angle shots of both the rod and geared locos, slipping and straining with the enormous loads, pounding the rails in the 'hopping' Climax, atmospheric shots in the early morning as the trains are made ready for their long day's work, and the engineers and firemen and their efforts to keep the whole shebang together long enough to git'er done.

This is one of the very best DVD's of a real-live short-line maintenance of way operation in progress - a priceless record of a set of real events with real steam locos working for a living under the hardest of conditions.

I recommend this DVD to anybody who has an interest in having a modern, all-colour record of work that must have taken place a dozen times or more all over the short-line and logging world in the old operational days, but one that has never, to my knowledge, ever been recorded before.

tac foley
www.ovgrs.org

Additional remarks by tac foley:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Yes.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Excellent Value!
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

Back in 90s when porter number 5 was in operation, there has been multiple disasters on one of Washington state�s most popular tourist railroads. With the help of the hard working employees of a mostly steam powered mountain railroad, it�ll take a lot of gravel, ballast, ties, and steel for the trestles to get the railroad back in operational condition. Not only is the still in pieces porter shown in this program, hillcrest lumber company 3 truck climax number 10 also makes multiple appearances as well. While the camera equipment was recorded with some flickering screen bugs, it�ll still be an interesting program for Railfans, people who are learning to battle against Mother Nature & Murphy�s Law, and also for Mt. Rainier scenic visitors/fans, this is a great program to watch again and again.

Additional remarks by Steamboy:
Narration: Could have used more.
Narration CAN be turned off in special features.
Would kids enjoy this? Yes.
Image quality: A little rough around the edges.
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? Definitely.

This is a first class production that demonstrates the dedication of the crews and maintenance staff. Running a Railroad is hard graft involving long hours and "running repairs" to complete a contract. This is captured on this DVD to a very high standard.

Additional remarks by The Dodger:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? Not unless they REALLY were interested in the subject matter.

An EXCELLENT buy. If you even like trains casually, this is a must have! Narration is excellent, and the content exceeds most railroad DVD's. The cab footage is amazing. I have a very large collection of railroad videos & DVD's, but I come back to this DVD, and Golden Rail Video, for more.

Additional remarks by Luke:
Narration: A little bit too much.
Would kids enjoy this? Yes.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value: Excellent Value!
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

The video gave an excellent review of the story behind the story of the reason behind the Rock Train. In this way, the viewer was well informed of the reason for this special and unique operation. The filming was very well done- even if the viewer did not always know what the narrator was referring to in the way of equipment and operation of the railroad. I also liked the way the viewer got to know the engineers and firemen of the train by listening to them describe the problem solving of the railroad. It is a real working man's video.

Additional remarks by Huston:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? Definitely.

Good follow up to "Day in the woods" Rock train is a bit short on story but has lots of action. Commentary probably better turned off after you've heard it once.

Additional remarks by nicko:
Narration: Way too much!
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: A little rough around the edges.
DVD Value:: Fair.
Recommend to others? Not unless they REALLY were interested in the subject matter.