If you enjoy toy trains this is a must see.

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

In this recently turned 10 year old DVD, the program starts with producer Tom McComas talking about what Hi-rail means, which includes a couple of still images of real railroad tracks.

The first hi-rail layout in part 1, is the Train masters of Babylon NY. This club layout contains a union Pacific big boy number 4014 which the real thing is back in operating condition at Cheyenne, a Santa fe northern, and also has a song. For diesels, there is a Missouri Pacific heritage unit, a Lionel industrial swithcer, a gold hudson, the southern Pacific daylight, a Pennsylvania steamer, a Rio Grande steamer in bumblebee colors, a Santa fe red and silver warbonet, and a streamlined rock island. Plus there is a K line rock island passenger set. The club was formed in 1994. Some photos of the new layout construction was included. Plus there is an interview with Bill hugges. There are lots of scratch built buildings on the present layout. Other trains includes are: a C&O articulated doubleheader, a great northern streamliner, and a union Pacific centennial unit. Plus a West side lumber company shay number 10 which thankfully the real engine is at the Yosemite mountain sugar pine railway in California along with sister engine 15. An interview with Mike sudlow is included. Besides the trains, the layout also has a K-Line street system. A blue hudson pulls the circus train, as well as a long island 10 wheeler carrying only 2 coaches, and sometimes carry tank cars. A union Pacific Mikado is on a passenger run. There are also scratched built accessories. The new layout is 3000 square feet. 4 trains run on 2 independent mainlines. An interview with Bob troutman is included. An MTG rock island 2-8-0 pulls passengers. The layout also has a circus. The track is gargraves. Other accessories on the layout includes oil derricks, railroad crossings and signal lights. The youngest member of the club layout is Ian holzmacher. Throughout the program, familiar electronic sound effects from the I love toy trains videos are used. The layout is powered by 6 MTH Z-4000 transformers which powers the mainline, subway and lower staging yard. A trio of Lionel ZW transformers powers the accessories, lights, and upper staging yard. The layout is open 10 to 12 days a year, and There is no admission fee. The segment concludes with a different song.

The second layout in part 1 is the new jersey hi-railers train club. Which is narrated by Joe Stachler. The trains on the layout includes a western Pacific ABBA set hauling coal, a C&O Kanawha hauling passengers, an Erie steamer on a military train, the lionel girls train, and plenty of diesels on shelves like the Erie Lackawanna, BNSF, union Pacific, New haven, NYC, and more. Some photos of the layout construction and train shows are shown. Also on the layout, there is a conrail freight. An interview with Matt Horning is shown, as well as his dad Martin. Matt also has a Union Pacific challenger, and a Rio Grande challenger. On the layout, there are skyscrapers, some tugboats, elevated subway lines, and tons of industrial locations. A photo of Matt at the Strasburg railroad is shown. Other trains on the big layout includes a CSX freight, a GE on a coal train, an MTH blue comet, and the Susquehanna. The layout construction began in April 2003. An Interview with Merrill Tucker is included. The layout is operated by 18 MTH Z-4000 transformers. An interview with Ben fiorello is shown. Other diesels include the Alaska railroad, union Pacific heritage units, the Virginian, Santa Fe, Jersey central, Bangor and aristook, NS, and CN. This layout also has a transfer table. One of the lionel accessories on the layout includes the rotating signal tower. There are many tracks on the layout such as gargraves for the main trains, while atlas tracks are used for the subway system. Many of the bridges on the layout was scratched built from a man in Cincinnati. The layout also has a Lionel version of union Pacific SD70ARE number 8444. The control panel is overlooking the layout. 6 MRC Dual 275 watt transformers power the lights and accessories. It also has a Lionel TMCC and legacy control system, and are hooked up by an MTH TIU. An interview with Bernie Callen is shown. The layout also has a roundhouse with a turntable. Bernie grew up with Lionel. The layout also has a K line city street system. Membership is now up to 60 people. There is also a coal loading plant. Another look at the security glass cases are shown as well as a real lionel target block signal. There is also footage from the open house meeting. Besides the giant layout, the club also has a pair of small lionel layouts which includes Thomas the tank engine pulling Annie and clarabel, the original polar express, a NASCAR GP35, a new York central mikado, and was powered by a ZW transformer, a trio of the ready to run CW 80 watt transformers, and 4 lionel bricks. A mention of the sopranos from HBO is shown. The fastrack layout, has a Santa fe F3, and an NJT geep. A look outside the trainland store is store. An interview with store operator Ken Bianco is included as he talks about the stores appearance on HBO, which includes the lionel prewar blue comet used for the actual episode. The fastrack layout from the club includes a scrap yard, and a playground. Some of the lionel boxes from that episode had gun wounds. Note the main menu for the original lionel Christmas played on the t.v. Screen. Matt also recaps The time that he met Jerry calabresse of lionel.

The third and final layout for part 1 is the Nassau Lionel operating engineers club. This segment was narrated by Tom McComas. The trains on the layout includes the streamlined C&O hudson from 1995, a red and silver Santa Fe wide cab warbonet, the union Pacific 844 in the 2 tone gray, a southern Pacific cab forward, a union Pacific turbine, the New York central empire state express, and some trains from both post-war and early modern eras. The layout is still undergoing construction. They lost their original lease in 1999. But in 2000, they relocated to the cafe basement. Photographs of the construction was shown. These new layouts were designed by Donald Cardiff. Photos of the 2 rail layouts are shown, as well as an interview with Bob Trnka. The layout measures 85 feet in length by 35 feet wide. Gargraves track is used for the layout, as they are powered by 6 MTH Z-4000 transformers. 8 lionel ZW transformers powers the lights and accessories. 9 trains are in conventional mode, and 15 trains are in command control mode. The layout is a mix of life in the 50s and 80s. Accessories includes the mijack cranes, oil derricks, railroad crossings, stations and more. An interview with Larry Knoch is included. The layout also has a Union Pacific big boy. A replica of Denver union station are shown. This layout has 2 large freight yards to store really long trains. There is also a diesel refueling station, the original polar express set, a roundhouse and turntable for steam engines such as union Pacific challenger 3985, a Pennsylvania duplex, the lionel 700E hudson, the Commodore Vanderbilt, and a Norfolk and western class Y6B and a Class J. There is also maintenance on the layout tracks, construction on the scenery, streamlined Santa Fe F3s, and more buildings all over the layout. There is no connection between the club and the lionel company. Members are allowed to bring their own trains to the club layout. One of Lionel's prized items: the 773 hudson is on the layout. Photographs of the original layout are shown. It is measured at 40 by 60 feet. Meeting night is on one Friday night per month.

Before the closing credits, a teaser trailer for part 2 of World class Hi rail layouts is shown.

The song on the NJ hi railers club was known as Red light dub by Midwest hype.

Overall this recently turned 10 year old DVD is a great show to enjoy again and again.

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