Great video. Learned alot about Sherman Hill and what the scenery looks like.

I am using the video to research a trip to Wyoming later this year. It was very useful for that.

It was a bit dated with the Dash-8s and SD60s being the most modern power, but who cares. This stuff will be gone someday and this video will be the proof that these locomotives existed.

Additional remarks by Dave:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? I doubt it.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Excellent Value!
Recommend to others? Definitely.

Union Pacific has been fighting the 1.55% grade over Sherman Hill for 140 years. This video covers some of the history of the Cheyenne WY to Laramie WY line, mixed in with modern (mid 1990s) operations. Particularly interesting is the story about the Richardson Romanesque architecture Cheyenne passenger station (the City Hall and Public Library in my hometown are the same classic architecture).

<p>The program opens with a scene of an intermodal train and an excursion with 4-6-6-4 Challenger #3985 on Sherman Hill. After the history of the Cheyenne Station, Roundhouse and Back Shop are presented, the program moves to the main line at the end of Cheyenne Yard. The program then shifts to <i>The Hill</i>. We see scenes shot in all 4 seasons (I'm glad I don't have to live there in the winter!), then the story about the old wooden trestle on the original alignment. The program covers tracks 1 and 2 through Dale, Hermosa and on to the west, then goes back and covers the more scenic track 3. The program ends with 3985 westbound on track 3.

<p>The photography in this video is very good, always sharp, with none of that annoying glare reflections from cab windshields. The sound is good, wind noise does not overpower the sub-woofer. Narration is adequate, but there are no train symbol or direction markers.
Big-Power fans will be disappointed that this video is post DD40AX and pre SD90MAC.


Additional remarks by armchairrailfan:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? I doubt it.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? Definitely.

In this recently turned 20 year old program, it starts with a doublestack negotiating A reverse S curve. It's led by a pair of wide cab units with C40-8 number 9230. Following behind the freight, while the camera is still rolling, is the once largest operating steam locomotive in the world: challenger 3985. Here The engine is on the opposite side of the track. 3985 is carrying 2 water cars, A boxcar, 2 baggage cars, 3 domes, and many more coaches. After the title cards, vintage photographs of Cheyenne are shown. Back at present day Cheyenne, A 4 unit freight is waiting for a 5 unit freight to clear the lines. Moments later, 6057, SD40-2 number 3967(a reference to the scrapped challenger, and for 3985's special trips in 1993 for the Rocky mountain railroad club), 6024, and C40-8 number 9353 are on a coal train. More vintage photographs are shown. Back in present day Cheyenne, an eastbound doublestack, with 6186, & C40-8 number 9156 slowly crawls for a crew change near the station. Yet another montage of vintage photographs are included. On one of the photos, look carefully for one of the 8 surviving big boys: 4017. Today the beast is at Green bay Wisconsin. On another photo, all of the gas turbines are lined up in the roundhouse. Today only 2 survive. It's already April of 1991, and 844 and 3985 are getting ready to go to the California state railroad museum in old Sacramento for railfair '91. 4-6-0 number 1243 is on a flatbed. We'll see the 2 giants later. On a different day, an auto carrier arrives. It's led by 6113, 6121, and 9423. Facing west, 6217 is getting a fresh crew. Behind the diesel is a Chicago and northwestern unit. Some maintenance of way equipment are shown as another auto carrier with some dohblestack cars are facing west. It's led By 9453, and a pair of C40-8s: 9156 & 9211. This location is known as tower A. An eastbound manifest with a pair of SD40-2s arrived moments later. Next a westbound is on track 3. It's led by 6209, 6075, and 9385. The bridge in the background is the Colorado and southern, which is now owned by BNSF. A 2 unit mixed train with a pair of SD40-2s 3646 and 3480 arrives from Denver, while at the same time, C40-8 number 9329 arrives with a coal train as it negotiates the crossovers. Behind the dash 8, is 3144, and 3516. Afterwards an animated map of the West side of Cheyenne is shown. In the winter, C40-8 number 9191 leads a 4 unit Doublestack on track 3 to speer. Behind the dash 8 is 5900, 3218, and 3704. On a November day, another doublestack is shown. This time it's led by 3360 with 2 more units. Next up is an auto carrier with 3 units. At speer, A 2 unit mixed train arrives. Listen to the horn on 3430. Behind it is 3956. A westbound with 6137 in the lead passes by the steam era water tower. Behind it is 9386, and 793. On track 1, A westbound Z train is passing by the power plant. It's led by 6252, and C40-8 number 9219. In Borie, A 3 unit coal train is heading west. It's led by 6251, and a pair of C40-8s: 9176, and 9182. They make a meet with an eastbound doublestack. An eastbound auto carrier is next. It's a 4 unit train led by 6088. From 1971-1997, Amtrak did used to go through Wyoming with The Pioneer zephyr. Here F40 number 345 makes a stop, as it carries 4 superliner coaches. 3 normal coaches, and a dining car on the rear. Moments later an eastbound arrives. On track 2, A 5 unit doublestack arrives. In milepost 528, A Chicago and northwestern unit leads a 3 unit piggyback train heading east at a location known as granite canyon. A meet with a westbound coal train is shown. It's led by 2018 and 2411. More vintage photographs are shown. Back in present day territory, 6171 leads a mixed train. Yet another montage of vintage photographs are shown. Back in present day territory, A meet is shown as a 5 unit Doublestack arrives. Listen to the horn on 9315. Yet another montage of vintage photographs are shown. Back in present day territory, A 3 unit auto carrier is passing through granite. uring the great floods of 1993, Santa Fe warbonets are detoured as the Chicago and northwestern SD40-2 leads the red and silver units. Both of these railroads have since been merged by both BN & UP in 1995. Ozone is at milepost 531.8. A 3 unit Doublestack heads east. Following close behind is the pioneer zephyr as it heads for Denver. 6124 along with a pair of C40-8s: 9152, and 9208 hauls airplane parts for the Boeing plant in Seattle. In Buford, C40-8 number 9117 leads a 3 unit container train, followed by A 2 unit trailer train with 6249 and 6078. Next,A 3 unit manifest is in the background, followed by a 4 unit Doublestack, as it negotiates An S curve. Afterwards, A 2 unit trailer train is shown with 6270 and C40-8 9212. At the summit of the hill, an eastbound 4 unit mixed train arrives. It's led by 6312, 6029, C40-8 number 9101, and 2484. Following behind are a pair of SD40-2s: 3678, 3500, and 3777. Next up is the westbound Pioneer Zephyr. Note the private car on The rear. Another eastbound hopper train arrives with 2 more SD40-2s: 3446, and 3959. The eastbound Pioneer Zephyr arrives. Next, an eastbound trailer train is shown with 6000, 2444, 3443, and an emd demonstration unit number 8067. Moments later A trio of the C40-8 units are behind 6262 as they head west. Meanwhile, there is some maintenance going on as a burro crane switches tracks, followed by another burro crane with a car in between. On a different day, the pioneer Zephyr heads west. Afterwards, 3985 makes a photo runby for the chasers. Engineer Steve Lee notches on the throttle and tugs the whistle. Riding footage of the train passing by a wye is shown as well as another look at the map, and more vintage photographs. Back in present day territory, A 2 unit hopper train is seen in the background. At the same time, A 3 unit manifest makes a meet. Back at Dale junction, A 3 unit trailer train passes by. Next, an eastbound 4 unit mixed train arrives as it negotiates the bends. It's led by 9391, 9162, 9312 and 3359. A 3 unit eastbound is passing by the windmill carrying auto carrier cars. Not all trains on Sherman hill have to be union pacific, as a 5 unit trailer train is shown with 2 from the union Pacific, 2 from CSX in the early gray ghost scheme, and a seaboard unit. On track 3, A westbound is approaching Dale junction in the going away shot. Some snow is on the ground as a 4 unit piggyback is shown on track 2. They are led by wide cab units. On a late November day, an eastbound auto carrier is on track 2. It's led by 6266. The Pioneer Zephyr is on track 1. A westbound doublestack is on track 2. It's led by 9440 and 9441. With 3666 and 6304. At Hermosa tunnel, 6228 is struggling after a stall. Look at the smoke of 2481. On the rear, are a trio of units 6345, 9067, and 3205. The helpers are running light as they make a meet with a 3 unit Doublestack. Moments later, the helper units are on it's own train. Another 3 unit doublestack heads for the tunnel, while the next scene shows a different 3 unit doublestack leaving the twin tunnels. Moments later, an eastbound is crossing the crossovers at Hermosa. It's a 4 unit mixed train led by 6269. West of the tunnels, 6273 and C40-8 9232 are under the signal bridge, followed by the Pioneer Zephyr. Afterwards, another look at the map is shown. A photo of scrapped challenger 3937 is shown in 1951. Back in present day territory, an eastbound is on the track 1 bridge. Track 3 is in the foreground. A mixed freight is taking some slow orders. On the reverse S curve at milepost 550, 3472, 3679, 3323, and C40-8 9175 are on a mixed freight. In colores Wyoming, A 3 unit doublestack heads west. Following behind is another one with 2 units. A pair of eastbound hopper and container trains make a meet. Note the Chicago and northwestern unit in the doublestack. Forelle is located 4 miles east of Laramie. First a westbound 3 unit mixed train passes by the sign, followed by an eastbound 4 unit piggyback with 6758 in the lead. At Laramie, the yard is in The background as 9415 leads an eastbound. More photographs are shown. Amtrak F40 number 359 makes a stop in Laramie as a 6 unit doublestack heads for Cheyenne. From the bridge, A 3 unit mixed train passes by the station, while at the same time, 6159 leaves the yard on a 3 unit eastbound mixed train to Cheyenne. Next up is 9444 leading a doublestack. Note the blue and yellow Santa Fe unit 5172 in the consist. Back at speer, the pioneer Zephyr leaves track 3, as it negotiates An S curve in the going away shot. Speer is located at milepost 518. Another look at the map is shown. Back at the water tower, 6276 and C40-8 number 9159 are carrying gondolas. Moments later A 8unit lash up with fallen flag units on the Chicago and northwestern, and Penn central must be put on the siding. After 6249 and 6100 clears the line, the train itself becomes a 3 unit freight. Next up is 3985 whistling for the tower. A 4 unit coal train with Norfolk southern power heads for Utah on track 3. 3571 is the lead unit. More riding footage is shown as well as the building of track 3. Cows are grazing as a 2 unit lash up goes by the field. Emkay is located at milepost 525.4. Here a 3 unit mixed train with 6317 in the lead passes by the detector box. A 4 unit freight is shown in the background. Next, the same train with 6317 negotiates an S curve. Lynch is located at milepost 534. Here 3685 leads 2524 on a coal train. West of lynch, A 3 unit hopper train is shown with 6019 in the lead. On the rear are helpers 6339, 3308, and 3610. A giant water tower is looking at the tracks in Harriman, as a 3 unit mixed train with a Chicago and northwestern unit passes by. A photo of scrapped big boy 4007 is shown. Back in the present, the same train is seen again. It's led by 3595, 3479, and C&NW 6878. At the big cut, A 4 unit hopper train is shown. It's led by 6073. C40-8 9188 and 9329 leaves the cut. At Perkins siding, A 5 unit doublestack is shown with 6092 in the lead, and a quartet of C40-8 units. This scene was recorded in 1994. 6217 leads C&NW units on a hopper train. More riding footage is shown. Back on the ground, 9454 leads a 3 unit mixed train. Next up is 6252 on a 3 unit coal train. A 4 unit mixed train is shown in the background. After a look at the sunflowers, E units 949 and 951 with B unit 963 are on a special at Dale cut. Following behind is a 2 unit gondola train with 6276, and 9159. The final 10 minutes of The program includes a quick doublestack in the background on track 2 heading to Cheyenne. Followed by a 3 unit mixed train at Dale junction. Listen to the horn on lead unit 6026. Moments later, A freight enters and exits Hermosa tunnel. Afterwards a meet is shown on tracks 1 & 3, followed by some riding footage. A quick 6 car train is shown with 2 units in 1993. More riding footage is shown. Back at Laramie, A 2 unit mixed train arrives. Some maintenance equipment is on display. At last it's time to see 844 and 3985 in April of 1991. Besides MOI, pentrex, Greg Scholl, Green Frog, and others capture the doubleheader to salt lake city. Here The special leaves Cheyenne. Next, 3985 is on a special using track 3. More riding footage from the baggage car is shown. Everyone gets out of the train as 3985 makes a photo runby. With the photo stop finished, it's time to roll down the line. The program comes to a close with a brief montage of 3985, which includes one shot of the challenger whistling through a lightning storm. The Pioneer Zephyr makes a stop in borrie, and also departs. With Amtrak cleared, 3985 gets the right of way. In the closing credits, pacing action of 3985 is shown.

Overall noteworthy NKP 765 engineer Rich Melvin did an outstanding job narrating this program.

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