Beautiful footage of classic EMD 'covered wagons', built in an era when style was just as important as functionality. Picture, sound and narration are all top-notch, no filler material found here!

Additional remarks by Harvey Henkelmann:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? I doubt it.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Excellent Value!
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

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An excellent railfan video, with absolutely superb western scenery as backdrop to the passenger trains. It's a combo disc, with two titles to watch. The scenery is better in Feather River Canyon. The E9s are in fact quite elegant. But a gentle reminder--these are relatively modern videos of restored E9s, not the original E9s filmed in the 50s or 60s. Another excellent product from Pentrex.

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

Nice video for anybody interested in the early EMD diesel locomotives... Shows their true beauty!!

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

Very enjoyable. I rode in Rock Island E-7's and E-8's many years ago, so it brought back memories.

Additional remarks by cybermorse:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Maybe.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value:: Fair.
Recommend to others? Yes.

I enjoyed this DVD combo, inspiring me to get out my two Aristocraft units once again. Very informative to a distant observer. Pity it's not wide screen.

Additional remarks by hueycrewman:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? I doubt it.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value: Excellent Value!
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

This is an extremely interesting video of Union Pacific's E9's and well worth watching for any UP or for that matter, any rail enthusiast interested in preserving the past, even if it means rebuilding (modernizing) from the skin down.

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

In the elegant E -9s portion of this combo DVD, the date is April 22, 1994 as 949, 951, and B unit 963 are preparing for a ferry move from the Cheyenne steam shops to Denver. Next, the streamlined diesels are doing some back and forth movements as they pass the steam shops. That black and white striped car on the siding is a wedged snowplow. Next, they are filled up with sand and fuel. 951 was restored in 1984. 949 and the B unit are rebuilt in late 1989. An interview with noteworthy engineer of 844, 3985 and the diesels Steve Lee was included. Not to mention A look inside the cab of 951, as well as the generators. With service complete, the diesels head for their coaches at the Cheyenne depot. The special is on track 3 near speer at milepost 515. Moments later, 949 blares it's own horn at Nunn Colorado. The early morning of April 23, 1994 finds the special under a beautiful sunny sky as it waits for its passengers at Denver union station. Underway now, the special is approaching Brighton. Automobiles are alongside the rails near Platteville. After a passenger pick up at La Salle, it'll have to deal with freight traffic on the Greeley subdivision. A grain elevator is shown at eaton. Followed by a view from the Nunn overpass at milepost 75. A piggyback train is shown on milepost 96. They are led by a pair of wide cab units. The special itself is following behind the freight as it picks up speed at the same location. Note the random photographer in the background. Near Harriman Wyoming, A 2 unit mixed freight with SD40-2 3242 and CSX 7059 are shown. The Sherman hill division uses 40 to 80 trains per day. The special follows behind the freight at the same location. Moments later, some snow are on the ground at Hermosa junction. After using track 3, the special is turning on The wye at Laramie. With the turn around completed, the diesels head for the Laramie depot. On the return trip, the special is on track 2 at milepost 557. In the background, The diesels are approaching the red rocks in colores. Next, they are back at Hermosa junction. At Buford, A westbound freight is on track 2. It's a piggyback/doublestack combo with 2 wide cab units and an SD40-2. At the same time, the special is making a fast meet on track 1. Moments later, it leaves speer junction after a crew change. This location is at milepost 96. Next, it negotiates a bend at Carr. In La Salle, the sun is setting as a freight is stalled on the siding due to mechanical issues. The lead unit number 6349 manages to clear the siding for the special to proved. Behind the Wide cab diesels on the mixed freight is C40-8 9179. At last the special follows behind. After a passenger stop in Platteville, the weather in the sky is getting strange. From here It'll take 20 miles for the streamlined diesels to arrive back in Denver. On Sunday April 24, 1994, the diesels are at Denver yard. A one way trip home to Cheyenne on the Greeley subdivision is included. First the special backs up as it passes by the yard, then it departs downtown Denver as 949 blares it's horn for the York street crossing. Next it negotiates a bend near Gilcrest Colorado. Afterwards it passes by a small siding in Greeley at a maximum speed. In Carr, A northbound freight with a trio of SD40-2 units must wait on the siding for the streamliner to have the right of way. The journey comes to a close as the diesels arrive home in Cheyenne. Outside the shops, centennial unit 6936 will pull the coaches to council bluffs iowa for the next day. The diesels do some switching as 6936 makes some movements of it's own. Another interview with Steve Lee is shown. This portion of the combo was originally released in 1994 and ran for 38 minutes.

In the feather river canyon portion of the combo, the trip was recorded about 3 months after the elegant video. It's the first day of July 1994, and the temperature is more than 100 degrees in Oroville California. An animated map of the canyon subdivision is shown. After the title cards, the special is at a horseshoe curve in Cherokee. Several minutes later, the special exits tunnel 4 at James. The trip is organized by the Pacific limited group of Utah. It's destination is portola near the western Pacific railroad museum. The feather river itself glides down alongside the tracks as the special approaches Pulga. The river and the rails are at the lower level, while the automobiles are at much higher ground on highway 70. Next, the diesels negotiate a bend at rock creek trestle. Moments later, the special is now at both ground and river level at the rock creek reservoir near the honeymoon tunnels. Afterwards, the special is alongside the cliffs at serpentine canyon. Unlike the April '94 trips, the feather river trips will be led by 951. At last the special is using the east leg of the keddie wye to go to portola. Spring garden is located east of the wye. The engineer for this trip is Dave Stanley. Another trestle on the feather river route is Cilo trestle. In no time at all the special is at Portola. Passengers will take buses to their motels. On Saturday July 2, the special will be making 2 trips to Keddie wye. The first scene shows the special at Williams loop. At Keddie, the special is at tunnel 32 built in 1925, as it turns for the trip back to Portola. Under highway 70, the special is back at Williams loop. Afterwards, the diesels cross over Clio trestle, which is located in the Mohawk valley. Next, A visit to the railroad museum is shown during its open house meeting. Here a pair of Western pacific F units are making a back and forth runby. Unit 913 was donated by the California state railroad museum in old Sacramento. There are lots of rolling stock, and diesels on display at Portola. A Small unit shoves a centennial unit for a runby. At last, it's time for a cab ride on the afternoon trip to Keddie wye. The engineer for the special is Kirk Baer. Kirk takes the controls of 951. Both 949 and B unit 963 were restored in 1993. Tunnel 1 takes the freight trains to the Oregon state line. Taking the throttle for the remainder of the return trip is Jimmy Carter. Tunnel 35 is the longest tunnel on the feather river line. Here The special would have to deal with a 10 MPH slow order. With the cab ride completed, it's back to trackside mode as the special heads to Reno junction where they'll be turned on the wye. A week later on July 9, the special is at Oroville picking up passengers. The line clings alongside the river at rock creek as the diesels are approaching the trestle. Next, the special is at the Spanish creek trestle on the Bieber subdivision. Afterwards, another look at the map is shown. This time it's For the Bieber subdivision. A sign for Greenville park is shown as the special passes by the depot. North of Greenville, the special is negotiating one of the horseshoe curves at wolf creek. Afterwards it arrives at lake almanor siding. Moments later, A full hour lunchbreak and a tour of the town is assigned for the passengers at Westwood. Meanwhile, the diesels are running around the coaches as 949 would lead the train back to Oroville. With everyone back onboard, the special is at clear creek junction, then it passes almanor siding, twisting and turning at hollenback loop, and blares through the Indian valley at Crescent mills. At Keddie wye, everyone got their cameras ready for a perfect runby as the diesels head for tunnel 32 and back to Oroville, alongside the feather river. The sun is setting as the special is at Else. This portion of the combo DVD was from either 1994 or 1996, and it ran for only 45 minutes.

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

Anything historical is always of interest. Seeing power from the 1950's through the 1970's was what I hoped to be a real pleaser. Make a note that the engines shown on this video are only E-9's on the out side, just the shell. Totally rebuilt with GP38-2 engine components and controls. While the reasons for this is understandable, the only thing E-9 is the external appearance. Once the train was seen a few times passing by on the tv, the interest soon passed away. What was left of interest was the location of travel. Like other Pentrex Videos, the narrator appeared to have a lack of knowledge a few times. One example was where he makes a note of ducks in a reservoir which are actually Canada Geese.

My recommendations to any one who is considering this video is "If really interested in the subject matter".

Additional remarks by rrvideoman:
Narration: Could have used more.
Would kids enjoy this? I doubt it.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value:: Fair.
Recommend to others? Not unless they REALLY were interested in the subject matter.