Producer: Steve Branfields
Timeframe: 1930s- 1960s
Locations: Pennsylvania- Ohio
Length: 47 minutes
Sources: Blackhawk, Bill Radcliff, Andy Schools
A&R Productions with a 30 year span of film. Pennsylvania Railroad. Bessemer and Lake Erie, which constitutes- the more!
Great collection of: Steam, Diesel and Electric locomotives. The all encompassing program, contains many examples of the vast Pennsy roster.
Each locomotive has a historical review, with the visual presented. Effective and compact method, to deal with a huge roster.
Dubbed audio. I cannot comment on the accuracy of every engine. The presentation works for me.
Almost a chapter menu. A show selector. Choice of: Pennsy or B&LE.
GG-1 electrics, along with it’s earlier class.
No maps or any visual references. This one moves around the state of Pennsylvania. Ends up in Ohio. Some maps would have been welcomed. Held this show back from an even higher rating.
EMD E units in Tucsan Red paint.
House annoucer Ted Daluku performs his usual, professional narrative. An equally, pro written script, makes this one of those traditional, good shows. A&R does it this time out!
A variety of film sources, lead to the variable qualities seen. Majority is good to very good. A few down to fair, in earliest scenes. The 1930s, so it improves along with the timeline.
Black and white at the beginning. Movement towards color film usage, as time marches on.
Obvious preponderance of color in the later years. Quality remains variable. Check that GP30, with the Pennsy trainphone antenna!
The one constant is a horizontal distortion bar along the bottom of the screen. Look at the screenshots.
Pennsylvania was a true innovator. Their duplex steam designs had mixed results. Nobody would argue the aesthics were unique!
Pennsy steamers looked… The Business!
High steppin’ T-1 power. Fast, powerful and slippery. Pulled early from service.
Steam era to later years…
Horseshoe Curve. The classic hotspot, in any era!
New fangled diesels, proved worthy over the tough Allegheny grades.
TrucTrain was the PRR answer to early intermodal service. Yes, you will see some piggyback train consists.
Passenger trains were often heavy on mail cars. These were often the revenue makers. Before the US Mail contracts were discontinued. Check that Alco PA!
Cabin cars, as a caboose was termed. Those funny looking Trainphone attenana were essential for mountainous communications. They were singular to Pennsylvania.
Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad. Now, that is a line that you don’t often see on a train video! A bonus feature that fits perfectly!
Geographically and in chronological fashion. Heavy coal hauler, that had limited passenger service.
Pennsy – and More! The Standard Railroad of the World.
A daunting task to cover this railroad. Sheer volume of the locomotive roster. Multiply by 30 years. Again three eras. Steam. Steam to Diesel. Diesel. Do not forget Electrics.
A&R really did an excellent job here! Well organized. Decent soundtrack. Fine film collection. Good narration. All in a program that is suitable for the entire family.
As diverse as Pennsylvania Railroad actually was in equipment. Besides the daily challenge of operating over mountainous territory. A microcosm of United States railroad history, is present within this program.
A solid out of the box experience, from the house at A&R Productions. Comprehensive and succinct!
Rating: 4 1/2 Stars