ID, MT, WY, IL, NY, CO, AZ, CA
The Burlington Northern Railroad was formed out of three large and three smaller roads in 1970. It was a success for 25 years. This DVD brings back all the great BN power and clean cars of those years that led up to the merging with the Santa Fe Railroad to create the BNSF system today!
We bring the early 1980s and the 1990s back to life with a variety of locations that reveal the many awesome locations that the BN was known for. Graffiti free boxcar-general freight, Lumber, and log loads, plus grain and Coop Hopper trains, coal and intermodals. The locomotive parade features everything on the BN Roster. The color movie and crystal-clear video scenes were brought to you by four different people’s cameras.  Each lived close to the tracks and had access to find the best shooting locations, and angles.  
The many priceless scenes were gathered on numerous trips extending almost 3 decades. This DVD will bring railroad engine music to your ears hearing older EMD and early GEs working hard, but now silent and vanished from all these scenes forever. 
All the screen grab scenes below are from the actual movie! 
1 hour & 40 min

Visit Canada from 1939 to 1973 from New Brunswick to Vancouver Island. We bring lots of steam and the early diesels in both freight and passenger service. Many maps and special diagrams were specially prepared to highlight the features in this video. The film sources are numerous from many of the most famous rail fans that were active from the 1940s through the 1970s. See steam, electric and early diesel action from coast to coast! In-cab and trackside action brings you great scenery and a nostalgic look of stations and even tracks that disappeared years ago.
• CANADIAN PACIFIC
• CANADIAN NATIONAL
• DEUX MONTAGNES ELECTRICS
• QRL&P RAILWAY
• QUEBEC CENTRAL
• ESQUIMALT & NANAIMO
• LOGGING LINES
• PACIFIC GREAT EASTERN
• CP SHIPS
Lots of history and the best locations such as Banff, Lake Louise, Kicking Horse Pass Spiral Tunnels and Crowsnest Pass in the days of steam and diesel. Also, the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, Grand Trunk, Central Vermont, Soo Line logging lines and much more. To quote Railfan & Railroad magazine, “Here is another in an extensive catalog of must-own vintage videos from Charles Smiley, who is known for his excellent film transfers of often rare but always high-quality movie footage, extensive historical research, exquisite maps and excellent narration. Gain a better appreciation of the vastness of the fine country, marvel at the classic designs of its locomotives, stations and grand railroad hotels, and view its fantastic scenery. This program is also highly suitable for a variety of history classes. Long live maroon paint with gold striping” To quote Model Railroad News magazine, “Many of the shots belong in a feature movie or on a calendar because they are just breathtaking. Small wonder that Canadian rail tours are so immensely popular. In case you considered taking such a trip, give this video a look. Banff, Lake Louise, and Crowsnest Pass are among the treats for you to enjoy.
89 min

This is the 1976 to 1997 story of the Consolidated Rail Corporation, widely known as Conrail. It was created from the bankrupt Penn Central and a number of other bankrupt northeastern roads in 1976. We bring the early years of rebuilding, and the later years of a successful operation, that surprised nearly everyone. Everyone that is except the committed employees and the leadership Conrail had during its four phases of existence. This was like a four act play -- with every element needed to make a great story that will be studied by business analysts and rail historians for years to come. The four principal phases of Conrail's existence each had a CEO from a different business background that helped forge Conrail into a valuable operation. Our presentation includes many maps created especially for video to keep the viewer informed and to help paint the big picture. Once the system was stabilized, Conrail started making a profit and they went public with shares of stock that repaid all the accumulated debt. By the late 1980s Conrail was now taken seriously. Fortunately, all this was carefully recorded for history. This video has been created from the early movie filming and professional-format video material of three different rail historians each with their own talent and unique style. These are all visions you can no longer see along the rails of today. Conrail has since been divided and integrated into the Norfolk Southern and the CSX systems. Learn the plan that could have bolstered Conrail's future as a separate, large system -- but for a twist of fate. Our presentation includes many maps made especially for video to keep the viewer informed and to help paint the big picture. We bring the former Pennsylvania Railroad's Pittsburg line, from Altoona to Cresson in 1988 to 1992, with all the intense action, grades and helpers. The line east of Altoona brings more action from the late 1980s and 1996. See a great mix of manifest freight and intermodal trains in many scenic locations. Then, don?t miss the Harrisburg to Reading scenes on Conrail's former Reading Railroad line. Consolidated Rail saved the northeastern railroad industry by lifting 6 bankrupt roads from an ash heap - albeit a colorful one - with lots of work and an identity of its own making.
(2011) 2 hrs 20 min

This material was primarily shot in 1999 to 2001 with other scenes from 1991 to 1993. The various chapters bring portions of Ohio with the diamond crossings of Deshler (“Crossroads of the B&O”) and Fostoria (“The Iron Triangle). The program then moves east to the Cumberland Subdivision from Point of Rocks west to Cumberland, MD and then more gripping action on the famous Sand Patch grade. This is all color, digitally enhanced material, shot in many seasons. It brings you a lot of great action with helpers, long trains and road power from a colorful era on CSX. Some of the locomotive types have since been retired such as the C30-7s. Many maps have been made for this video to give the viewer a full presentation. See the last days of the old Color-Position signals in many locations and the installation of the newer signals. This is a 1 hour and 42 minute video bringing lots of great railroading. An additional section has a preview of the “Mountain Grades of the B&O” video.
1 hr 42 min

The late-great Santa Fe as shot on movie film. From Chicago to LA, up to Stockton and out to Richmond. All the early diesels and the second generation power too. Both passenger & freight. Enjoy the Santa’s various “Chiefs” and the speedy San Diegan. See street-running and yards. Remember the Super-C and the “Chief” at their best. Remember all the EMD F-units, ALCOs, U-boats and Geeps and many special units. This is action and history at its best. Tehachapi, Cajon Pass, Barstow, passenger trains down to San Diego as well as action at LAUPT -- and more! To quote Model Railroad News magazine, “Charles Smiley Presents gives a masterful 61 minutes of historical information and delightful visual images. All in all, this is simply a wonderful video”. And, quoting Trains Magazine, “The careful editing (and excellent maps and graphics) do justice to the subject. This is a fine tape and one that will appeal to the Santa Fe’s many devoted fans”.
The Cast:
• GP20, GP30 & GP35
• SD24, SD26 & SD45
• CF7, FP45 & F-units
• ALCO PA - ALCO S & RSDs
• U-boats & cabooses at all the great hot-spots
Special sections on the F-units, Cowl units, Super-c and ALCO power.
90 min

Great material from 19 sources shot in many locations out west. See FM and ALCO and many rare SP units. This brings the 1942 to 1975 era on the SP with E, F units and early GP9 and SD9 power. Don’t miss out on the first U- boats. These GE locomotives had some problems. But GE eventually worked their way to the top of the locomotive business by pecking away at EMD. See the greater San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles environs, Glendale’s old Taylor Yard, Colton Crossing, and many extinct branchlines. See the opening of the new Colton Yard and the building and early days of the Cajon Pass line for the SP and its bypass of Los Angeles for north-south through-traffic. Passenger and freight trains abound. Special Shasta, Cascade and even Kaiser ore trains from Iron Mountain near the Salton Sea - plus great and extensive Cajon Pass and Tehachapi action and much more. This is a wealth of vintage SP material – all shot on vintage movie film by former SP employees and many, very savvy railfans. To quote Railfan & Railroad magazine, “….the quality and depth of the information in the narration is so great. A must for SP fans I would think, as well as students of motive power evolution, use and disposition.” To quote a review in Model Railroad News, “Smiley, as usual, pulls from unfathomable depths of footage to locate and select delightful pearls of 8 and 16mm footage."
Some Locations:
• Oakland and San Jose
• San Joaquin Line
• Cajon Pass 1967
• Tehachapi 1955-1971
• Los Angeles area
• Taylor Yard 1965
• Colton Crossing
• Kaiser ore at Ferrum
• Santa Paula Branch
• Burbank Branch
• Cascade and Shasta
And much more...
103 min

From old Sacramento to Reno, Nevada we present the any challenges of the Sierra crossing. Filmed over three decades in all types of weather and every type of train from 1955 to 1995. Ride a F7 powered passenger train in a raging snow storm. See early diesel power and the history of the line’s building, the snow sheds, tunnels and more. Visit the old pre-merger Roseville humpyard and see a wonderful mix of old SD and GP “high-hood” power. Donner Pass was America’s first line into California and we cover the politics, engineering and construction of this historic line. The last years of the SP are also covered with great action with the “Tunnel motors” built to cope with the extensive, long tunnels and snow sheds. Expect long trains, lots of helper units and foreign power mixed in.
90 min

See the historic 1970 formation of Burlington Northern. See great vintage trains of Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Chicago Burlington & Quincy and the Spokane Portland & Seattle from the 50s into the 70s. We bring the history of the “James Hill Lines” and how he reshaped the northwest. See the steam to early diesel transition of these lines. Follow the career of Chicago Burlington & Quincy’s, Ralph Budd. His early years as a design engineer made him one of the industry’s greatest innovators. He was the youngest railroad president when earlier he took charge of the GN as he was also a sharp businessman. Follow the early passenger Ralph Budd-inspired Zephyrs, the California Zephyr plus passenger and freight trains of the CB&Q, GN and NP. Visit Chicago, Iowa, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and more locations with passenger and freight. We offer a special section of the “Inside Gateway” line jointly operated by the BN & WP. To quote Model Railroad News, “The story is epic... plan to watch it several times...”. To quote Railfan & Railroad, “This program, as all others Smiley has done, Contains a wealth of content requiring more than one sitting to digest fully. The maps are excellent, the corporate story-telling first rate.
Including coverage of
• Inside Gateway
• Chicago Area
• Iowa
• Washington
• Oregon
• Montana
• Idaho
91 min

Visit "Espee" locations that were in and around Sacramento,CA in the early 1990s. See Elvas and Stockton Junctionwith the towers that have long ago been removed. Watch hours of great, original Southern Pacific power that has sent to the scrap yard since this material was shot. Learn much of the history of the SP and the area involved in this video. The emphasis here is on manifest trains, transfer jobs and locals. We bring the kind of railroading that has been forgotten. See Davis and Suisun-Fairfield Junction and many trainson the Ione branch. Don't miss the sugar beets to Woodland, California. This video took years to shoot with nearly every scene in blue skies and with the sun's light on the right side of the train. The trains shown have been selected with care to tell a story and portray how things once were. After watching this video, you should have a better understanding of what happened to the "Espee" - and why it happened. See Roseville's original hump yard in action and the parade of trains through Roseville, Antelope and out to the East Valley line, lower Donner Pass and much more.

91 min

Do you miss Santa Fe, SP, WP and the old version of the UP? This presentation brings it back with beautiful scenery, old smoking diesel power and colorful, grafititi-free freight cars in the 1970's and 80's! We make the case for watching freight car traffic-patterns and loads to better understand how railroads worked before all the mergers of the 1990's. Watching these trains makes us realize all of the things we took for granted, and we appreciate these freight car views much more and it makes us want to see and in the case of modelers, run the trains of yesteryear!  These valuable historical views help us to create trains with our memories into a credible mix of cars from favorite home roads and the "Pooled" and "exotic" cars from other railroads! Tons of clean home road cars and Per Deim boxcars, Coop hoppers, lumber flats and special loads! Of course, every train has a caboose or two! The best trains are shown in their entirety, making this a "Candy Store for Modeler and railfans". The paint schemes, slogans and colors remind us how much visually things have changed in railroading over the years. Watching these trains will make you realize all the things we took for granted as normal back in the day. These rare freight car views are now cherished more then ever before! Model railroaders should also value these scenes to create trains with a credible mix of cars from other lines and some things we never believed that actually did happen! This movie brings back many fond memories and gives us license to dream big when it comes to our own railroading!
2 hr & 45 min.

See the Milwaukee Road’s “electrification” on the old Pacific Extension. Remember the “Quills”, Bipolars, GE Boxcabs and GE “Joes”. Additional coverage includes the Milwaukee Road’s diesels and a nice review of Milwaukee Road’s steam powered trains. This is Milwaukee Road’s passenger and freight operations in its finest years. We also bring a good section on snow fighting, MOW equipment and practices as well as the frequent wrecks that kept the MOW people far too busy in the unfortunate years of decline. But overall, the Milwaukee Road’s employees always came through in the best tradition of tough and dedicated mountain railroaders. Don’t miss the comparative electrics on the Great Northern and the BA&P add to the history and scenic views. The copper ore trains that the BA&P actually preceded the Milwaukee’s own electrification. The original electrified BA&P paved the way for Milwaukee’s plans and gave them the impetus to “go electric” -- in many ways. See highlights of rival Northern Pacific and more Great Northern regional competition of their own specialized electric trains – and, their steam and diesel power. This video features mostly 16mm, beautiful, color film that captures the essence of the Milwaukee Road’s Pacific “extension” to Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. This is a fine history of the great Pacific Northwest -- and railroad history in general. To quote Model Railroad News, “Once again, Charles Smiley’s ‘magic’ resurrects old footage and combines it into a powerful story”.
74 min.

This material was shot in 1983, 1989 and 1991 with a mix of video and color movie-film dating back to 1969. See a colorful mix of power and a style of railroading that is vanished forever. The Mountain Subdivision brings the last Western Maryland units in service. CSX fans will also see the early color schemes. Chessie fans will see lots of "tri-color" power. Additional color comes from several CSX liveries from the 1991-era. The history of mergers of C&O, B&O, WM and Seaboard Lines up to the CSXT formation is reviewed. Early film presents B&O, C&O and L&N power plus vignettes of Western Maryland and the small WVN Railroads. See lots of Seaboard and Family Lines power mixed with B&O, Chessie System and CSX colors in big power 'lash-ups' with helpers and meets. The "Cranberry" grade of the Mountain Subdivision, and the Sand Patch grade of the Keystone Subdivision with its beautiful scenery, small towns and great trains are a special visual experience. This is all color, digitally enhanced material, shot in many seasons by Tom Luckey. It brings you a lot of great action with helpers and heavy grades. Many maps have been made for this video to give the viewer a full presentation. These are views back in time with the old Color-Position signals, towers and lots of great railroading that could only be found on the old B&O mountain grades!
1 hr & 33 min.

Look back at a grand era that featured three class one independent roads with first and second generation power. This big time mountain style of railroading will never be seen again-but this feature brings it back for your enjoyment. Don't miss the years of the UP, Santa Fe and Southern Pacific, as they all developed the need for more locomotive power to combat the longer trains,
faster schedules and heavy grades. See "E-Units" and "Centennials" when they were working in real freight and passenger service. Big Tunnel Motors and EMD SD-40 and SD-45s smoking it up on Tank Trains and giant manifests! This 1 HR and 38 Minute film has generous helpings of clean views of older freight cars and vintage trailers, after the power goes by and is a goldmine for railfans and modelers who want to see "how it was". Many trains also have multiple manned helpers and cabooses, in an era with no graffiti. Learn the story of Union Pacific's monumental quest for bigger diesels and more power! DD-40X Centennials, DD-35B's and Turbines all show up putting on a show! These are all time views of 2 monumental landmarks of western railroading at many locations, in all seasons! These are all epic railroading Visions, you can no longer see today!

1 hr & 38 min.

The Rio Grande still had hundreds of miles of Narrow Gauge Rail operations in 1954 when Andy Payne became a steam locomotive fireman, then yard hostler and later an engineer! Andy filmed many hours of movie film all during his career! This brings us a fresh "insider's" look at one of America's all-time favorite railroads.  Hosteling duties: Coaling, Sanding, and cleaning out the grates in the firebox! Andy filmed all the great scenery and the railroad's daily work life over the years. This leaves us a wonderful historical record of place that still had steam locomotives, and old wooden freight and passenger cars, earning revenue! Beautiful winter scenes were captured. This seemingly improbable operation was still valuable to its customers until time ran out in 1969! Learn the history of the line and hear some great stories, and insights, as Andy explains all the historic scenes he shot on Kodak Color Movie Film; See action from the cab, onboard and trackside. Much of the material could only have been recorded by someone that was there, every day, for 15 years and, with enthusiasm for his work. This production has an emphasis on revenue freight trains in regions that no longer have tracks. Steam firing and helper operations with up to 3 locomotives, are featured up close with real sound in all types of weather and extreme conditions! Witness avalanches, rock slides, floods, and snow fighting!

This video focuses on the revenue freight trains on the historic San Juan Extension in a region that no longer has rails. Action from 1954 to 1969; freight, pipe, oil tanks, lumber and livestock trains. Passenger trains, cattle and sheep hauling. Yard activity and action from the cab. Photographed by a railroad employee as only a dedicated employee could do.
Great Steam Servicing shots above!

1 hr & 30 min.

The Santa Fe from the 50s to the end in the 1993 era. Lots of passenger F-unit trains and freight with many paint colors. See the speedy “Super-C” freights that redefined the rail-freight industry - as it was run like a premium express passenger train. This is Tehachapi, Cajon Pass, the Los Angeles Area and the Bay Area at its best. The Needles Subdivision and Stockton Junction round out the action in this tribute to the Santa Fe’s various generations of the “Warbonnets”. To quote Model Railroad News, “I can’t think of a better way to spend an hour and a half...” To quote Railfan & Railroad magazine, “This prolific producer, specializing in high-quality, well researched and narrated, mostly vintage movie programs of operations mostly in the Golden State has brought back to life the evolution of Santa Fe diesel motive power… Fans of the Santa Fe’s classic diesel era and the various incarnation of its locomotive paint schemes should find this program to be enjoyable, and likely required viewing.
94 min.

This is a final look at SP’s California Coastline and related branchlines. Heavy action on the Tehachapi Line and Bakersfield Yard, with views back in 1971 and in 1993 as a comparison. This is a wealth of early SP power including the memorable ALCOs and old U-boats. See Beet Trains, Coal Drags, Mixed Freight and the “Oil Can” trains. See the Coastline for a final-look at “locals”, heavy mainline freight trains and many of its famous branchline operations. We bring lots of great branchline action in many California scenic and quaint locations. This was the SP we all came to love! Don’t miss out on the real Southern Pacific!
100 min.

See vintage black and orange Rio Grande action and rare film of the RSD and “Alligator” ALCOs of the Utah Railway. Both the Rio Grande and the Utah Railway had a long history of hauling massive coal trains over the summit. These trains generally had helper sets of six or seven six-axle diesels to provide enough force to tackle the 2-percent grades and twisting curves. We bring all of this from many locations that often needed a good hike to reach. We visit several coal load-out facilities as guests and learn quite a bit of how efforts are made to keep this business clean and safe. This is quite a contrast to the old days and how the industry is perceived. The scenery is impressive. And it’s even more enjoyable to railfans, as this busy line has two main tracks -- and in some places, three tracks. Nothing could highlight the scenery like the passenger trains of the Rio Grande with their orange and silver F-units and glittering, domed, stainless-steel passenger equipment. Ride the Rio Grande Zephyr when the Rio Grande kept its passenger train while almost every other railroad threw their trains into the Amtrak nationwide system. See many stations, meets with freights and lots of Zephyr run-by action in the beautiful Wasatch Range. Learn the region’s history and the changes in the late 1990s. Heavy power, steep grades and massive helper sets were the rule. Watch Rio Grande, SP and finally UP power take over. Also, trackage-rights BNSF trains. We were fortunate to have been the guests of the Utah Railway and their facilities. Visit yards and shops and enjoy their new business of handling general freight. We show the rise of the Utah Railway to new heights. To quote Model Railroad News magazine, “This is an interesting of images, and anyone who is a certified Rio Grande fan will want to watch it”.
Including:
• Color film from M.A. 'Bo" Golson
• Vintage Rio Grande and ALCos film
• Ride the Rio Grande Zephyr with runby action
• Comprehensive Rio Grande power guide
• Rumbling helper power on fierce 2.4% grades
90 min.

See the SP “commutes” on the Peninsula in late steam and early diesel days. Visit the old Third & Townsend Station where the SP Coastline really begins. Don’t miss the FM Train Master era, including the smaller FM H-12-44 switchers in various San Francisco Peninsula yards – such as the extinct Bay Shore Yard. Learn the mechanical details of the FM opposed-piston diesel engines with animated cut-away graphics. At one time, there were plenty of freight trains on the SF Peninsula working their way around the fast and numerous SP commuter trains. The old 1920 Harriman type commuter coaches and the first bi-level are seen behind passenger GP9s, SD-9s and FM trainmasters. Newer power includes the powerful SDP45 machines and the smaller GP40Ps – even in 1976 Bi-Centennial colors! We bring lots of old ALCO, Baldwin, FM and early EMD power. And, we have that on vintage film. Also, we bring more freight action on the Eastbay side and visit the old W. Oakland Yard. See the ALCO switchers and older EMD switchers work the yard alongside the heavt road locomotives at the sand tower. Ride former SP passenger GP9 5623 down Oakland streets switching freight for the Oakland Terminal Railway, on former Key System tracks. The remaining freight on the San Francisco side of the Bay features more street running in the last years of any freight operation on the peninsula We work our way down to see some yard switching and freight run-throughs in Santa Clara Yard. We stop by the San Jose passenger station to see some local freights that we’ll follow out to the Permanente Plant on the Vasona branch. These locals use up to 3 locomotives to pull long, heavy trains of hoppers with a trailing caboose. There are many other surprises that you won’t soon forget.
90 min.

Pre-merger SP in Arizona and California. Main and branchline action with grades, helpers, manifest, oilcan, beet, “boxcar” and stack trains. See Gila and Lordsburg districts from the 80s and 90s with cabooses, lower quadrant semaphores and on-train footage. See Donner Pass, Cuesta and the Coastline, Beaumont Hill, Tehachapi, Stockton, Elvas Junction, Tucson, Santa Cruz branch, Ione branch, Lompoc (Whitehills) branch, and much more. Don’t miss Stockton Junction with SP, Santa Fe and UP trains pounding all the crossing diamonds with in the days when it featured three railroads and an interlocking tower as well. This video has a parade of power. Grades, helpers, manifest freights, locals and much more. Remember the real Southern Pacific in this railfan’s favorite SP video!
To quote Railfan & Railroad magazine, “This video includes some really cool SDP45 pace shots, cab ride footage, a lot of interesting camera angles and neat graphics….. all done in a fast pace editing style… This is a darn good video’. To quote a review in Model Railroad News, “Charles Smiley does his magic, rescuing rare footage from obscurity, cleaning, sharpening, and editing it until the final product just sparkles. His story seems to flow right on through and the narration gives watchers the answers to the questions which naturally occur to them."
Featuring: Arizona
• Lordsburg District
• Coastline
• Donner Line
• Great Branchline Action
• Stockton
• Beet Trains
• Oil Can Trains
• Santa Cruz Branch
• Ione Branch
Much more...
90 min.

This 1950 to 1978 feature brings the long-vanished SP visions out west. Cab-Forwards, early F-units and the snows on Donner Pass plus both sides of the beautiful Bay Area are in this video. See Tracy, Shasta, Colton, Sacramento, Tehachapi, Suisun Bay, Altamont Pass, Dunsmuir, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose and much more. This is an interesting period of freight and passenger steam and early diesel power at its best! Don’t miss the Coast Daylight, San Joaquin Daylight, mail trains and “commutes” behind steam and early diesels. See diesels from the early tiger stripe, Daylight colors, black widow, and finally scarlet & gray. To quote a review in Railfan & Railroad magazine, “Twenty-six photographers contributed to this program which is skillfully edited and narrated. I highly recommend this as a quality program….”.
75 min.

Marvel at the UP from the 50s to 1996. Lots of early diesels from many great locations. Both passenger and freight trains are featured in the pre- 1971 years. See Cajon Pass, Chicago, Wyoming, Afton Canyon, Cima Hill and much more. The older vintage UP power ranges from GP9s, GP30s, DD35 and DD40X models with a great variety of early and late GE units. This video also brings the C&NW as it was being folded into the expanding UP empire. See C&NW power in several paint schemes on home Chicago rails and far out west mixed into UP trains. More great action just after the UP took control of the SP. See UP trains on Tehachapi, Coast Line and Sunset Line.
1 hr & 42 min.

Visit eight states and see America’s original line that helped build the west. Filmed by 14 different people over decades. Learn about E. H. Harriman’s dramatic life and how he eventually put an empire together that resembles today’s merged UP line. Follow the Harriman 1900 era to modern times from the phase out of steam to first and second generation diesels. The focal period is from 1960 to 1980 with the onslaught of rail mergers. See steam GP9s, E and F-units, Turbines, DD35, DD40s, U50s, SD24 and SD45s and many others with passenger and freights. To quote S Gaugian magazine, “In Union Pacific Vintage West, we get a comprehensive overview of the Union Pacific’s history, motive power and operating style. Filmed by 14 different photographers, the footage is extensive and interesting. In all… a real treat”
98 min.

Charles Smiley Western Pacific the Last Decade

WP diesels to the early 80s end of operation of the last major railroad built in the west! See the California Zephyr passenger trains, and mainline freights. Remember Oakland street-running, Stockton, Sacramento, the Feather River Canyon, the Nevada Desert and more. See the California Zephyr passenger trains, freight and many early EMD, ALCO Baldwin and early GE U-boats all over California. Learn the history of the Beckwourth Pass that was founded by the west’s toughest ‘mountain-man’, James Beckwourth. See how the Western Pacific under the leadership of Jay Gould’s son, George, carved out a niche right under Southern Pacific’s nose! It also took the vision and persistence of Arthur W. Keddie to make things unfold. History and great trains are in this all-vintage video. Don’t miss the “Final-Four” coverage of Western Pacific’s last operational F-units in Altamont Pass and other locations on the “San Jose-Turn”.
Featuring:
• Stockton
• San Jose 'Turn'
• Oakland Streets
• Desert Running
• The Canyon
• Cal Zephyr
• Early Diesels
• U-boats
• ALCOs
NOTE - The DVD version has an extra 14-minutes of new Sacramento Northern material.
THE WESTERN PACIFIC IN ALL IT'S GLORY FROM OAKLAND TO NEVADA
68 min.

See WP freight and passenger action like no previous video has ever provided. The 50s through the 1980 era are covered in lavish detail. See late-steam power and the early dieselization of the WP. The WP’s history is covered with many scenes that have previously escaped the screen -- until now! See the WP re-route and the purpose-built Oro Dam railroad used in building the dam. This section was from three different rail historians that captured what the others all missed as a monumental, and historic, event. Don’t miss the Feather River Canyon, and High-Line action in this historical video on the WP. See the WP rail ferry and Feather River Railway steam powered logging line that was one of the few sources of WP’s on-line traffic. One of WP’s properties was the plucky Sacramento Northern Railway that they bought in the late 1920s. We bring some great Sacramento Northern action shot by the historian, and prolific rail author, Harre Demoro in his teenage years. This is a wonderful look at Harre Demoro’s young and artistic dedication to Bay Area history. See the Western Pacific’s section of the California Zephyr trains, as operated from Oakland, California to Salt Lake City, Utah. Visit the CZ on-board, trackside and though yards and stations. Some of these rare scenes were shot by the well-known and respected photographer, John Illman. Other CZ scenes came from the late George Barnes who -- was also a well-known scratch-building model railroader of some marvelous O-gauge models. To quote a review in Model Railroad News, “Charles Smiley combines lavish footage and a fine script to tell. The story of this unusual little-big railroad… For long-time WP fans this is a labor of love.”
Featuring
• California Zephyr
• Steam to Diesel
• FT to F7 Power
• Uboats and Geeps
• SN Electric Freight
• WP Rail Ferry
• Feather River Ry.
90 min.

Charles Smiley Your Colorful Southern Pacific

This was the Southern Pacific at work on the Yuma District of the Sunset Route. The best material from our discontinued video, “Sunset Salute”, is combined with a wealth of newly discovered material to make this new DVD video. See mixed freights and ‘intermodal’ trains as well as locals and transfer freights. We also bring lots of ‘foreign’ and pool-power. Visit the Imperial Valley lines to remember the Sugarbeet trains of the SP. Learn how the beet cars were loaded and follow the beets to Betteravia where they were processed at the Holly sugar plant. Beet trains handed off to the SMV Railroad at Guadalupe, CA are covered from the 1970s and 1992. And don’t miss a cab ride on the SP-owned Carriso Gorge line just before hurricane Kathleen closed it to through traffic in 1976. Featuring...
• Yuma AZ to Colton CA
• Desert beauty
• Beaumont Hill 1991 - 1995
• Helpers and Foreign Power
• Imperial Valley SA&E Ry. cab ride c. 1975
• Sugar Beet Trains c. 1992
• Beet loading and processing
• Betteravia Sugar Factory
• Santa Maria Valley Railroad
• SP Coastline action
To quote Model Railroad News magazine, “Well Charles Smiley has done it again …this is a very entertaining and informative video. You want stuff to model? It’s in here, though I can’t tell you what you’ll glom onto and turn into a feature on your layout. Maybe you’ll just watch this for an hour and 35 minutes instead of broadcast TV. What a thought!”
1 hr & 36 min.