£18.00

Horse Shoe Curve and Sand Patch Grade are two Pennsylvania railroading landmarks of enormous popularity, with good reason. They share long history, challenging terrain, heavy traffic, and innovative technologies. Pentrex recorded these famous sites in the late 1980s and released two outstanding shows, both of which are included on this new combo DVD.

Horse Shoe Curve

Step back to 1989 when Conrail was running from 40-60 trains a day through the 3-track curve at this historic site in central Pennsylvania. Most of the action here is led by Conrail but Amtrak makes an appearance as well. The interesting mix of motive power you'll see here includes SD40s, SD40-2s, SD45-2s, and GE C30-7As. You'll travel to Alto Tower in Altoona, Benny, the Gallitzin Twin Tunnels, AR Tower, MO Tower in Cresson, but most of all you'll spend quality time at Horse Shoe Curve itself, the granddaddy of railfan locations! (75 minutes)

Sand Patch Grade

Old and new technologies intermingle on this remote yet important route through the Alleghenies. In 1990, when our show was recorded, this former B&O trackage was known as the Mainline Subdivision, a part of CSX's Chicago-to-Baltimore mainline. CSX trains battled their way upgrade through Brackens, Fairhope, Falls Cut Tunnel, Glencoe, the horse shoe curve at Mance, and Sand Patch Grade itself. You'll see a variety of motive power including GP30s, GP40s, SD50s, the CSX F-unit, and others in an assortment of paint schemes such as B&O, C&O, Clinchfield, Seaboard, Chessie, and classic CSX colors. You'll also tour the tower at Hyndman where vintage Armstrong levers were still in daily use and visit busy SA tower at the crest of Sand Patch Summit. Sand Patch Grade, rich in history, abounds in exciting mainline railroading! (60 minutes)

2 Hours 15 Minutes
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£18.00

The Northeast Corridor was a modern commuter raceway when Pentrex set out to capture this busy line in 1992. So much great footage was filmed with Amtrak's cooperation that two videos were released giving viewers an exclusive, insider's look at Amtrak's pride and joy. Now both shows have been combined on one Combo DVD, bringing you the whole Northeast Corridor story. Included are:

New York City to Philadelphia

Focusing on this electrified heavily-trafficked portion of the line, our program brings you a fascinating mix of old and new technologies. Trains roar down the electrified mainline at speeds of up to 125 mph, governed by Automatic Block Signals and dispatched from Philadelphia. Yet manned block towers dating back to the turn of the century can still be found in use on the line. Experience over 150 Amtrak and commuter trains in action as you visit Penn Station, Hudson Tower, Newark, Trenton, Princeton Junction, and Zoo Interlocking and the venerable "A" and Zoo towers on your trek from New York City to Philadelphia. (80 minutes)

Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.

Exploring the electrified south end of the system, our cameras capture over 100 commuter and Amtrak trains between Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. You'll see the action at Eddystone, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; Perryville, Havre de Grace, Aberdeen, and Baltimore, Maryland; and the D.C. area. You'll also go on a private tour of the CETC control center in Amtrak's 30th Street station and visit Washington Union Station's "K" tower. A special highlight is a ride in the cab of an AEM7 locomotive at the head of a Metroliner train doing 125 mph! (80 minutes)

2 Hours 40 Minutes In Color with Hi-Fi Sound and Narration
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£10.95

A rail fan favorite, Colorado Narrow Gauge pictures the trains that once traversed the narrow gauge rails serving the Centennial state’s communities and their mines from the 1800s into the mid-1900s.

14 x 22 inches, open
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£18.00

A once-in-a-lifetime steam excursion took place in June 1997 and Pentrex was on the spot with five camera teams to record the entire event. Union Pacific’s mighty 844, leading an A-B-A set of E-units and 18 matched passenger cars, made one last extraordinary trip through the Royal Gorge and over Tennessee Pass prior to UP’s closing of this historic line. Now you can relive the excitement of this thrilling steam adventure!

On Day One, you’ll follow the beautiful train as it heads south out of Denver on the Joint Line and into Canon City. Day Two brings you the sights and sounds of steam marching through the depths of the Royal Gorge, across the hanging bridge, up along the banks of the winding Arkansas River, blasting up grade to conquer 10,000-foot high Tennessee Pass, and heading down through Glenwood Canyon, a spectacular achievement! Day three features a high-speed chase across Utah’s magnificent desert landscapes, running past Green River and into Helper. In an awesome display of power, the 844 battles steep grades of Castle Gate and Soldier Summit. The final hours of the day see the train heading down through the Thistle tunnels and Provo, and arriving at Salt Lake City. Mainline steam just doesn’t get any better than this!

1 Hour 30 Minutes
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£18.00

Ride on the longest and highest narrow gauge railroad in North America, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. This remnant of the once flourishing Rio Grande narrow gauge network runs from Chama, New Mexico to Antonito, Colorado. The spectacular vistas of the San Juan Mountains and the Upper Rio Chama Valley flank the rails of this serpentine route as it switches back and forth across the two state lines.

Mikado steam locomotives built in the mid 1920s power the vintage equipment for these passenger trains. Daily, during summer months, they struggle up the four percent grade to the 10,015-foot summit of Cumbres Pass. You’ll ride in the cab and witness the expertise of the engineer and fireman who control these locomotives as they blast upgrade. Numerous run-bys highlight the power and beauty of a C&TS doubleheader at many scenic spots along the 64-mile line.

This program, released originally in 1991 and now available on DVD, brings you narrow gauge railroading at its finest on one of America’s most popular tourist railroads. Enjoy the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Passenger Train!

1 Hour 15 Minutes In Color with Stereo Sound and Narration
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£21.00

Southern Pacific just before and just after the merger with Union Pacific. You'll see AC44's, C-40-8W's, SD45's. SD70M's, GP60's and B40-8W's in action at Tehachapi, including the oil cans, on Beaumont Hill, with helpers, Soldier Sunimit, the old Western Pacific, the Little Rock Sub and the Sunset Route. Lots of action from an old, rapidly disappearing favorite. Running lime 1 hour 45 minutes.

by Highball Productions 105 mins * colour * narration on/off

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£18.00

Join us for a cruise down the Rhine, through the heart of Germany. Along the way, you'll see the splendid scenery, with fairy tale castles. You'll see the river traffic, including the historic paddle steamer 'Goethe', and of course you'll see the trains on both sides of the Rhine, from locals to ICE trains and freight.

By Highball, 85 minutes plus previews
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£18.00

Experience the largest, most powerful diesel locomotives ever built. The Union Pacific DDA40X Centennials weighed in at 270 tons, were close to 100 feet long (98 feet 5 inches), carried an 8,000-gallon fuel tank, had 16-cylinder dual power plants that could generate 6,600 horsepower, and attained speeds of up to 90 mph. 47 of these behemoths were built for the Union Pacific by the Electro-Motive Division of GMC between 1969 and 1971. Within 5 years of service, most of these units had racked up over 1,000,000 miles of duty, predominantly on UP’s high-speed western states mainline freights. Powerful as they were, the “Big Jacks” were also high maintenance locomotives and by the early 1980s were being phased out of duty.

In this award-winning video, originally released by Video Rails, you’ll witness the Centennials traveling through all types of terrain across 5 different states. Thrilling scenes feature them in operation on Sherman Hill, in the Feather River Canyon, and even over Cajon Pass. Fantastic pacing sequences add to the excitement. Plus, a special treat is a cab ride in a Centennial racing along at 90 mph! There was nothing quite like the sights and sounds of UP Centennials on the rails. Here is your chance to see them at their very finest!

30 Minutes In Color with Stereo Sound and Narration
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£20.00

The declining sugar cane railways of Java, Indonesia, still host a wide variety of elderly, exotic colorful steam engines in both the cane fields and the mills, and also have a variety of diesel "critturs". Steam from O&K, including unique inside frame geared Luttermoller's, Jung, Ducroo & Brauns, BMAG, the last fireless loco's in Java and others. The little engines are worked hard, often brutally so, and some of the exhast noise is awsome!. Water Buffalo are used in the cane fields to haul cane wagons to the "main line". Plus you'll ride on the engines, be chased by a train, and see some local life, including lots of curious kids!

TWO DVD SET. Running time 90 minutes each WIDESCREEN ONLY

by Highball, 3 Hours
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£22.00

Weighing in at one and a quarter million pounds, measuring 132 feet long, Union Pacific Big Boys were the giants of the rails. Just 25 Big Boys were built and they only remained in service for 18 years before the end of the steam era. Yet their power and performance make them as popular today as in their own day. This Combo DVD brings you two viewing treats: a Pentrex documentary focusing on Big Boy operations over Sherman Hill and a 1950s television drama about a Big Boy engineer.

Last of the Giants Volume 3: Sherman Hill (70 Minutes)

Allan Krieg, writer and director of Last of the Giants, shares the challenges his camera crews faced while capturing the Big Boys on film. Scenes of the running gear in motion, shot from a camera car on a parallel track, and pacing sequences of the Big Boys on the road are thrilling to see. You'll ride in the cabs and watch the firemen and engineers at work. Interviews with surviving crewmembers give you a sense of what it was like to run these giant engines over Sherman Hill. All the scenes shown in this production are compiled from 16mm color film shot between 1955 and 1958.

Big Boys on TV (70 Minutes, Black & White)

Ed Begley stars in this 1950s NBC Lucky Strike Theater drama about a Big Boy engineer who is struggling with fears about his future. The live broadcast takes you right into the heart of this railroader's life at home and in the cab of his Big Boy. Pentrex incorporated some of the original footage shot on location showing Big Boys on Sherman Hill and in the Cheyenne yards. (It's all new material, not used in other Pentrex videos.) We also included the old commercials that aired with the broadcast. They will make you smile. This is a program the whole family can enjoy. * Chapter Menu provides instant access to program segments.

2 Hours 20 Minutes * In Color and Black & White with Appropriate Stereo Sound and Narration

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