No More Mindless Runbys
Below are the ten newest releases from Big "E" Productions in both DVD-R and VHS format.
UP-CSX Shared Track south of Chicago DVD
The former Chicago and Eastern Illinois and Missouri Pacific, now Union Pacific, double track line between Chicago and Woodland Junction that CSX has trackage rights on is by far the busiest rail line running south of Chicago. All of UP’s trains between Chicago and Texas take this line along with most of their traffic between Chicago and St. Louis. This line, often referred to as simply the double track, is also CSX’s primary connection between the Windy City and the Southeast. Although the recession has taken a bite out of the traffic, both railroads have a healthy mix of intermodal, manifest, and unit trains on this busy line. At Woodland junction, eighty-two miles south of Chicago, each railroad goes their own way and the double track ends. This program shows all of the action for over twenty-four hours on the UP-CSX shared track between Momence, fifty miles south of Chicago, and Steger, twenty-two miles further north, in April of 2010. “UP-CSX Shared Track south of Chicago” is 83 minutes in length. The DVD of this program can be watched with or without narration.
Attributes
- Video Format: DVD
UP, CN, and Amtrak at Kinmundy, IL
Small town railroad crossings that haven’t lost their trains or tracks to the mega-merger movement of today, often have a unique character. The small town of Kinmundy in south-central Illinois, 23 ½ miles northeast of better known Centralia, has only around 900 hundred residents, but it still retains much of its old time railroad flavor. Kinmundy is where the former Illinois Central main line, now Canadian National, from Chicago to Memphis crosses the former Chicago and Eastern Illinois, nee Missouri Pacific line to the coal fields of southern Illinois, that is now owned by Union Pacific and hosts all of UP’s trains between Chicago and Texas. Although CN has fewer but longer trains through Kinmundy today than 40 years ago, the former C&EI line through Kinmundy has several times the number of trains that it had during C&EI or early Missouri Pacific days, including run-through trains from CSX and Norfolk Southern. And UP and CN interchange trains at Kinmundy, utilizing a new interchange track. Run-through power is common. And finally Amtrak’s Chicago to Carbondale mini-corridor passes through Kinmundy. This program shows all of the UP, CN, and Amtrak trains through Kinmundy for over 24 hours in April of 2010. This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration. “UP, CN, and Amtrak at Kinmundy, IL” is 1 hour, 31 minutes long and sells for $34.95 plus $5 for S&H.
UP, CN, and Amtrak at Kinmundy, IL DVD
Small town railroad crossings that haven’t lost their trains or tracks to the mega-merger movement of today, often have a unique character. The small town of Kinmundy in south-central Illinois, 23 ½ miles northeast of better known Centralia, has only around 900 hundred residents, but it still retains much of its old time railroad flavor. Kinmundy is where the former Illinois Central main line, now Canadian National, from Chicago to Memphis crosses the former Chicago and Eastern Illinois, nee Missouri Pacific line to the coal fields of southern Illinois, that is now owned by Union Pacific and hosts all of UP’s trains between Chicago and Texas. Although CN has fewer but longer trains through Kinmundy today than 40 years ago, the former C&EI line through Kinmundy has several times the number of trains that it had during C&EI or early Missouri Pacific days, including run-through trains from CSX and Norfolk Southern. And UP and CN interchange trains at Kinmundy, utilizing a new interchange track. Run-through power is common. And finally Amtrak’s Chicago to Carbondale mini-corridor passes through Kinmundy. This program shows all of the UP, CN, and Amtrak trains through Kinmundy for over 24 hours in April of 2010. This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration. “UP, CN, and Amtrak at Kinmundy, IL” is 1 hour, 31 minutes long and sells for $34.95 plus $5 for S&H.
Attributes
- Video Format: DVD
UP's Jefferson City Subdivision
“UP’s Jefferson City Subdivision” shows all the trains on one of the most historic railroads in the West – Union Pacific’s Jefferson City Subdivision that stretches from St. Louis to Jefferson City, Missouri. This line was once the Pacific Railroad, the first railroad to lay track west of the Mississippi River and the first to reach Kansas City. Later part of the St. Louis to Kansas City main line of the Missouri Pacific and the route of the Eagles, this UP main line today, at least before the current recession, is as busy as it has ever been, thanks to the tide of low sulfur coal trains from the Powder River Basin, UP’s many intermodal, auto, and manifest trains, and Amtrak’s Missouri River Runners. All UP traffic between St. Louis and Kansas City takes this scenic, two main track line that follows the Missouri River. This program shows twenty-four hours of fast-paced action between Herman and Chamois on UP’s Jefferson City Subdivision east of Jefferson City in October of 2009. This DVD has the option to be watched with or without narration. “UP’s Jefferson City Subdivision” is 1 hour, 33 minutes long and sells for $34.95 plus $5 for S&H.
UP's Jefferson City Subdivision DVD
“UP’s Jefferson City Subdivision” shows all the trains on one of the most historic railroads in the West – Union Pacific’s Jefferson City Subdivision that stretches from St. Louis to Jefferson City, Missouri. This line was once the Pacific Railroad, the first railroad to lay track west of the Mississippi River and the first to reach Kansas City. Later part of the St. Louis to Kansas City main line of the Missouri Pacific and the route of the Eagles, this UP main line today, at least before the current recession, is as busy as it has ever been, thanks to the tide of low sulfur coal trains from the Powder River Basin, UP’s many intermodal, auto, and manifest trains, and Amtrak’s Missouri River Runners. All UP traffic between St. Louis and Kansas City takes this scenic, two main track line that follows the Missouri River. This program shows twenty-four hours of fast-paced action between Herman and Chamois on UP’s Jefferson City Subdivision east of Jefferson City in October of 2009. This DVD has the option to be watched with or without narration. “UP’s Jefferson City Subdivision” is 1 hour, 33 minutes long and sells for $34.95 plus $5 for S&H.
Attributes
- Video Format: DVD
BNSF Creston Sub in Western Iowa
The former Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy line from Chicago to Denver, now BNSF’s Chicago to Denver main, was the heart and sole of the Burlington Route. Often referred to as “the way of the Zephyrs”, this line in western Iowa where this program was videotaped, once hosted the Burlington’s Denver and California Zephyr passenger trains, the famous Fast Mail, the Chicago to Denver hot shot freight trains, and the eastbound meat trains out of Omaha and Lincoln. In spite of the favoritism shown it by Burlington officials, the CB&Q’s Denver line in western Iowa was never a major freight route and hosted almost as many passenger trains as freight trains as late as the early 1960s. Today this line still hosts Amtrak’s California Zephyr but low sulfur coal out of the Powder River Basin bound for Midwestern power plants is what has allowed this line to flourish as it carries more freight tonnage today than ever. This program shows a day and a half of action on the west end of BNSF’s Creston Subdivision west of Red Oak in western Iowa in October of 2009. “BNSF Creston Sub in Western Iowa” is 94 minutes in length and sells for $34.95 plus $5 for S&H. This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.
BNSF Creston Sub in Western Iowa DVD
The former Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy line from Chicago to Denver, now BNSF’s Chicago to Denver main, was the heart and sole of the Burlington Route. Often referred to as “the way of the Zephyrs”, this line in western Iowa where this program was videotaped, once hosted the Burlington’s Denver and California Zephyr passenger trains, the famous Fast Mail, the Chicago to Denver hot shot freight trains, and the eastbound meat trains out of Omaha and Lincoln. In spite of the favoritism shown it by Burlington officials, the CB&Q’s Denver line in western Iowa was never a major freight route and hosted almost as many passenger trains as freight trains as late as the early 1960s. Today this line still hosts Amtrak’s California Zephyr but low sulfur coal out of the Powder River Basin bound for Midwestern power plants is what has allowed this line to flourish as it carries more freight tonnage today than ever. This program shows a day and a half of action on the west end of BNSF’s Creston Subdivision west of Red Oak in western Iowa in October of 2009. “BNSF Creston Sub in Western Iowa” is 94 minutes in length and sells for $34.95 plus $5 for S&H. This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.
Attributes
- Video Format: DVD
Montana Rail Link on Mullan Pass
Since its inception in 1987, Montana Rail Link, which handles BNSF Railway trains between Laurel, Montana and Spokane, along with its own trains, has always been one of the largest and most interesting of the new crop of regional railroads. And today it is the favorite Regional in a Trains Magazine poll. Twenty-two years since its inception fans still flock to the MRL to see the venerable SD40’s still used in helper duty and the four year old SD70ACes in spectacular mountain and forest scenery. And thanks to the growth in grain and coal traffic provided by BNSF, Montana Rail Link today handles more tonnage than predecessors Burlington Northern or Northern Pacific ever ran through the Rockies on this track. This program shows two and half days of action on the former Northern Pacific and Burlington Northern, now Montana Rail Link main line on both sides of spectacular Mullan Pass west of Helena in September of 2009. “Montana Rail Link on Mullan Pass” is 86 minutes in length and sells for $32.95 plus $5 for S&H. This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.
Montana Rail Link on Mullan Pass DVD
Since its inception in 1987, Montana Rail Link, which handles BNSF Railway trains between Laurel, Montana and Spokane, along with its own trains, has always been one of the largest and most interesting of the new crop of regional railroads. And today it is the favorite Regional in a Trains Magazine poll. Twenty-two years since its inception fans still flock to the MRL to see the venerable SD40’s still used in helper duty and the four year old SD70ACes in spectacular mountain and forest scenery. And thanks to the growth in grain and coal traffic provided by BNSF, Montana Rail Link today handles more tonnage than predecessors Burlington Northern or Northern Pacific ever ran through the Rockies on this track. This program shows two and half days of action on the former Northern Pacific and Burlington Northern, now Montana Rail Link main line on both sides of spectacular Mullan Pass west of Helena in September of 2009. “Montana Rail Link on Mullan Pass” is 86 minutes in length and sells for $32.95 plus $5 for S&H. This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.
Attributes
- Video Format: DVD
BNSF Big Horn Sub east of Sheridan, WY
Everywhere West was the motto of the famed Burlington Route. And no Burlington line exemplified that motto better than the 476 mile line between Alliance in northwest Nebraska and Billings, Montana. Today, the Burlington is part of western rail giant BNSF and the eastern part of the Alliance to Billings line is laced with coal mines as it bisects the northern part of the Powder River Basin. 333 miles northwest of Alliance lies the crew change point of Sheridan, Wyoming. Sheridan, which today still personifies the West in American culture, is the midpoint of BNSF’s Big Horn Subdivision, which stretches from Gillette to Billings. Coal from mines in the Powder River Basin and from mines in southern Montana has transformed the Big Horn sub from a sleepy secondary line in CB&Q days to a big time main line railroad. Just east of Sheridan is Ulm Hill, which has ten mile long, one and a quarter percent helper grades for loaded coal trains on both sides. Loaded coal trains with radio controlled distributed power and manned helpers run both ways up and down Ulm Hill. This program shows over 24 hours of, at times, earsplitting action on and around Ulm Hill in northern Wyoming in September of 2009. “BNSF Big Horn Sub east of Sheridan, WY” is 64 minutes long and sells for $30.95 plus $5 for S&H. This DVD has the option of being watched with or without narration.
