Description
Trains magazine presents Minnesota Railroads DVD, a look at Class I railroads – BNSF Railway, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and Union Pacific, short lines, Amtrak, commuter lines, and railway preservation in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.”
In this 120-minute DVD, you'll get an overview of great railroad action from the Twin Cities to the Twin Ports, as well as in-depth details on various topics including:
- Fast Mainline trains traveling from Chicago and the Twin Cities to the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
- Iron Ore Mining Railroads.
- Passenger rail travel via Amtrak's Empire Builder train route.
- The Milwaukee Road 261 steam locomotive.
- Unique Short Lines including the TC&W, St. Croix Valley, and Minnesota Commercial.
- Snow plow action.
- And much more!
Approximate run time: 2 hours
Reviews
This 1 1/2 hour-long color DVD takes the viewer on a trip to visit a number of Class I, as well as smaller shortline railroads, within the state of Minnesota.The DVD is a fast-paced review of major train lines, various consists and photographic points; the camera doesn't stay long on any one train or location, but continues to jump to various towns, railroads and areas of Minnesota, while filming each railroad line separately.
The viewer will see a variety of modern diesel units pulling all types of freight trains, as well as a couple of passenger trains, commuter trains and even Milwaukee Road steam locomotive #261. Each rail photo opportunity within each railroad segment remains on the screen for only a minute or so. Railroads covered include the Burlington Northern, Canadian Pacific, BNSF and Canadian National, as well as short lines Minnesota Commercial; Twin Cities & Western; St. Croix Valley; Rapid City, Pierce & Eastern; and Minnesota Southern.
The viewer will get a good look at the headend diesel units pulling each train, as well as about the first 20 freight cars before the scene changes. The narrator will give quick descriptions of each train and location, plus the train number and location is contained in a box at the lower left of each scene. Besides freight trains, there are several Amtrak train run-bys, and Northstar commuter train run-bys, as well as a couple of railroad executive specials and a Minnesota tourist train run-by featuring two diesels and three passenger cars.
The last segment features some of the many short lines that run in Minnesota, and the sequencing is the same as in the other major railroad segment. In all, this is a quick overview of the state’s rail system.
—Don Heimburger, Heimburger House Publishing Co.