I was wondering. Is there any video footage of the many Steam tourist operations in the PA area available out there from the 60s or 70s. The 80s and after are available, after video cameras became so popular, but is there anything available for sale from earlier? If so...I'm sure it is footage transfered from Super 8 camera's etc.

Paul

I know there's a good video about the Iron Horse Rambles, but don't remember the producer.

I'm in the same predicament as Steve, can't remember the producer, but there is a good video on the history of the Morris County Central RR that even began with old commercials for the line. A good google search might help you there.

Dave Crosby

Sunday River Productions did the tape on the Reading Rambles ("Ramblin' On The Reading"). Hopewell Productions did the tape on the Morris County Central RR ("Rise And Fall Of The Morris County Central")

Regards,
Jim Robinson

My ultimate dream: a triology of DVDs with footage on the early and forgotten tourist railroads of the 1960s and 1970s. 8mm and 16mm films of early Strasburg (Clarence Weaver shot some great stuff on the SRC in the 60s in possession of Penn Valley Pictures that has never been released), Wawa & Concordville (Tom Gears, please cough up that footage!), New Hope & Ivyland (Ron Ziel, Tom Kelcec and Mike Eagleson have some great stuff on this road I've seen privately but never released), Everett, early EBT tourist operations (Green Frog has done a good tape), W&W, WK&S, Pine Creek, CP&W (Wayne Laepple has some good footage of this road shot by Jack Haines), etc. In 1995, Green Frog Productions did release "Twilight of Steam" on VHS and later on DVD that features Steamtown, Conway Scenic, MCC, RDG Rambles, etc., Hopewell has done the MCC documentary, Mark 1 has a Valley RR tape and a High Iron Company/Ross Rowland retrospective. But like many of you, I'd love to see a series of DVD programs on tourist railroad film footage. Another dream of mine is to do a Morning Sun all-color book on the tourist lines of the 60s and 70s. I'm not sure there would be much of audience for such a thing beyond our small preservation community but it would be fun project nontheless. Ah, so many ideas, so little time :-)

Jim-

It's probably a matter of economics. Videos of tourist railroads just don't sell very well. Customers want the real thing; steam or early diesels in real action on the railroads where they ran in revenue service.

We do have some footage of PRR 1223 on the Strasburg RR at the end of "Pennsylvania Glory Vol. 3". But be prepared, most of that program has simply great footage of revenue operations on the PRR from the 1930's - 1950's. The Strasburg footage is merely a bonus we added.

We produced a video on the Grand Canyon RR titled "Grand Canyon Steam Spectacle". We used 2 DVCAM cameras, got all kinds of unusual shots, cab rides, shop scenes, doubleheader footage, and interviewed Robert Franzen. It even received a Telly award and it remains a slow seller even with the low price of $ 29.95.

-Jim Herron

Thanks guys Kurt, I would also LOVE to see those same videos!
Oh...if only they were released! Especially Strasburg, Wawa and Concordville and New Hope!!!!!!! I'd love a little Wilmington and Western in there too!!!! 92 in action!!!!!!!!

Kurt, I saw you on TV the other evening, Channel 12 in Philadelphia was running the history of the PRR again!!! Always a great thing to see. My wife groaned when it was on...so you know it's good!!!!!

Long live the Wawa and Concordville!!


Paul

Kurt & Other W&C Fans,

I do own some 8mm film of the W&C. When I got it, I watched it on my buddies projector and left it with him. He since moved, not far, but is still not unpacked. Once he digs it out I will be making it available to the RR Museum of PA. Also, if anyone is interested in marine stuff I have some 16mm of Baltimore and Philadelphia shot in the late 1940s that is going to be transfered to dvd sometime soon.

Tom

Tom, I would love to see that too. Will you be selling it to the RRMofPA fso they can copy and sell? I used to ride that line as a kid.

Paul

My late Uncle Al Gohl took Super-8mm film of strasburg in the early 1960`s and Case railroad.
At strasburg it shows 1223 and No.4 running.

Len.

Actually, Jim, what I am proposing is not just another tourist railroad video. This is archival footage of old tourist lines, rare stuff from almost 30-40 years ago that is seldom seen and is enjoyed by a loyal following of preservation nuts like myself. Not contemporary steam, but nostalgia in a nice package, captured on 8mm and 16mm. There's something so exciting about old tourist line footage that I absolutely love, it can't be described in words. Please, Jim Herron, we are begging you to release such a tape. I think it could sell better than you might think.

God bless you, Tom Gears! I'm sure we would be happy to make a copy of your W&C film for the archives if you're willing to loan it. Brian Woodcock gave us some of his W&C business papers two years ago so a copy of your 8mm W&C films would make a nice addition. I can't say that we would release as a program for gift shop sales but at least we'd have an archival copy on file for researcher use. Just give me a call at the RR Museum when you are interested.
-K.R. Bell

Glad you liked the PRR program--that was shot back in 2001 and almost didn't make it to air (long story). I was really nervous when they shot it too. But that was two girlfriends and twenty pounds ago--life goes on, as they say.
K.R. Bell

The film has been found! Not only does it contain the W&C but also some of the W&W in the late 1960's.

Tom

I have that set and was excited to Steamtown running the CN 4-6-4T and also a bit of footage of the Lehihg Gorge doubleheader with a CPR 4-6-2 and SRR 2-10-0 #90 crossing the big trestle just fixed up by the R&N.