Western Railroad Discussion > Alaska Railroad Series

It started today at 2:00 PM,(Pacific)) on Direct TV Channel 286. It shows all the ones that have aired to date. The one that will be shown at 7:00 PM (Pacific) is a new one.



Nudge



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/13 14:16 by spnudge.

Should only be 1 more show and then the season is over
JC

Posted from Android

Already? Seems like it just started!

I hope it gets renewed.

It's hokey dreck. I hope it gets cancelled, but considering the dumbing down of TV with all these "reality" shows, it'll probably last forever.

Last night they just had to change a culvert before the train got there. Made up drama all the way.

I agree that just like all of the other reality shows, the "drama" is contrived for the TV audience, but on some of these shows I can look past that and pick out what I'm interested in. In this particular case, contrived or not, there is some interesting information to be had about operating trains and maintaining right of way in about the harshest environment America has offer.

Normanroger Wrote:
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> Last night they just had to change a culvert
> before the train got there. Made up drama all
> the way.


aehouse Wrote:
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> It's hokey dreck. I hope it gets cancelled, but
> considering the dumbing down of TV with all these
> "reality" shows, it'll probably last forever.

So what, guys. It's a show about railroading in Alaska. Sure some of it may be "made up drama" still interesting never the less. "Dumbing down of TV"? For the most part, television has always been "dumb". Now and in the past. Only a few exceptions. I'll take this show over most on TV.

SantaFeRuss

I find the way to watch this show is to record it in advance and then fast forward through the non-railroad "drama" which is mostly about the off-the-grid people. I really get tired of all the shots of trains with the horn sounding almost continuously.

BobL Wrote:
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> I find the way to watch this show is to record it
> in advance and then fast forward through the
> non-railroad "drama" which is mostly about the
> off-the-grid people. I really get tired of all
> the shots of trains with the horn sounding almost
> continuously.


There's some nice footage of the trains, but not enough to outweigh the drivel.

Do I really need to know this 70 year old woman does her 40 year old son's laundry, and takes it out from the city to him in his cottage in the wilds? And returns with his dirty laundry on the next train?

If somebody wanted to carve out the train related stuff, including the "emergency culvert replacement" and folks sweeping out switches, the combined episodes could make a nice 20 minute overview of the line.

[Between the Alaska Railroad and the "Coast Guard Alaska" show, I have to wonder if anybody in Alaska could live there without the US and state government etc babysitting them every day. Get into trouble on your boat and the USCG dispatches a cutter and chopper. Have a problem in your off the grid igloo and the state sends a helicopter...)

I tried watching. Even made it through 2 and a half episodes before turning off of the TV. Just couldn't handle it. The senseless, over-the-top drama is a major turn-off.

Isn't there enough inherit drama in running a railroad through one the harshest environments on the planet? Why add of bunch of senseless crap to that?!?! It's a truly sad commentary on the current state of our society.

Jason Rose
Spring, TX
Rio Grande Explorations