Passenger Trains > "Mighty Trains" on the smithsonian Channel

Its actually pretty good.  A little sensational here and there, but otherwise a pretty good look at some places where current passenger trains and services are a lot like they were in the US back in the 1950's.  Admittedly, many of the trains they ride are just every-once-in-a-while high end tourist trains... but some of the equipment and stations are pretty cool.   I think in the US and Canada, they ride on the RMR..just to give a comparable idea.   I like the stuff thats closer, in style, to riding the RBMN Budd cars.

Just watching KIWI rail in New Zealand today......C-C truck narrow gauge diesels that look like GE U boats. .  Pretty cool.  Also they have their narrow gauge version of what looks like a C415. And knuckle couplers and double heading and the like, similar to our RR's.   

Also lots of cool stuff in south america also (as we have seen from one of our posters here) .  

I know a lot of ppl dont like "european trains", cause they are just so different...but what we have here is looking more like the european stuff every day.....and in some places, you can sell see older GE's, EMDs and Alco like diesels in every day scheduled service.   
Who says u cant go home again.....well closer to home 70 years ago...and on TV....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/22 15:12 by pdt.

A little sensational here and there my butt. It's all drama all the time! For me at least it's pretty much unwatchable.

I guess, compared to a similar program about trains on the history channel, it seems tame.  The History channel one had this burly kind of guy who was just screaming about everything.   I just watch past all the "danger will robinson" stuff and look at the RR.    I have this fascination with narrow gauge  1st gen diesels in freight and pass service.  I was sooooooo bumbed when Newfoundland shut down.  The G8's and NF's were so cool.  Im glad narrow gauge "modern " rring still exists.

Apparently New Zealand has a substantial freight and passenger systerm now....all 3' 6" gauge..

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I guess, compared to a similar program about
> trains on the history channel, it seems tame. 


Modern Marvels has had some of the best railroad content I have seen on "mainstream" TV.

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I guess, compared to a similar program about
> trains on the history channel, it seems tame. 
> The History channel one had this burly kind of guy
> who was just screaming about everything.   I
> just watch past all the "danger will robinson"
> stuff and look at the RR.    I have this
> fascination with narrow gauge  1st gen diesels in
> freight and pass service.  I was sooooooo bumbed
> when Newfoundland shut down.  The G8's and NF's
> were so cool.  Im glad narrow gauge "modern "
> rring still exists.
>
> Apparently New Zealand has a substantial freight
> and passenger systerm now....all 3' 6" gauge..

3'6" gauge was the British Empire colonial standard. They built railways to this gauge all over Africa and Asia. It's also the gauge used in Japan.

Typhoon Wrote:
> pdt Wrote:

> > I guess, compared to a similar program about
> > trains on the history channel, it seems tame. 
>
> Modern Marvels has had some of the best railroad
> content I have seen on "mainstream" TV.

I suspect pdt is recalling the show "Extreme Trains" with Matt Bown, which ran 8 episodes on the History Channel in 2008.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_Trains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtDGGmd1Nf8&list=PLu_H3CsPF21ot2NE_9713KsayPhm_Xs-L

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typhoon Wrote:
> > pdt Wrote:
>
> > > I guess, compared to a similar program about
> > > trains on the history channel, it seems
> tame. 
> >
> > Modern Marvels has had some of the best
> railroad
> > content I have seen on "mainstream" TV.
>
> I suspect pdt is recalling the show "Extreme
> Trains" with Matt Bown, which ran 8 episodes on
> the History Channel in 2008.
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_Trains
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtDGGmd1Nf8&list=P
> Lu_H3CsPF21ot2NE_9713KsayPhm_Xs-L

Yes Extreme Trains was over dramatic and unrealistic with the loaded coal train "whipping around the Horseshoe Curve" and other crazy stuff.   Mighty Trains I think is excellent with a great combination of scenery, on board experiences and the running and maintenance of the trains.

When that History Channel show about trains was on we sat in the AFHT crew room and howled with laughter at most of it.

He asked the helper crew(?) on the coal train if they were scared and the WTF look he got from the Hog made me roll!

Regards

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