CONRAIL 1-THE WEST SLOPE
Conrail's West Slope's average grade of 1% is easier than the 1.5% grade of the East Slope, but it is longer, so helpers are needed for both ascending and descending the grade. This VIDEO covers the line through this fantastic helper district.
Tremendous action between Gallitzin, PA and Johnstown, PA. See the tunnels at Gallitzin; village of Cresson (where helpers are based); action at Lilli; Casandra (deep rock cut); action at Summer-hill; Southfork (and the connection with the branchline); Mineral Point (and the beautiful valley below); and Johnstown. 58 Mins.
CONRAIL 2-MIDDLE DIVISION-ALTOONA TO HARRISBURG
Pennsylvania has a tremendous legacy of railroad action and Conrail keeps it going with coal drags, double stackers, general merchandise freights and more. This division sees 30 to 40 trains a day for continuous action.
We'll visit the Juniata shops in Altoona, Conrail’s major rebuild facility for its large fleet of locomotives. Harrisburg is the site of Enola yard and 24 hour a day operations that make for some great night shots. In between, we'll see the Tyrone, PA. interchange between the Nittany & Bald Eagle short line and Conrail, and Mount Union - once an interchange between the Pennsy and the East Broad Top.
Not to be missed is the "longest stone arch bridge in the world" at Rockville, PA. And, the famous Horseshoe Curve. 88 Minutes
CONRAIL 3-PITTSBURGH TO CRESTLINE
This active line sees 60 trains per day, and we visit over 20 locations. This was once the main line west from Pittsburgh for the Pennsylvania Railroad, home to some of the heaviest duty railroading in America. The eastern half of this line is mountainous terrain.
Big Blue pulsating power provides helper service through Highland Cut. Almost 4000 cars a day are classified at Conway Yard - Conrail's largest yard. At Crestline, we'll see Triple Crown trailers being interchanged between rail and highway service.
Watch history in the making as the big blue locomotives of Conrail roll out their final days. Locals and mainline, shortlines and pool power. 58 Minutes
CONRAIL 4-INDIANAPOLIS TO ST. LOUIS
The Big Four was originally named the Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati and St. Louis (for the four cities it went through). The New York Central took it over in order to gain access to Western operations.
We'll visit places such as Terre Haute, Indiana; Effingham, Illinois, Greencastle, Indiana, Avon, Indiana and East St. Louis, Illinois.
We'll also take you on an exciting tour of the manufacturing operations of Wabash National the builders of the RoadRailers. This video highlights other railroads that cross Conrail as well, such as: Illinois Central, Union Pacific, Burlington Northern, Norfolk Southern and CSX. We'll visit an ex-Conrail tower in East St. Louis, now run by Gateway Eastern. Night time action at Effingham and Terre Haute. 87 Minutes
CONRAIL WINTER
Photographer Rich Scheid’s professional digital camera captures the last winter for Conrail, and the worst in Conrails history. Shot on the Dearborn Division, where 32 inches of snow fell in just a few days. Operations came to a halt with switches snow covered and frozen. We visit location’s in Michigan and Ohio along the Detroit to Toledo line, and on the Michigan line which runs from Detroit to Chicago. 69 Minutes
CONRAIL’S BUFFALO LINE PART 1
This program was shot over a five month period between January and May of 1996. During our visit between the historic Rockville Bridge and CP Kase in Sunbury, PA., Conrail was running four scheduled trains a day. We capture these trains on the southern part of the Buffalo Line, plus empty and loaded coal trains, CP detour trains, and a CP high and wide.
We also see the North Shore Railroad at Sunbury going onto the Shamokin Valley Line. Other locations of interest are: CP-Wye, Hecks, CP-Stoney, Dauphin, Millersburg, former “LV” Jct., CP-South Boyles, and Fisher’s Ferry. Full color, stereo sound and narration.
60 Minutes
CONRAIL’S PORT ROAD BRANCH
The Port Road Branch is one of the most difficult pieces of Conrail territory to photograph. Stretching nearly 75 miles from Perryville, Maryland to Enola, PA, this water-level route sees up to 25 trains in a 24 hour period, providing little opportunity for daylight operations.
Linking operations in Baltimore and Delmarva Peninsula with Harrisburg and points west, the Port Road has become a vital part of Conrail’s Central Pennsylvania operations. Originally constructed as the Columbia & Port Deposit Railroad, the Port Road Branch has seen three decades of change. This one-time electrified line now only boasts a reminder of what was the Pennsylvania RR. Although access is difficult, this video offers views of three river dams, three tunnels, and three rare flumes that carry flowing creeks over the top of the railroad.
Three years in the making, this video provides action in the form of coal and hopper trains, multi-levels, mixed freight, Office Car Specials, Conrail and Norfolk Southern track geometry trains and more! Operations have been mostly nocturnal due to restrictions and curfews imposed by Amtrak at Perryville, Maryland. This route is scheduled to fall under control of Norfolk Southern on June 1, 1999, potentially offering another chapter to the historic Port Road Branch.
This video was produced with the knowledge and cooperation of Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail). One hour, full color, stereo sound, narration, maps graphics.
60 Minutes
A farewell to CONRAIL’S HARRISBURG DIVISION
On February 26th, 1996 Conrail’s Harrisburg Division was absorbed by Conrail’s Albany, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh Divisions. This video was shot during the final three months of the Harrisburg Division on the Pittsburgh and Harrisburg Lines. In the early months of 1996 the Harrisburg Division played a vital role not only for Conrail trains but CSX and CP Rail due to adverse weather conditions that caused damage to the operations of all three railroads.
This video includes numerous CSX and CP Rail detour trains as well as an assortment of Conrail trains with power from the now rare GP-10’s to the high-tech SD-80 MAC’s. You will see the first run of Conrail’s SD-80 MAC’s on long haul revenue service.
Locations include: Rockville Bridge, South Fork, Lilly, Cresson, Palmyra, Lewistown, Duncannon, Tara, Annville, Hershey, and others. Color, sound, narration and on-screen graphics depict locations. Videography by Jim Cassatt, Jr. & edited by Steve Neff. Copyright 1996: Steve Neff 55 Minutes
Bonus Video
Conrail's BEE LINE
This video deals with contemporary Conrail diesel action on the former “Big Four”, CCC&Stl line between Union City Indiana to Bellefontaine Ohio.
We’ll work from Union City east through such locations as Ansonia, Dawn, Russia, Houston, Hardin, Sidney, Quincy, Degraf, and finally Bellefontaine. In addition to Conrail power-Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Cotton Belt, Missouri Pacific, Chicago and NorthWestern, and Grand Trunk power will be seen in this program. One hour, full color, sound, graphics, and no narration. 60 Minutes
8.9 Hours of Classic Conrail
9PAK-DVD SET
(SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION)
