Shortlines, Regionals and Traction, 10 shows, 12 hours (Pentrex Combo Series)

Across this vast country and across the expanse of time, railroading has proven itself to be quite a varied and flexible enterprise. Join us for some off-the-mainline railroading. The shows included in this combo are:

Heartland Highlights You’re invited to come along and take a trip with us as we capture some great railroading action at random locations in half a dozen states throughout the Midwest. The Arkansas & Missouri always puts on a great show and our cameras were there to catch them doing what they do best. Further North, the Wisconsin & Southern is another favorite gem for railfans and we caught some great activity from that railroad in Janesville, Wisconsin. When was the last time you’ve seen classic F units in freight service? A visit to the Keokuk Junction Railway will make it worth your while. In Southern Illinois, the Crab Orchard & Egyptian adds more variety. the Belton, Grandview, and Kansas City railroad offers train rides Southward out of Belton, Missouri. A few hours were spent in Davenport, Iowa at exciting spots, such as Canadian Pacific’s Nahant yard. Plus, you’ll see heavy duty mainline action along the BNSF, Canadian National, Union Pacific, Iowa Interstate, and so much more.

Tracks Across Arizona Shortline and regional railroads are the backbone of today’s railroad industry. As Class One railroads concentrate more and more on mainline operations, smaller railroads fill the need to move goods from branch to main lines. In this show, Pentrex visits seven shortline and regional railroads in the upper Midwest. Starting in Nebraska, we view ex-Rio Grande SD45s in service on the Nebraska Central, which runs over former UP rails. Heading north, we find the Nebraska Northeastern running on old BN iron. In Iowa, we see the Iowa Northern’s GP20 in its beautiful maroon paint scheme. This shortline traverses former Rock Island rails and connects with the Union Pacific. Moving up to Minnesota, we catch freight and a business train on the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern. This regional railroad operates on ex-Chicago and North Western rails. While in Minnesota, we visit the now-extinct Dakota Rail and then the Minnesota Commercial with its newly-acquired Alco RS-18. The show closes with the Twin Cities and Western on the old Milwaukee Road main line. With their wide array of motive power and scenic environments, these smaller railroads offer great railroading entertainment.

Today’s Shortlines & Regionals Shortline and regional railroads are the backbone of today’s railroad industry. As Class One railroads concentrate more and more on mainline operations, smaller railroads fill the need to move goods from branch to main lines. In this show, Pentrex visits seven shortline and regional railroads in the upper Midwest. Starting in Nebraska, we view ex-Rio Grande SD45s in service on the Nebraska Central, which runs over former UP rails. Heading north, we find the Nebraska Northeastern running on old BN iron. In Iowa, we see the Iowa Northern’s GP20 in its beautiful maroon paint scheme. This shortline traverses former Rock Island rails and connects with the Union Pacific.

Moving up to Minnesota, we catch freight and a business train on the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern. This regional railroad operates on ex-Chicago and North Western rails. While in Minnesota, we visit the now-extinct Dakota Rail and then the Minnesota Commercial with its newly-acquired Alco RS-18. The show closes with the Twin Cities and Western on the old Milwaukee Road main line. With their wide array of motive power and scenic environments, these smaller railroads offer great railroading entertainment.

Winchester & Western, A Big Little Shortline Shortline railroads are a booming business and provide a vital link to our country’s railroad industry. Often overlooked, these small lines run diverse operations with some of the most interesting locomotives found in railroading today. The Winchester & Western shortline railroad employs two Alco RS-11s and a GP9 in its daily sand hauling-operations between Winchester, Virginia, and the mine at Gore. The scenic countryside of the rural Shenandoah Valley provides a beautiful background for the lumbering trains. The Alco diesels put on a spectacular show as they pull heavy loads of sand over the hills. They “smoke it up” and pump out that great Alco sound as they grind upgrade. Once a train arrives at Winchester, its cars are weighed on an old Fairbanks scale. Detailed views show the scale being adjusted and car tags being punched with the weight. The covered hoppers are then free-rolled down into the yard. This is an up close and personal look at down home railroading.

California Western Railroad The California Western Railroad is a unique shortline headquartered in the Northern California coastal town of Ft. Bragg. The railroad heads forty miles inland, climbing over the rugged coastal mountain range before reaching the town of Willits. Owned by Kyle Railways at the time this was filmed in 1991, this historic line is probably best known for its Skunk Motorcars, which have been featured on several network television programs. Pentrex invites you to explore the entire California Western Railroad. Ride in the cab and on the tender of the steam engine as it works upgrade through the redwood forests and along the Noyo River to Northspur. Our specially arranged hi-rail vehicle will put you right ahead of the locomotive as it winds its way over the scenic line. You will also hi-rail ahead of a freight train with an Alco diesel on the point, and ahead of the Skunk railcar. The California Western is a fascinating and well-maintained short line railroad. The scenery is superb as seen from the train or at trackside from a number of different runby locations. Don’t miss this delightful look at the California Western Railroad.

Rail Explorations From Arizona to Missouri, Rail Explorations is a fascinating trip across seven states as we deliver the interesting and the unusual for your enjoyment. We invite you to join us as we explored the rails for the best sights to be had across multiple states and railroads. Our journey takes you to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic, the Abilene & Smoky Valley and the Grand Canyon Railway tourist lines. You’ll get a fascinating look at 50-kilovolt electrics pulling trainloads of heavy coal on the Black Mesa & Lake Powell. We also caught great action of ALCO C420s smoking it up on the Arkansas & Missouri. If that’s not enough, in eastern Kansas on the Midland Railway, you’ll take a cab ride on an RS3, and later, watch as it performs a great runby for our camera. There is even some mainline action to be had along the BNSF, KCS, and UP.

Chicago Traction Combo Three classic traction programs Here is as complete a look at the Chicago traction/trolley/interurban scene as you are likely to find! Noted railroad historians Bill Warrick and Walter Keevil have assembled an amazing assortment of rare color and black & white footage to document electric railroading operations in and around the Chicago area from the 1990s all the way back to 1900. Originally released by Interurban Press as three separate VHS videos known as the Midwest Traction Classics, this series is now available for your enjoyment on one combo DVD! Included on this disc are: Outside Chicago; Midwest Electric Lines The lines outside Chicago are brought back to life in this fascinating documentary. The Indiana Railroad, the Illinois Terminal, the Crandic, and the Waterloo, Cedar Falls & Northern are just a few of the interurbans covered here. Plus, streetcars in Indianapolis, St. Louis, and the Twin Cities are shown as well! 30 minutes, color footage, produced in 1987, formerly titled “Midwest Traction Classics.” Chicago’s 3 Interurbans; Midwest Electric Lines II This film has it all, from Electroliners to Birneys. Visit Insull’s Big Three: the North Shore; the South Shore; and the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin, with footage from every era plus present day action on the two survivors. You’ll also ride the Illinois Central Electric and the Gary Railways. 30 minutes, color and B&W footage, produced in 1988. 90 Years of Chicago Traction; Midwest Electric Lines III This film treats you to images of the Chicago Surface Lines and its predecessors, including horse, cable, and electric service from around 1900 to the 1950s. The famous CSL drop-platform cars and plenty of Chicago PCCs are shown across the windy city. The Chicago Elevated Railways are also covered in scenes throughout the system from 1900-1990. You’ll see cars swinging around curves and through interlockers, crowds boarding at stations, trains of wooden and later steel cars, the “Skokie Swift,” and other unique Chicago El lines! 58 minutes, color and B&W footage, produced in 1990.

Orange Empire Railway Museum Experience the Orange Empire Railway Museum (since 2019, the Southern California Railway Museum), the largest operating railway museum in the western United States. From its humble beginnings of preserving a few antiquated streetcars, this Southern California landmark has grown into a huge 70-acre facility with over 200 locomotives, passenger cars, trolleys, freight cars, and interurban electrics. Each weekend visitors come to enjoy the exhibits and ride trains on the museum’s railway – especially during Rail Festivals when they can board steam and diesel powered trains at the 1892 Perris depot and enjoy live bands, vintage autos, and “Big Red Car” rides. One of the main attractions is the new Grizzly Flats Enginehouse, housing an 1881 narrow gauge steam locomotive and rail cars recently donated by retired Disney animator Ward Kimball. You’ll see it all: the displays, volunteers at work, Rail Festival days, an interview with Ward Kimball, plus dozens of trains and trolleys in operation on the Museum’s railway. This is a railroading adventure you won’t want to miss!