Extreme Trains, DSTV - History Channel

[Tom Macrery]

Report on Extreme Trains, DSTV - I have seen 5 or 6 of the 8 so far. They are interesting, and each episode gives the a complete story of a specific train or train journey. For example, there has been a coal train in Pennsylvania, a freight train from Los Angeles to Texas, the Empire Builder passenger train from Chicago through the Rockies to Seattle, the high speed route on the North-East corridor from Washington DC to Boston, and my favorite the oldest continuously running steam locomotive in the States, a Union Pacific loco built in 1944, running between Denver and Cheyenne. Besides the main story each episode manages to include relevant bits of history, explanations of important aspects of railroading, and even something about steam.
However, the shows are very 'American', and the hyperbole is totally unnecessary. All the annoying gratuitous graphics do not add any information and only detract from the enjoyment. And the presenter, well-meaning and sincere trainman that he is, exaggerates almost everything - cleaning a firebox is "gross".
Conclusion - Very interesting look at American railroading, but suffers from the typical unnecessary additions to the documentary genre.
It's almost finished; catch it on the History Channel, Mondays, 2030; but will certainly be repeated fairly soon.

[Nathan Berelowitz]

I see that there will be a programme on 170 years of trains soon on TV in July. I think it may be on Nat Geographic?

[Stefan Andrzejewski]

Nathan please give us a date. I don't watch much and will miss it. I enjoyed the Extreme trains. It made me think of the possibilities in this country (RSA) . We certainly have the infrastructure.

[Mike Haslam]

I saw Extreme Trains earlier this year. Enjoyed it as an interesting look at US railroads. Would have preferred a different style for the presenter though. Although he is enthusisastic, there is just something about his style which grates on my senses.....

On RFD-TV (Dish CH231), on a Monday evening at 6pm EDT, they show a program on Trains and Locomotives. Different every week, we have been shown UP steam, modern Amtrak, the old 'streamliners' and their service - in fact lots of interesting stuff.

Following that comes 'Star Trek' on Sci FI channel, now for some unknown reason renamed SyFy, so Monday nights is good for TV watching! Don't call me!

Turtle

[Tom Macrery]

Stefan, Nathan is referring to a program I alerted you to on this forum on 16 July. I copy my submission here now for you.

In a new series, continuing the ongoing, and broader, Great Scenic Railway Journeys on the Travel Channel, 181 DSTV, about 20 well-known American tourist railroads will be presented. The first episode featured four railroads in the Adirondack Mountains northern NY, southern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts/Cape Cod. Besides the obvious scenic railway photography each section delved into the relevant history of that line. For example, a future program will visit Promontory Point, Utah, the site of the 'Golden Spike' 1869. And, happily, there were none of the usual annoying and unnecessary graphic distractions included in many documentaries these days! See it Sundays, 2100.

[Tom Macrery]

As predicted, Extreme Trains is being repeated starting exactly 1 hour, 10 minutes from now on the History Channel. And then every Saturday at 2315 for the next 7 weeks. I can recommend it

[John Ashworth]

Last week, Tom showed me two of the Extreme Trains programmes which he had saved. They are very interesting indeed. They share the usual annoying faults of modern documentaries (lots of flashing from one shot to another, and an over-the-top presenter), but the voice-over narration is very good, as is the suject matter itself. Well worth watching.