Author Topic: I am addicted to this railroad documentary!  (Read 1350 times)

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Tom L

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I am addicted to this railroad documentary!
« on: January 18, 2019, 04:49:24 AM »
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I'm addicted to this documentary for the following reasons:

Seeing what it was like to work on the railroad in the remote Canadian Rockies in the 1950's, with cool vintage train footage

1950's Hipsters in railroad hats, beards and moose sweaters

Seeing people eavesdrop on each other's intimate personal business via the party line phones

And as if all of that wasn't enough, see a guy make soup, smoke a cigarette and read a book while his wife gives birth, all at the same time (he really does!)

This is a short documentary about winter railroading in the Canadian Rockies and the men who keep the lines clear. The stretch between Revelstoke and Field, British Columbia, is a snow-choked threat to communications. The film shows the work of section hands, maintenance men, train crews and telegraph operators.

https://www.nfb.ca/film/railroaders

Tom L
Wellington CO

pedro

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Re: I am addicted to this railroad documentary!
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2019, 07:27:33 PM »
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Superb! Thanks for sharing this. Not only the subject matter, but the production value is A+

CBQ Fan

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Re: I am addicted to this railroad documentary!
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2019, 07:37:13 PM »
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I found it very interesting. Cool post.
Brian

Way of the Zephyr

Angus Shops

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Re: I am addicted to this railroad documentary!
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2019, 04:54:41 PM »
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Thanks for posting the link to this video. It's so evocative of the time and the place. Considering I'm modelling the CPR in the Rockies in 1958, and The Canadian is my all time favorite train, this film is at the top of my all time favourites. There is just so much to see, from the glass battery jars in the semaphore signals, and the poor guy up the telegraph poles poking at the snow on the top of the cross arms with an axe handle, to the handwriting of the operator as he transcribes the orders... It's beautiful.
Geoff

trainforfun

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Re: I am addicted to this railroad documentary!
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2019, 12:13:04 PM »
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Thanks for the link , this one is good also .
It's more about yard and switching practice .

https://www.nfb.ca/film/train_406/
Thanks ,
Louis



Tom L

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Re: I am addicted to this railroad documentary!
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2019, 02:54:09 PM »
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Thanks for posting the link to this video. It's so evocative of the time and the place. Considering I'm modelling the CPR in the Rockies in 1958, and The Canadian is my all time favorite train, this film is at the top of my all time favourites. There is just so much to see, from the glass battery jars in the semaphore signals, and the poor guy up the telegraph poles poking at the snow on the top of the cross arms with an axe handle, to the handwriting of the operator as he transcribes the orders... It's beautiful.
Geoff

Well said. The dispatchers handwriting is amazing as is how he reads and spells out the orders.

Tom L.

CNR5529

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Re: I am addicted to this railroad documentary!
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2019, 08:14:42 AM »
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https://www.nfb.ca/film/train_406/

That is a great film, so many interesting background details too. In fact, on the N scale Roadshow club layout I like to run long CNR "fast freights" which resemble the consists shown. The other day a gentleman came up and recognized it, as he grew up along the mainline and saw these trains all the time. That made my day!
Because why not...

Rio Grandeous

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Re: I am addicted to this railroad documentary!
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2019, 10:21:19 PM »
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Very cool thread indeed.  Thanks for adding that part Louis!!
Chuck