Various and assorted GG-1s line up at the Sunnyside Enginehouse in 1954. Photo courtesy the Collection of Edwin L. Conklin III.
(Audio-Visual Designs, Earlton, NY, Public domain, via W. Lenheim Collection)
VINTAGE RAILROAD VIDEOS
Reflections of the New York Central
From the 1920's to the early 1960's, you'll see the great limiteds and classic locomotives of the Water Level Route and the Big 4. You'll find the 20th Century Ltd., The Southwestern Ltd., The James Whitcomb Riley, and many more famous trains from The Great Steel Fleet.
Norfolk & Western Articulateds
One solid hour of the largest fleet of articulateds ever built - all operating in their original setting on their own tracks - in this case on the western slope of the Norfolk and Western main line between Bluefield and Portsmouth Ohio.
Boston & Maine Steam - Part I
Boston & Maine Steam Power as it was in the mid-30's: switchers, Americans, Atlantics, Moguls, 10-wheelers, Consolidations, a wide variety of light to heavy Pacifics, Santa Fes and Berkshires.
New York Central The Ohio Division Volume I Jan-July 1955
DONALD J. KROFTA began shooting 16mm film of railroading in the early 1950's. Located in Northern Ohio, Don focused on his favorite, NYC, which he covered extensively.
Steam on Horseshoe Curve Part I
Begins in the thirties with what was then the oldest power on the Pennsy: E-3 Atlantics. Continues through the forties including K-4s, M-1s (Mountains), Js (2-10-4 Texans) and the famed I Class Decapod (600 2-10-0s), the largest fleet in the world.
The Glory Machines
Great railroads and their passenger trains.
Steam on Horseshoe Curve Part II
Crystal clear footage from the forties and fifties. Includes all the engines mentioned in Part I plus the rigid frame duplexes: the T-1 4-4-4-4s and the Q-2 4-4-6-4s, the mightiest steam in the Pennsy stable - in fact on any railroad roster.
Under the Heat Pennsylvania GG-1s
Opens with a brief history of Pennsy Electric engines showing the DD-1, the P-5 (Boxcab) and the P-5A (Streamlined) and explains the circumstances that lead to the development of the GG-1. A wide variety of freight and passenger trains are shown.
NYC Water Level Route
Journey along the iconic New York Central Railroad's Water Level Route. This video showcases various locomotives, from Hudsons to Niagaras, captured in the 1950s. Experience the sights and sounds of these powerful steam engines in action.
Memories of Steam in the Northeast
This interesting program presents rare archival film footage of many different classes of stream locomotives in action on northeastern railroads. A perfectly-synchronized soundtrack has been added to the originally-silent film.
The Mountain Division Part 1 (4k Upscaled at 60 FPS)
Railroading on the Boston & Maine.
Penn Central E's and CNJ, action on the NY&LB 1975-1976
Here is some old Super 8mm sound movies that I had taken with a Kodak Ektasound movie camera back in 1976 and 1977. The quality wasn't the best on these things, but at least I captured scenes that will never happen again.
Reading Glory - in Upstate Pennsylvania
Experience Reading passenger and freight steam operations in Upstate Pennsylvania with outstanding all-color footage filmed by the late Clarence Weaver in the late 1940's and early 1950's.
B&O / C&O Steam Power With Live Sound!
Fred McLeod's 16mm sound film of mainline steam in America is legendary among fans familiar with 1940's and 1940's railroading.
B&O Memories 1930's to 1950's
Begins in the 1930's with some B&W newsreel footage of experimental trains and EA's with the early Royal Blue trainsets, then move to Cumberland and Sand patch.
Pennsylvania Glory | 1930's, '40's, '50's
Produced from classic original 16mm film by John M. Prophet, Bob Flack, David J. Williams III, Joe Orgil, Ben T. Young, Jr., and Dr. H.R. Blackburn.
Reflections of American Railroading
An aficionado of fast trains, Dr. Blackburn's films are well known for his chases of steam, diesel & traction from the 1930s through the 1950's.
Trains on the PRR / Penn Central / Conrail, Chicago Division, 1968 - 1984, Narrated
Filmed while working in the Communication & Signal Dept of those rail lines.
Steam & Diesel on the Bessemer & Lake Erie / The Diesels Roar on the Pennsy
Passenger service in the twilight years filmed by Fred McLeod in 1951-1952.
Railroads at the New York World's Fair
"Railroads on Parade", the 1939 World's Fair tribute to American Railroads, records the magnificent progress of rail transportation in America for 110 years up to 1939.
Steam and Diesel on the Baltimore and Ohio
By the mid-1950's, steam was disappearing fast from America's railroads. For a few years, the flatlands of northern Ohio offered the last vistas of hard charging steam on the B&O.
Coal Rides Again on the Western Maryland
A string of coal cars are pulled up the face of the Allegheny Mountains by a vintage Western Maryland 2-8-0 steam engine in 1997.
Photo Freights on the Western Maryland
Photo Freights on the Western Maryland brings you the dramatic action of hard-charging Baldwin 2-8-0 734 on the Western Maryland Scenic, as it pulls 6 private freight train charters on 3% grades.
Steam in the South in the 60's
The steam freight operations of the Virginia and Blue Ridge Railroad in both summer and winter, the ET & WNC Railroad, the Buffalo Creek and Gauley Railroad, and the Lavino steel plant operation.
Hudsons along the Hudson
Footage of steam engines on the New York Central Railroad. Steam and diesel-electric, freight and passenger trains are shown.
Army-Navy Game Trains 1955-1965
A look at the Pennsylvania Railroad special excursion trains that ran to Philadelphia for the annual Army-Navy football game.
Rails of the '50s, '60s, and '70s
Includes clips of steam, diesel, and electric railroads taken by C&NW engineer Dan Goshert.
Riding the No. 10 Line (Milwaukee)
Hail and farewell to the orange trolleys of Milwaukee. We ride the No. 10 Wells-West Allis-Wauwatosa line through city traffic and out to the suburbs.
Western Railway Museum May 1994
Camcorder footage of the Western Railway Museum.
San Jose Trolley Museum Ex-Porto #168
Raw footage of San Jose Trolley Museum and San Jose light rail. Date unknown.
Niagaras and Mohawks
Footage of steam engines on the New York Central Railroad.
Anthracite Traction
Trolleys in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Lehigh Valley on Penobscot Mountain
The Lehigh Valley Railroad in the 1970s.
Birney Safety Car
Taken from films showing preserved Birney Safety Car trolleys in America.
The Lightning Stripers
Diesel-electric locomotives from the New York Central Railroad.
Electric Rails of Utah
Many electric locomotives are shown in action in Utah.
California Streetcars (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego)
Various trolleys/streetcars that ran in major California cities.
Various streetcar films
Various clips of streetcars/trolleys in the US, some labeled, others not.
PCC Trilogy
Contains 2 short films: 'Red Rocket' and 'Transfer.'
PCC's of North America
Shot between 1938 and 1949, this film takes you to twenty-five of the thirty-one North American systems that operated PCC's.
Streetcars of El Paso
In the 1920s, the El Paso Electric Railway had 89 cars.
1993 San Francisco Trolley Festival; Hankai 151 run on Market Street
New York Central The Ohio Division | Volume II Fall 1955
DONALD J. KROFTA began shooting 16mm film of railroading in the early 1950's. Don focused on his favorite, NYC, which he covered extensively.
Memories of the Baltimore & Ohio
The former B&O railroad with footage of both diesel and steam, and passenger and freight trains and also what it looks like today in the CSX Railroad.
New York Central Ohio Division | V III Transition to Diesels
Classic B&W & color views of Big Four steam (and some early diesels) at such locations as Bellefontaine, Marion, and other locations in Ohio.
Sunbury, PA | A Historical Documentary
Relive history with this film documenting life in a small town located in the beautiful Susquehanna River Valley of Northern Pennsylvania.
STEAM ALONG THE MISSOURI (1961)
Train fanatics take a sooty ride from Kansas City to Weston, MO in the coal car of ol' number 4960, still chugging today on the Grand Canyon Line.
The Complete Nickel Plate Berkshire
700 class Nickel Plate Berkshire locomotives from the 40's and 50's. Switching, way freight, coal drags but mostly doubleheaded hot shots screaming down the main line with the perishables.
The H. Reid Film Collection Vol 1: PRR Steam & Electric 50s
The private film collection of photographer H. Reid. In this video are 8mm b&w and color films of Pennsylvania Railroad steam and electric in the 1950's.
Norfolk & Western 611: Queen of the Shenandoah Valley
(Director's Cut 2023 & 2025) (4K)
The N&W's J class Streamlined 4-8-4.
Norfolk and Western 1218
Fantastic footage of the J Class 611 N&W and the 1218 A Class double heading together.
Classic N&W Steam of the 1950’s Part Two
This is one of the best videos of N&W steam in the 50s. No question. The sound with this is unreal.
Classic N&W steam of the 1950’s Part One
Streamlined 4-8-2’s, Z class 2-6-6-2s, TE-1 class steam turbine No. 2300 aka "Jawn Henry", etc.
Norfolk and western Class J The Powhatan Arrow
1950’s footage of the famous N&W passenger train running from Norfolk to Cincinnati through Portsmouth
PRR Schuylkill Branch
In depth coverage of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Schuylkill Valley Branch. Many scenes and all from various and assorted film sources.
Erie E8A's excursions
Two Erie E8A's excursion runs, to Port Jervis NY with scenes from Moodna viaduct and a URHS excursion from NJ to Honesdale PA .
Thunder in the Alleghenies
Interesting, informative, and entertaining. Excellent photography job enabling viewers to better see the trains traveling through the towns and countryside.
BIG STEAM OF THE 1950s
Impressive footage of steam power operations of the B&O, C&O and N&W railroads.
Baldwins Galore on the Pennsylvania RR
This video was from a vintage 8mm film, not sure of the location. So much of the various locomotives of the Pennsylvania Railroad. In the second half of this film is filled with Baldwin Locos.
The 16mm Railroad Movies of John M. Prophet III
On March 19, 2022, I was asked by the Niagara Frontier Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society to be a guest at their annual banquet. They were very fortunate to have digitized copies of a "few" of John's incredible collection of 16mm railroad films... which he began shooting in 1936.
Sunbury, PA (Volume 2) | A Historical Documentary
Sunbury Volume 2 brings you more documentary film of life in a small town in the beautiful Susquehanna River Valley of Northern Pennsylvania.
The Ore Train | Historical Features of the Pennsylvania Railroad
The Ore Train is a documented story of part of a freight run over a 27 mile section of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
The S&L Story | Historical Features of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Follow the trip on a daily run of a local freight train as it makes its way through the rich farmlands of Snyder County, PA.
