Union Pacific Turbines of the Wasatch

Just as the original hobos of the early 20th century were scorned the mainstream of society, so too are today's train riders. FREELOAD is a dive into a beggar's existence. It is a ride through America's backyard. It is a musical endeavor that feels like a drama. It is a sociological examination of the ignored.

No matter what your age you'll love watching this impressive and comprehensive story of the development of railroading in America. Rail enthusiasts as well as history buffs, teachers and home schoolers, plus kids of all ages will appreciate this magnificent rail adventure covering live action historic operating railroads, rare photos of drawings and valuable memorabilia, and live action re-enactments. Featuring spectacular cinematography and an inspiring musical score, this Award-Winning four part DVD covers over one-hundred years of railroading evolution.

A "scenic picture from a hobo's point of view".

Esteemed for its scenic beauty and respected for the difficulty of its terrain, Tennessee Pass has been a magnet, drawing railfans and photographers to Colorado's mountains for years. When word spread that Union Pacific was closing the pass in 1997, interest climbed to an all-time high. Along with visitors from throughout the world, Pentrex traveled to this revered line to document its final months of operation. Our efforts were rewarded with a high volume of movements and an outstanding mix of trains. The grit of heavy-haul railroading is an awesome sight. Coal trains slug it out on the 3 percent grade leading to the 10,000-foot summit. Colorado's highest snow-capped mountains loom over toiling freights. Squealing flanges echo off canyon walls as trains grind through serpentine curves, and past the raging waters of the Arkansas River.

Savor images of Conrail action across the Pittsburgh Line, the very soul of this once mighty transportation giant, as captured during the late 1990s. See how Big Blue conquered the Allegheny Mountains and witness the diverse variety of freight it sent over the line. Huge intermodal trains powered by shiny new "Blue" diesels hustle doublestacked containers over the recently rebuilt right-of-way. Massive coal trains and high tonnage freights flow across the double and triple track of this most scenic and demanding stretch of railroad. Starting west of Pittsburgh at the massive Conway Yard, heading east through the Steel City, Greensburg, and Latrobe to Conpit Junction, we follow the trains into the heart of the Allegheny Mountains. The line comes down through Conemaugh Gorge to Johnstown. From here most eastbounds get helpers to pull tonnage over the mountains.

Pentrex takes you back in time to the late 1950s and 1960s for a close-up look at the waning years of steam locomotives in operation on America's eastern railroads. On the Norfolk & Western-the last major bastion of steam power in the United States-you'll witness the class Js in passenger service near Cincinnati, Ohio and class K, A, and Y steamers in freight service near Columbus, Ohio, Portsmouth, Virginia, and Bluefield, West Virginia. The mighty class S-1 2-10-2s of the Baltimore & Ohio perform both switching and mainline duty near Willard, Ohio and the durable class T-3s roll along the B&O mainline to Chicago. We even see class EM-1 2-8-8-4 Yellowstones pulling coal drags near Grafton, Ohio. At Columbus, Ohio, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, a wide variety of locomotives are seen in action at the yards and roundhouse. Then we join the chase as a pair of class J-1s doublehead north from Columbus with a long coal drag in tow.

Union Pacific has always been on the cutting edge of locomotive technology. In the 1950s, it became the only railroad ever to place a fleet of gas turbine-electric locomotives into regular mainline service. Here is the whole turbine story, from rare footage of an early steam turbine experiment in 1938 to the first gas turbine demonstrator in 1948. UP put 55 production units into service, the largest rated at 8,500 horsepower each – the most powerful locomotives ever built! You'll see the demonstrators and all three production models (including the unique "Veranda" models) hauling tonnage on scenic mainlines, moving through yards, and being serviced in engine terminals alongside steam engines and classic F-units. Along the way you'll learn how turbine locomotives operate and will explore the differences and similarities between turbine-electric and diesel-electric units. The saga ends with an experimental coal-burning turbine locomotive built by Union Pacific itself in 1962.

Flanking the western shore of the upper Mississippi River runs Canadian Pacific's River Subdivision, a busy main line that supports a nonstop flow of traffic. Pentrex traveled the line in 1999, through hot summer days and cold winter chill to bring you the excitement of railroading in this scenic territory. Beginning at River Junction, just west of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, we follow the line to St. Paul, Minnesota. As much of the subdivision hugs the mighty Mississippi, we spot the trains against backdrops of wooded bluffs and sometimes blue, sometimes frozen waters. Milwaukee Road and Soo Line operated this route prior to Canadian Pacific. You'll see motive power and varied paint schemes from all three appearing frequently, such as Milwaukee Road GP40s, Soo Line SD60s, and Canadian Pacific's AC4400s. Highlights include a candy apple red Soo Line SD40-2 and a Canadian Pacific SD40-2F "Red Barn" wearing the dual flag paint scheme, not to mention plenty of Soo Line cabooses.

The mighty 4449 was painted black with BNSF decals to head up a BNSF Employee Appreciation Special in July, 2000. Running in excursions over former Burlington Northern trackage, the Daylight treated enthusiastic throngs of spectators to the sights and sounds of thundering steam power. Starting in Vancouver, Washington, we follow the train across the state and into British Columbia, Canada, and Idaho, visiting the cities of Tacoma, Seattle, Everett, Bellingham, and Vancouver, B.C. A special highlight is a ride aboard the train along the Puget Sound, from Balmer Yard in Seattle to Everett. You'll see the EAS traveling over Stevens Pass - what an awesome sight that is! - and at Skykomish and exiting Cascade Tunnel. Continuing eastward, the train stops at Wenatchee and Spokane, then crosses the long bridge over Lake Pend Oreille on its way to Sandpoint, Idaho.

With just six days remaining before Santa Fe was to be merged with the Burlington Northern, Pentrex set out to do something special to mark the occasion. It was decided to document these last few days of Santa Fe's independence by capturing the action along the Marceline Subdivision. Starting at Fort Madison, Iowa, we began a trek that took us across the isolated Missouri hills and river valleys toward Kansas City. Experiencing all types of weather, we had our share of both sunshine and rain as we relentlessly sought out photo locations along the double-tracked line. Step by step, and day by day, we made our way toward Kansas City, arriving there on the afternoon of Santa Fe's last full day, September 21, 1995.

From headwaters in Canada, the Columbia River flows over twelve hundred miles to the Pacific Ocean and for many of those miles it marks the boundary between the states of Washington and Oregon. Cutting through the Cascade Mountains, the river slices through an 80-mile stretch known as the Columbia River Gorge where the basalt mountains tower up to 4,000 feet above the water. Nearby dormant volcanoes such as Mount Hood and Mount Adams add to the incredible beauty of the Gorge area. Following the north bank of the river between Vancouver and Pasco, Washington is Burlington Northern Santa Fe's Fallbrook Subdivision. This is a prized site for railfans, offering spectacular vistas and nonstop railroading. Journey with Pentrex from Vancouver east to Maryhill along this scenic route and experience the variety of trains and motive power that ply this famous line.