Vintage 8's
Szwajkart Vintage 8's
These are transfers from 8mm movies shot mainly in the mid 50's and into the early 60's. This was the era when steam gave in to diesel traction. And many times I had to scramble to catch steam before diesels replaced them. I caught steam in regular service normal day to day service and chased or rode fantrip runs by now gone steam locomotives. An occasional diesel does appear, and most can now be considered as rare as the steam locomotives they replaced. Traction is also provided on a separate dvd. The reproduction is as good a possible from such a small medium, but the action and authenticity provided makes up for any loss in sharpness.
All are in color, but there is no sound. Some of the dvd's have narration, but this is limited to introductory material before the movies. There is no music accompanying the movies, however I have included the sound of a movie projector as background noise. These dvd conversions are not identical to my original vhs tapes as they have been edited and re-arranged to fit dvd format. Most of the dvd's are about an hour long, and some are longer . Where the originals are much longer than an hour, two disc sets have been made. Prices are; Single disc programs are $25.00 each; Two-disc sets, marked (*), are $40.00 each. When buying more than one dvd, please contact me for a better price. Prices include postage in the U.S. Illinois residents should include 10% to cover state sales tax.
A1 - THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLLECTION Begins with IC and NYC steam out of Kankakee. Here IC and NYC 4-8-2's power freights, while 4-6-4's pull passenger trains on the NYC. Smaller IC steam is also seen working out of the facility at Kankakee. In addition there is a look at steam on the IC main south to Champaign. The next part covers C&IM steam in and around Springfield, IL, followed with a look at operations on the all steam Kentucky Division with its IC 4-8-2's, 2-10-2's and 2-8-2's. This concludes with more steam on the B&O and NYC at Cincinnati and diesels around Indianapolis. (Also check out CF2 and TW52) Single disc $25.00
A2 - BALTIMORE & OHIO COLLECTION Covers steam on the B&O Chicago - Willard mainline in Ohio. It starts with steam, 2-8-2's, 2-10-2's, 4-8-2's and others, at Willard. More great steam action follows at Deshler, with 4-8-2's and 2-8-2's on freights and 4-6-2's in passenger service. This includes the B&O's streamlined 4-6-2's on the Cincinnatian. All this concludes with lots of B&O steam and NKP 2-8-4's at Fostoria. (Check out A1, B3, D8, F10, CF1 and CF5 for more B&O) Single disc $25.00
B3 - CHICAGO COLLECTION starts with steam on the NYC (4-6-4's and 4-8-4's), B&O (4-6-2's, 2-8-2's and 4-8-2's), NKP (4-6-4's and 2-8-4's), and GTW (4-8-4's and 2-8-2's) in passenger and freight service on Chicago's south side. Continues with some mid-50's diesel action plus a look at some steam fantrips of the era on the B&O, BOCT, NKP and GTW. All this ends with a look at GTW and NKP steam action at Valparaiso Crossing. This dvd compliments and adds to the material found on CF!. Single disc $25.00
B4 - ELECTRIC LINES Starts with streetcars in Milwaukee and a fantrip in Chicago with the last Pullman streetcar. Also included is an ITC freight motor at Springfield, CNS&M mainline and branch line action, CSS&SB action including an unusual fantrip over the line, and a look at the CA&E from Wheaton to Forest Park, including a look at an afternoon Rush Hour. A bonus section is included with extra CNS&M material by Ron Roberts. This includes shots of the freight motors in service and more mainline passenger action including the Electroliners. Single disc $25.00
C5 - CHICAGO BURLINGTON & QUINCY COLLECTION Begins with steam in regular service (4-8-4's and 2-8-2's) during the 1954 and '55 Fall Rushes. Fantrips of the '50's follows along with some coverage of diesel operations on the Q. This is followed with a limited look at the 5623 - 4960 fantrip era and shots of BN freight and passenger trains taken shortly after the merger. All this concludes with coverage of a special late 50's steam fantrip north to the Messabe. Single disc $25.00
C6 - MIDWEST ROADS - SOO, MILW, AND C&NW Starts with some of the last of SOO steam at Fond du Lac in 1954. Then follows with the last 2719 fantrip in 1959. On the MILW there is a look at 4-8-4's, 2-8-2's and others, resurrected after the road announced full dieselization in 1955, in Milwaukee and Bensenville. On the C&NW its' 4-6-2's in commuter service in the Chicago area, with a few 4-6-0's. Also included are shots of the two streamlined 4-6-2's in service. This concludes with shots of the last C&NW fantrip out of Chicago and a look at restored 1385. Added bonus material includes Milw and C&NW diesel action taken in the mid 60's. (More steam can be found on CF3, TW19, TW26, TW32, TW34, TW50, TW60, TW63, and TW69) Single disc $25.00
D7 - UNION PACIFIC COLLECTION Begins with shots of the C&NW steam operated afternoon rush hour commuter service on two different days and includes shots of one of the "City" trains. The rest consists of steam shot on a three day trip west in 1955. It begins with two days of UP stream, Big Boys, Challengers, 4-8-4's and others, around Cheyenne and Laramie. After an overnight trip east more UP Challengers (older ones), 2-8-2's and other locomotives are found on freight trains at Kearney, NB. A bonus section is included with UP steam from the Charles Felstead Collection in and around Cheyenne. (More UP steam is on TW27) Single disc $25.00
D8 - NICKEL PLATE AND PENNSYLVANIA COLLECTION is a three part collection of NKP, PRR and GTW steam that begins at Bellevue where the NKP main crosses the PRR Columbus - Sandusky Coal Line. Here NKP 2-8-4's and 2-8-2's on fast freights mix with PRR and rented AT&SF 2-10-4's on coal trains. In addition there is an encounter with a B&O 2-8-8-4. The second part features more PRR 2-10-4's and 2-10-0's at Columbus along with some N&W steam. The last part is a mix of NKP and GTW steam at Valparaiso, IN, where the two cross. Steam powered freight and passenger trains on the GTW and high speed NKP freights are encountered in a seasonal mix. (More steam can be found on A2, CF1 and CF5) Single disc $25.00
F10 - NORFOLK & WESTERN COLLECTION Features the results of a week long trip by train to Roanoke in '56 to see N&W steam. On the way B&O, NYC, and PRR steam is seen at Deshler, Cincinnati, and Columbus. N&W steam is first encountered at Columbus, and continues to be found at Kenova, Bluefield and finally at Roanoke. On the return trip stops are made at Christiansburg and Bluefield for more steam. Coverage includes just about every different N&W steam locomotive from 0-8-0's to 2-8-8-2's, running at the time. Single disc $25.00