A really long time ago before the worst president of that beyond half-century old railroad, who hates steam giants (4449, 261, 3751, 2926, 765, 630, 4501, 844, 4014, 576, 2716, 2100, 4070, 700, 3985, 5511, 611 & others) private cars, 5 star meals from professional chefs in dining cars, and also ripping up the true spirit of mainline railroading cross country, there is a railroad that the government created to try their best bringing their passengers back after going to their journeys on airplanes and automobiles. Yet even to this day, that railroad has been suffering through financial troubles and struggling to pay attention to their timetables due to multiple freight traffic on all of the lines. What is that railroad you may ask? Well, if you said Amtrak, you are 100% correct.

In this 1991 videotape, we start with a musical montage onboard a train, and also outside filming them as well. This program was recorded way before the genesis units, and also the Acela Express on the northeast corridor. The first train in this program Starts on the empire builder from the twin cities to Chicago. The date according to the board was on May 14, 1991. A musical montage of the preparations are included, as well as a brief look on the Soo line passing by our train.

Next we witnessed countless vintage 8mm silent films of fallen flags. Afterwards we see southern pacific and great northern in the late 60s. At the same time other well known fallen flags threw in the towels to surrender to passengers. Which includes the Penn Central, and the Chicago & Northwestern. On January 16, 1969, the Metroliner made its testing debut on the northeast corridor. In October of 1970, Richard Nixon passed a law creating the national railroad passenger corporation. Did you know that Amtrak’s proposed named was called RAILPAX?

Some preserved newspaper articles are included during Amtrak’s debut, as well as their first printed timetables are included. More 8mm films are shown which includes a ride aboard the first Amtrak train to union station in Chicago. Some fallen flags on the Milwaukee road And the Santa Fe are shown. Plus the very first Burlington Northern Grey painted units arrived at the station. While the Santa Fe arrives at union station, the final Pennsylvania limited train arrives at the same time. Did you know that the room charge back in those days were $7.00?

Onboard the eastbound train, we made a stop at Fort Wayne Indiana, as we see deadhead coaches of the wabash cannonball, and see the Penn Central as well on freight and a 2 coach train in Pennsylvania. The Milwaukee road mixed passenger consist is included, in other words, the rainbow train. Another rainbow themed empire builder leaves Milwaukee. Next the eastbound empire builder is being led by Burlington E units and a Great Northern B unit. Afterwards a Milwaukee road Chicago outbound arrives at Milwaukee as an empty N&W train passes by. Next we see the coaches on the rainbow train. Moving east to New Jersey, a GG1 arrives as the Metroliner passes by. A 4 train meet with electric lackawana cars, the Metroliner, and a penn Central GG1 is included. The broadway limited led by a pair of penn Central GG1 units arrives and departs the depot. Note the Union Pacific coaches on the consist. Another penn Central GG1 arrives and departs on the James Witcomb Riley. An early animated map of Amtrak’s routes are shown.

At Our nation’s capital in 1972, random types of transportation are on display, which includes the Turbotrain. More newspaper articles are included. At Washington DC, an Erie train arrives, followed by the last runs of the JWR. Amtrak’s own colors were introduced, as an F unit pulls the DC section of the Broadway limited. The first all Amtrak painted train is the 2 coach little blue ridge on the B&O line. Maintenance work is included. Meanwhile DC union is undergoing construction of the new subway system. A short ride on the Metroliner is included and outside of grand central in New York City, electrics pulled the train to croton Harmon. Then comes the short pacing on the penn Central GG1.

On the Milwaukee road & GM&O, we are at Joliet Illinois. Santa fe’s Texas Chief stops here with Amtrak superliner coaches on the rear. The rock island is shown, followed by some scenes at the Chicago yard, as the Santa Fe arrives. Random fallen flags roll through various towns in the Chicago area. A penn Central GP7 pulls the broadway limited out of Union station.

In the west coast, the Santa Fe San Diegian arrives. Maintenance is performed here. Next a southern pacific Santa Fe combo coach train arrives. Union Pacific leaves LA LA Land with a Ski train. A southern pacific train leaves LA LA land with a pair of freight only units. Next the Santa Fe crosses A street in San Diego. A ride aboard one of the trains is included with a meet of the San Francisco Zephyr led by a pair of Southern Pacific f units. At San Jose, a 3 coach commuter train led by an SP GP7 leaves the city. Then the SP powered coast starlight arrives with the 2 freight only units. Photographs of the turbo train is shown as we are introduced to the France built version of the turboliner. The new turbo train is at horseshoe curve in Altoona. Next it leaves Milwaukee. Afterwards, the penn Central leaves the city on the Abraham Lincoln heading for St. Louis.

The rainbow train with 18 coaches arrives on the empire builder in July of 1973. The following October, F unit 101 is on the north coast Hiawatha. At effingham, the national limited led by penn Central Fs leave the depot. Next the Illinois central Shawnee stops as well. A GM&O E unit leaves the station with its own consist. Afterwards a blue and yellow Santa Fe train stops by. Note the smoke from the freight in the background. A meet is shown on the AT&SF, Milwaukee, & GM&O. Next we took a look at Chicago in 1973. A ride aboard the north coast Hiawatha is shown, and we witnessed some meets as well. At Kansas City Missouri, a bus crosses the Bridge, as we see some sorry looking conditions of the now 4 daily train per day station. The super chief arrives from LA LA Land. Some freight action around the station is included. At St. Louis station, we see some more of the sorry looking conditions of the structure. Thankfully the station has since been transformed into a mall. At effingham, an IC B unit is in the middle of the 2 Amtrak Fs. Onboard the Panama, we see some riding footage, and see the Illinois Central freight pass by the diamond, followed by 2 Fs heading for service, and penn Central leaving the lift bridge. Note the New York Central logo on B unit 4107. Next the broadway limited leaves Chicago crossing the lift bridge. Santa Fe’s F45s arrived at the depot.

In January of 1974, we left grand central heading for Albany and buffalo onboard the silver meteor. Along the Hudson River, we raced alongside this northbound Penn Central freight. Note the cracks on the window from the rear of the train. Next a Trio Of RDCs leave the yard entering the station. Then more action continues as train after train enters and exits Chicago back and forth. Note the Pennsylvania freight house being demolished. 3 f units leave Milwaukee on the empire builder on the second day of 1974. An eastbound leaves the Milwaukee depot. Riding on the cardinal, we roll through logansport Indiana. Back at DC, there is still construction going on for the new subway system. Next we rode on the single coach national limited to Harrisburg. The following August of 1974, the innagural run of the Adirondack is included. This debut was being pulled by Delaware and Hudson Alco FPA4s. The C&NW Shawnee is shown at champagne, and at the depot. A ride on the rear of the train in the snow is included, as we are in the Pittsburgh area.

A race with a Penn Central freight is included, followed by some meets. You can barely see steam engine 1361 on display at the curve. At Harrisburg, power swap was made as a penn Central GG1 couples up for the run to NYC. In March of 74, more riding footage was shown. Then comes the Hiawatha, and the empire builder. Artwork on the 1975 calendar is shown, and some GG1s were repainted into Amtrak colors. 2 penn Central GG1s led the silver meteor. An E60 electric beast is shown and the FL9s are repainted. The P30s are shown, and the most popular F40s arrived in 1975. A Christmas 1976 ride is included from Springfield to Chicago, and on the California Zephyr to Denver. At Denver the Rio Grande took over to Salt Lake City through the moffat tunnel line. From SLC, we head west through the Sierras. All of these films in this program were 100% silent with music added. At Davis, we moved to the coast starlight to Seattle. The north coast Hiawatha takes us back to Chicago. Riding on Amtrak is sometimes fun, but it can also be very expensive. Leaving Chicago, we head to Boston on the lake shore limited. This was way before Dick Anderson fired all of the 5 star cooks and replaced them with useless, ugly airplane food. The return west to Chicago is on the broadway limited. Finally we are heading home to Springfield. At Richmond IN, we the JWR, and see an 80mph train south of St. Louis. The inter-American leaves Springfield. A GM&O F unit number 883A comes to the rescue. A ride on the national limited is shown crossing the bridge on Neville island.

Artwork on the 1979 calendar is included with 1361 on display. More silent clips show the superliner on the empire builder, the LSL at Cleveland, the turbo train heading to Detroit, and see freight at Cincinnati. In 1981 the Shenandoah backs up at Cincinnati. Only the cardinal stops here between midnight and sunrise. Mail loading and unloading is included. At Pittsburgh, the broadway and capital limited trains split up. The capital limited crosses a bridge on the B&O. In September of 1981, we rode the Zephyr to Denver, then cuts to the Rio Grande on the moffat tunnel line, and finally on the long gone pioneer Zephyr to Seattle. We are slowly following behind a Union Pacific freight. Some scenes at glacier national park is included. We are back in Chicago 40 minutes late, and the Texas eagle arrives at Springfield. VIA rail is on the international, and the AEM7s powered the northeast corridor.

This was the transition with sound films, and sure enough, we are back in the present time with updated info. The final runs of Amtrak at Lima Ohio and Ft Wayne Indiana were made in November of 1990, as the signs are shown here being removed. More present day Amtrak scenes are also shown. It’s since been discontinued at Grand Central in early April of 1991. Finally artwork on Amtrak items are shown, As well as Random photographers listed in the closing credits, followed by an interactive quiz. See if you know your knowledge from the program itself.

All in all this video takes a look at a Time way before the worst Amtrak President Dick Anderson of Delta Airlines took over, But if you love silent films with music and narration, this is a fine tribute to the railroad that the government created.

What’s also interesting is that this over 30 year old videocassette was recorded on a TDK tape.