Post-World War II prosperity meant that America's railway system was able to modernize. New streamliners ran at record-breaking speeds, making sure the average citizen got to work, while the wealthy were encouraged to take cross-country trips on diesel-powered passenger trains. At the same time, steam locomotives were still indispensable when it came to transporting goods and services vital to America's economy. The trains didn't just run on time...they ran the country. Relive that bygone era with these six short subjects.
TROOP TRAIN (1943): A day in the life of a troop train transporting military personnel to the battle fronts of World War II, filmed by the Office of War Information.
THE BEST OF THE WEST (1952): Presented by the Morrison-Knudsen Co., this film documents the construction of a new Union Pacific main track over Sherman Hill in Wyoming.
NORTHWEST EMPIRE (1952): The Union Pacific Railroad sponsored this travelogue of Oregon and Washington to increase train ridership in the cities of Portland and Seattle, shot in beautiful Kodachrome color.
FRESH FROM THE WEST (1955): Who doesn't love their vegetables? The Union Pacific produced this film to show how trains transport fresh produce all over the country.
RAILROADS AND WESTERN EXPANSION (1978): A combination of period photographs and filmed recreations using vintage locomotives tell the story of how America expanded from east to west.
THE B&O'S 8,000 MILE BIRTHDAY PARTY (1978): The sights and sounds of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the oldest railroad in the United States, are immortalized as we follow a Chessie Steam Special on its route through the Midwest.