In the 1930s, the railway system was hit hard by the Great Depression and the increasing number of automobiles. The response was one of modernization. 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 the 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. These trains didn't just run on time...they ran the country. Relive that bygone era with these six vintage short subjects.
COAST TO COAST IN 48 HOURS (1929): Colonel Charles Lindbergh introduces this thrilling record of a coast-to-coast journey from New York to California by train and plane in 48 hours. A joint production between the Pennsylvania Railroad and Maddux Air Lines.
TOMORROW'S RAILROADS (1941): The Waugh Equipment Company presents the latest developments in modern locomotives! This exciting film spotlights both the Pennsylvania Railroad on the East Coast and the Southern Pacific Railroad on the West Coast.
EASY DOES IT (1948): The railroad industry loses over one hundred million dollars in freight loss and damage claims every year. Learn how it can be prevented in this instructional film that was once mandatory viewing for railway workers.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE (1951): Meet all the people who make a train ride possible, from the conductors to the ticket sellers, in this nostalgic color film from the Association of American Railroads.
SNOW ON THE RUN (1952): The Southern Pacific Railroad was hit by heavy snow during the winter of 1951-52, stranding the people of San Francisco. Only the back-breaking work of railroad men could clear the Donner Pass, as shown in this pulse-pounding color film.
SCIENCE RIDES THE HIGH IRON (1962): Engineers work around the clock to improve your daily commute. See how science helps a California Zephyr makes its way through the Colorado Rockies in this educational short narrated by Chet Huntley.