Trains of the American West

Providing a fascinating look at the transportation system that “tamed the West,” this program explores several tourist train routes in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. Covering topics such as engine types, maintenance, and historical background info, the program combines majestic scenery, enthusiastic interviews (“trains have personalities,” we're told), and a nostalgic, banjo-filled soundtrack, on journeys spotlighting the Golden Spike National Historic Site (including a reenactment of that legendary linking of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads), the “Ghost” Train of Old Ely, the plush trappings of the American Orient Express, the Grand Canyon Railway, and the Heber Valley “Creeper” (said to be so leisurely that a newly married couple boarded and had their first kid by the time they disembarked!). Good footage and a variety of angles make this a rewarding ride for armchair travelers, especially when combined with entertaining tidbits (from a conductor who demonstrates his weekly Sunday river dip, to a diehard railroader who jokes about his ashes being “thrown in the firebox of the 119”) and relevant facts. DVD extras include five “Rolling Stock” train segments, slideshow stills, links for more info, and DVD-ROM features. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams)