Two
powerful steam engines.
The
challenge of a lifetime.
The Rock Trains
The scenery... Spectacular.
The action... REAL.
The video... "Awesome!!"
(So says Timber Times Magazine). More reviews below)
"May
well be the best documentary about steam railroading ever."
Presented
in 5.1
Dolby Surround-Sound.
To
watch
some preview scenes, just click on The Rock Trains.
(If using a dial-up modem, click
here for
a faster-loading version.)
Requires
Windows Media Player. To download a free Windows Media Player,
click here.
Forget
about the typical "romance-of-the-rails" nostalgic
video.
This
is front-row, "down-and-dirty"
railroad action!
(At
least, according to TRAINS magazine. See many reviews below.)
"Seldom
do videos inform and entertain as THE ROCK TRAINS does. Even my 3-year
old was enthralled.
"This video's high-quality makes it a real bargain. Use of the camera
is
down right innovative. The scenery is very beautiful. I was very
pleased
to review this video from Golden Rail. I only hope they
continue
to make more new shows."
Model Railroad News
.
"THE ROCK
TRAINS skillfully
weaves a tale of working steam. It is highly
recommended viewing. A superb show from Golden
Rail Video.
This is down and dirty
railroading
...powered by Mt. Rainier Scenic's beloved Porter-built Mikado and their
cantankerous Climax
geared locomotive...one of the very few of its type
still running.
TRAINS
Magazine
 "Even
though the
stage was set...
I
never saw it coming."
PRODUCER'S NOTES:
First, high, fast water cascading out of
the
mountains
took out half the railroad bridge.
That's what first set
the
stage...
When
I arrived
with my cameras, I had
no idea I was in
for the ride of my life.
As it turned out, neither did the train crews.
No one
had ever put these old steam engines to a real test for a very
long time. But, a unique set of circumstances made
this challenge
unavoidable.
The historic Mt Rainier
Scenic Railroad operates with an amazing assortment of steam-era logging
locomotives. Big tank engines, little rod engines, and
vairious geared-engines. These locomotives are part of the Western Forest Industries Museum
collection.
The bridge that washed out was critical to their operations...and to
the long-range plans of the Tacoma Eastern Railroad (owned by the City
of Tacoma).
At the end of the line there is still a lumber operation that needs to
make shipments by rail. As you can see on the overview map,
there is no other track route across the Nisqually River to get to the
seaports of Tacoma. Obviously, the bridge had to be rebuilt.
To help rebuild the bridge, the Mt
Rainier Scenic was called upon to
transport rock and gravel on a journey of 12 miles up and over the
mountain. There was no time to waste. If the winter storms arrived it
would wash away what was left of the bridge.
Because of the washout isolated the track,
the ONLY equipment available to haul the
trains
were two old STEAM ENGINES...and some very old side-ways dumping hopper
cars!
A
track crew inspects the rails following the storm. (A scene from the
film).
I arrived on the scene not sure of what to expect. And right
before my
camera lens, a movie seemed to be writing and
performing itself all at once.
There was drama.
There were moments of classic humor.
There
was beautiful scenery.
And there was spectacular
action.
It
suddenly
hit me that I was filming something that
no one had ever captured
before...a "day in the life" on a short line railroad during the age of
steam.
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The old
shortlines never had the operating budgets of the major railroads.
To keep things
running with 2nd hand equipment, the crews had to be 1st
rate, a bit rambunctious, and definitely resourceful.
On a short line railroad, the bottom line was
always "in your face." (It still is.)
So, here was just such "a day" ...with all the challenges of working
against
time
...time that was running out fast.
Everything depended on human
dedication above and beyond the call of duty... and two cantankerous old steam
locomotives that seemed to
demanded
center stage.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Many
have told me they regard THE ROCK TRAINS as the finest railroad
documentary ever.
They say they
love it because it shows two
steam
locomotives
being pushed to the
absolute limit ("working their butts off" was almost their exact
language)...and also how the crews cope to take
care
of the resulting challenges.
I have also
been told that a super attraction for DVD
audiophiles
is the
5.1 Dolby Surround Sound audio from the dvd.
Imagine
getting to hear steam locomotives the way they sound in their "natural
habitat"?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Oh
Canada!
The Rock Trains
is currently our only video featuring a Canadian steam
locomotive...the Climax
#10. Rail historians know the obscure Climax was built in
Cory,
Pennsylvania, but
this "lokey" spent most of its working life on the Hillcrest Lumber
Company in the forests of British
Columbia.
It is
fascinating to learn how this
oddly-designed steam
locomotive has deeply affected the lives of so many
people
during its
long and varied life on the rails. That, too is part of The Rock Trains.
The Rock Trains
also features descriptive interviews and commentary by
the late Jack Anderson, the highly regarded and personable chief
mechanical officer of the Mt.
Rainier Scenic Railroad at that time.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I couldn't be
more pleased how much people are enjoying this true-life railroad story
with
all the authentic
steam railroad action, the beautiful backwoods northwest
scenary, and the incredible
sounds.
Whether you are new to railroad videos, buying a present for
a
child, an uncle, an executive, or a long-time railfan, I know
you will be pleased
by this entertaining show. In fact, I
guarantee it (a
money-back guarantee on the price of the DVD.)
Rob
Simpson
producer
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- -
FILM SUMMARY: The ROCK TRAINS Story
This
incredible adventure was photographed on a former Milwaukee Road
branch
line in the mountains of Washington State near majestic Mt.
Rainier.
Heavy
rains have
washed out the 800-foot Nisqually River railroad
bridge. There was nothing left.
In
this screen shot from the film, you see that the dangling track has
been removed, the river diverted, and a construction engineer is
studying the
blueprints.
Steam
locomotives #5 and #10 must abandon their tourist
excursion duties at the Mt.
Rainier Scenic RR and join in a race
against the coming winter storms in an effort to save the
bridge.
The Cast: #5
is a Porter
built Mikado-type engine, while #10 is a rare geared
locomotive called a Climax.
In the map below you can see where the rock quarry is located and the
route the trains must take over the hill to get to the site of the
washed out bridge.
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- -
In
Part
One of The Rock Trains... .We are thrown right
into the action. First we get an overview of the
challenges facing the crews. It's easy to see that real steam
railroading has again come alive.
#5 is seen here moving out of a
siding. The switchman is standing by.
Engine #5 pulls the cars in front of
the quarry to be loaded with rock and gravel.
Loaderrs fill the rock trains to
capacity.
(All
scenes are
taken from the film.)
Next, we hop into the cab with the
engineer and fireman.
Engine #5 is pulling the heavy train up steep 3% grades on its way up
over the mountain
to the washout. Riding
in the cab of a steam locomotive working this
hard is not to be missed!
#5 charges over
the New Michel River trestle as we ride along with the engineer.
A load of gravel is dumped off the
bridge to reinforce weakened bridge supports.
For trip after
trip #5 is pushed to the limits, just as she was back in the 1920's.
(Back then she was
working up in the woods on the old logging railroads. Later on she
worked on the docks of Greys Harbor, Washington State..)
You'll have a
front row
seat as her crew struggles valiantly to keep her feet on slippery rail.
The
challenges were often unexpected. We
almost called this "Stampede Pass".
Did you ever wonder why the
metal grid on the front of the locomotive is called a "cow catcher"?
These old side-dump cars have their
own built-in mechanisms to dump their load to one side.
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- -
But, wait....there's more....
Part Two of
The Rock Trains... The constant pounding of
the pistons has taken a toll on engine #5.
As Part One ends, engine #5
goes down for emergency
repairs. The back up engine is called into
service. Engine #10.
At 3:00 AM firing up the
back up engine, Climax #10.
Added
Drama
The infamous
Climax geared-locomotives were the
cheapest steam engines ever made. Every one of
them seemed to have an inclination to fall apart.
Can you imagine how this adds to the challenge as the crews struggle to
keep
this scrappy little "bulldog" of a locomotive on schedule?
#10 coming down the hill.
Crossing a creek.
- The
Rock Trains is a sight and sound spectacle as these
two steam locomotives
are pushed to their limits.
- Exciting cab
rides in both locomotives.
- Mt. Rainier
high-country provides a beautiful backdrop for the story.
- Variety
of action. Kids love
not just the steam trains, but also watching the construction loaders
dumping huge boulders into the
train, the tilting side-dump cars, the construction site, and more.
- Crews
struggling valiantly with finicky old equipment.
- Highest production values.
Features a
dramatic story, excellent photography, and a subtle and dramatic
musical score by
American composer Robert Oakford. It perfectly compliments the story
and sets off the awesome
location sound.
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More published reviews:
“The
Rock Trains will leave you wondering
where the 82-minutes went. The video is skillfully
composed…The viewer can
become totally engrossed with the scenic panoramas, moody
segments…and the
melodic whistles echoing through the woods are sounds guaranteed to
raise goose bumps. A must for the
steam fan.”
"This
is a very informative presentation of what working on the railroad
meant
in the days of steam. It is a rarely
seen side of what daily steam RR
operations were and some of its attending
problems. How the crew handled them are a large part of
the fascination of this video…The principal actors are a
Porter-built
Mikado and a Climax geared locomotive.”
Live
Steam
Magazine
"Comprehensive,
amusing, and informative.
Production is first rate. Great cab and running
gear sequences.
The unique and thorough coverage
of a wide-open Climax is a highlight."
Railroad
& Railfan Magazine
.
"THE ROCK TRAINS is
really
awesome...Some moments are
almost magical."
Timber
Times Magazine
.
.
"THE ROCK TRAINS is excellent.
Interesting,
unusual, and well done.
The scenery is spectacular. It is thoroughly professional"
Finescale
Railroader Magazine
Used by permission
.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hop on
board. You'll have a great time.
The
Rock Trains.
A real steam train adventure!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To watch
some preview scenes, just click on The Rock Trains.
(If using a dial-up modem, click
here for
a faster-loading version.)
Requires
Windows Media Player. To download a free Windows Media Player,
click here.
The
Rock
Trains
The
most thrilling railroad documentary ever.
83-min
DVD
featuring 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound
$24.95
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ROCK TRAINS to a Shopping cart, click here.
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