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Great Northern Videos and DVD's

Several videos and DVD's have been released with full or partial material on the Great Northern. The list below is by no means complete but shows most of the videos that have been published on the Great Northern Railway.


Title: Great Northern Railway - Volume I
Released by:  Pentrex, Pasadena, CA (Originally by Video Rails)
Tape:   Length: 45 minutes. Mostly Color. Stereo. VHS

The most complete and comprehensive collection of railroading films ever compiled on any subject - the Anthony DeRosa collection on the Great Northern. Shot in 8mm color film over a 40 year period, this collection covers the GN route from Seattle to Superior. 

 

Volume I covers the iron ore operations, including the mines and ore docks, from Kelly Lake to Allouez, St. Paul, and Superior. You'll see the mighty N-3 class 2-8-8-0's in action.


Title: Great Northern Railway - Volume II
Released by:  Pentrex, Pasadena, CA (Originally by Video Rails)
Tape:   Length: 45 minutes. Mostly Color. Stereo. VHS

The most complete and comprehensive collection of railroading films ever compiled on any subject - the Anthony DeRosa collection on the Great Northern. Shot in 8mm color film over a 40 year period, this collection covers the GN route from Seattle to Superior. 

 

Volume II covers the diesel locomotives that are common to everyday use across the vast Great Northern system, including Northern Pacific and SP&S diesel power. You'll also see GN's mighty electrics!


Title: Great Northern Railway - Volume III
Released by:  Pentrex, Pasadena, CA (Originally by Video Rails)
Tape:   Length: 45 minutes. Mostly Color. Stereo. VHS

The most complete and comprehensive collection of railroading films ever compiled on any subject - the Anthony DeRosa collection on the Great Northern. Shot in 8mm color film over a 40 year period, this collection covers the GN route from Seattle to Superior. 

 

Volume III covers the vast fleet of steam power from the smallest 0-6-0's to the mighty 2-8-8-2's, including scenes of Northern Pacific and SP&S steam power in action. You'll also pace a huge R-2 class 2-8-8-2!


Title: Railways of the North West & the BN
Released by:  Herron Rail Video, Tampa, FL
Tape:   Length: 55 minutes. Color and B&W. Stereo. VHS

James J. Hill assembled one of America's great rail empires in the late 19th and early 20th Century. Hired as a manager on the Great Northern, he eventually assumed the operation of the Great Northern; Northern Pacific; Spokane, Portland & Seattle lines and later out bid the Union Pacific to control the Burlington. This is his story.

 

Bill Warrick has assembled a wonderful documentary of this monumental man and the railroads and shipping interests Hill controlled.

 

You'll see many views of trains and shipping in this documentary of the famed Cascade Tunnel, passenger service, freight development and other projects Hill used in his effort to populate America's North West.


Title: Empire of the North - The forming of Burlington Northern
Released by: Charles Smiley Presents, Northridge, CA
Tape:  Length: 90 minutes. Mostly Color. Stereo. VHS

See the historic formation of the the American giant of the North -- Burlington Northern. We cover those great vintage trains of the GN, NP, CB&Q and SP&S from the fifties into the seventies. Learn the history behind the James Hill lines and the legacy of building not only a rail empire, but a good portion of the US economy. See the early Zephyrs and the California Zephyr, plus the trains of the NP and GN that brought travel with style.


Title: Railroad Classics
Released by: M&M Productions, 327 East Penny Road Suite B Wenatchee, WA 98801
DVD: 

2 DVD's. Length: 176 minutes. Collection of Color and Black & White films.

This DVD collection features almost three hours of classic and hard-to-find films. Included in the collection: Alaska (NP), From the Car Window (GN), All Pullman Trains West (NP), Eastbound Through the United States (NP), Empire On Parade (GN), Scenic Way Across America (California Zephyr, CB&Q/D&RGW/WP), Mr. Dodds Goes to Colorado (CB&Q) and Lively World of the Great Northern. Also includes Conquest of the Cascades. This is the 1929 General Electric film about the building of the eight-mile Cascade Tunnel. Shown are the electrified operations of the Great Northern Railway in Washington State's Cascade Mountains, the 3-mile tunnel, snow sheds (that once ran more than six miles) and the Martin Creek trestle. See the Oriental Limited in Wenatchee as Engine Number 2507 is replaced by an electric for the run to Skykomish.