Auckland City Rails

My first attempt at making a 60 minute video with the footage I obtained around Auckland. Features mainline trackside action from South Auckland, shots from the Orakei and Newmarket tunnels, overhead shots from the yard at the Port and a lot of shunting action from Westfield.

Matamata to the Mount

Many weekends were spent in various areas between the town of Matamata and the Port of Tauranga at Mt. Maunganui. Starts off at Matamata, then we move to the Waharoa triangle, then both sides of the Kaimai tunnel, to Tauranga and finally Mt. Maunganui.

Auckland City Rails 2

Heading West

Footage gathered whilst seeking new locations. Twenty minutes of steam action from Mainline Steam, Parnell, the former Auckland Railway Station, Waimauku, Waitakere tunnel and Helensville. Followed by 40 minutes of freight and Metro action from Henderson west to Helensville. Features pacing shots and the new yellow and black 'Bumble Bee' paint scheme.

Waiouru Wanderings

Taihape to Tangiwai

Filmed over 8 days of glorious autumn weather, covering areas from Taihape, the Turangarere Horseshoe curve, Waiouru, Tangiwai and Karioi. Mostly EF Class electric locos but diesels do make appearances.

Some interesting lighting conditions enhance a very dry landscape.

Waikato Hotshots

Franklin to Hamilton

We start off witnessing the changeover of the diesel locos to the electric locos on the southbound Overlander at Hamilton Station, take a brief look at the Te Rapa Yards, the Hamilton City Bridge and tunnel, then it's off up north to have a look at the Huntly coal mines, then further north to the Glenbrook Steel Mill, and finally a lot of trackside shots from various areas in between. Features a close up 'in your face' pacing shot at East Huntly, coal loading at the two mines and some very high speed freights.

USA Rails

Midwestern Encounters

My first video with the new tripod - what a difference. Starts off at West Bottoms in Kansas City Missouri to see some big Union Pacific trains, then off to Benson in Arizona for more high speed Union Pacific freights, San Diego California where the BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) Railway is king. Lots of Amtrak California action, including a ride to Fullerton, and a ride in the San Diego Trolley. We finish off at Fullerton California - a great place to watch trains.

Note: If you'd like the two hour version of this production, then please specify USA Rails Special Edition. This special 2 hour version has no introduction, no narration, more trains from Kansas City, San Diego and Fullerton, and takes a brief look at the San Diego Model Railway Club. Some of the trains in KC are very long and slow.

USA Rails 2

America's Mightiest

A repeat visit to the USA six months later produced enough footage to make another two videos. This first one features lots of CSX action from Washington DC and Alexandria Virginia, and more high speed Union Pacific action from Benson Arizona.

Lots of Amtrak action - including the USPS Roadrailers.

All CSX and Amtrak trains are identified by number, origin and destination.

USA Rails 3

Missouri Revisited

This final installment features a variety of roads from North Kansas City Missouri including Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern and Iowa Chicago & Eastern (ICE), where there's lots of manifest freights (mixed freights) and autoracks. We then head north to check out the intense BNSF action from Saint Joseph Missouri. Lots of very long, high speed coal trains and manifest freights. Hotbox and dragging equipment detectors are caught on tape as well.

"If you have a thing for the BNSF SD70MAC's - get this one."

Ruapehu Rails

Ohakune to Te Kuiti

Ruapehu Rails covers rail action on the North Island Main Trunk Railway between the towns of Ohakune in the south, and Te Kuiti in the north. Areas covered include Horopito, Raurimu, National Park, the Piriaka lookout and Taumarunui.

Canadian Thunder

Canadian Thunder covers rail action entering and leaving Canadian National's Walker Yard in Edmonton, Alberta.

A huge variety of rolling stock and locomotives. Filmed over 2 weekends, this could easily have been a two hour production owing to the length of the trains, so the final production is heavily edited to keep things interesting. Only the shorter locals / transfers plus three main line trains are shown in their entirety.

Note: I've made a two hour version of this program and if you really want it, then please specify Canadian Thunder Unlimited Edition. This two hour, two disc version has no introduction, no narration, no identifier subtitles and you get to see the whole train....some of them are very long and slow.

Canterbury's Coal Line

Lyttelton to Otira

Canterbury's Coal Line  takes in trackside rail action from Lyttelton to Otira via Addington Station, Templeton, Rolleston, Darfield, Springfield, Cass, and Arthurs Pass. The footage was taken over the Christmas and New Year's break of 2003 and 2006. The three year gap is evident with the change in corporate identity.

The Tranzalpine gets a big showing, as do the abundant coal trains that roll over the Midland line to Rolleston, then swing north on the main South Line to Christchurch and Lyttelton. The program concludes with an extended length coal train trial between Otira and Arthurs Pass where 7 DX's haul in excess of 40 coal wagons through the Otira tunnel.

The final short clip shows how this hobby is not all fun and glamour.

Released by Silver & Ballard as NZ Rail Documentary Series Volume 8

Auckland City Rails 3

Westfield to Wellsford

Auckland City Rails 3 covers rail action in the Auckland area. Locations featured are: Otahuhu station, the Metroport at Westfield, Newmarket, the Auckland City Port, the old Auckland Railway Station, Britomart, the Orakei Basin and various locations along the North Auckland Line from Morningside through to Ranui, Waimauku and Helensville.

We then jump north to Wellsford where the team on the Whangarei shunt are found to be sorting 4 wheeler log wagons, with the video ending chasing this shunt north back towards home.

Released by Silver & Ballard as NZ Rail Documentary Series Volume 11