Step onto the captivating world of Hotrail Productions, where the magic of lights, camera, and trains combines to create an unforgettable experience. I travel all over the country photographing railroad history in the making. My footage dates back to 1995. Whether it's a thrilling action sequence or a heartwarming romantic scene, the railway has long been a favorite setting for filmmakers and TV producers.
This is the narrow gauge Arkansas Lime Company Railroad at Batesville, Arkansas. It hauled limestone from a quarry to a crusher. This footage is now historic, as it has been converted to standard gauge.
How is nuclear waste transported? Look no further than this train led by a pair of AC4400CW's.
After the CSX work gang clears the scene at Cottage Grove, Indiana, an unusual train approaches from the west. It is a long string of empty covered gondolas that are used to carry contaminated soil. The power is a pair of GE C44-9W's of SP and UP heritage. After clearing the switch for the interchange track, the CSX crew fires up the GP40 that was sitting on the siding on the C&O. They move the loco and the tank cars from the C&O siding onto the connecting track, and then back it up onto the C&O mainline to make way for the nuclear train. Until 1986, Amtrak's CARDINAL utilized this connecting track to reach the B&O and Cincinnati after the line was abandoned south of Fernald.
Fernald is where the nuclear train is headed. The train slowly backs up the connecting track and prepares for the run south on the C&O. Talk about getting lucky at Cottage Grove!
The same NS train we saw on the street-running in Warsaw with the SD70ACU passes by the cemetery at North Manchester, Indiana. The former PRR Eel River Branch crossed in the center of town until 1977.
Filmed on 6/7/19 The SD70ACU's are former EMD SD90MAC's. 100 came from Union Pacific Railroad, and 10 were acquired from CIT.
Kokomo, Indiana is a very industrial town, and all the railroad trackage
is operated by the Central Railroad of Indianapolis (CERA). The three
lines that cross are the PRR Panhandle Line, which ends on the south
side of town, the N&W "Cloverleaf" route, and the N&W IMC
(Indianapolis-Michigan City) line. Our first scene shows high-nose GP30 #2252
heading north on the PRR with four gondola cars of scrap. He then switches onto
the Cloverleaf and backs the train down to the scrapyard. All of the
diamonds are still in place in this town.
We then look at the junction of the IMC and Cloverleaf lines, and you
will note an odd signal guarding the crossing. The Kokomo depot is on
the IMC line south of the diamond, and we look at the interesting
display of motive power. Note the various N&W/NS high-hood GP30's,
and the GP9 #1754, which is owned by Winamac Southern.
The 2252 soon returns light, running westbound on the Cloverleaf and
crossing the IMC line. He stops so the engineer can throw the switch.
Then the engineer SLOWLY crosses the main street and rattles the
residential area with the bleating horn.
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