Railroad Forums 

  • "Extreme Trains" hosted by Matt Bown

  • Discussion related to railroads/trains that show up in TV shows, commercials, movies, literature (books, poems and more), songs, the Internet, and more... Also includes discussion of well-known figures in the railroad industry or the rail enthusiast hobby.
Discussion related to railroads/trains that show up in TV shows, commercials, movies, literature (books, poems and more), songs, the Internet, and more... Also includes discussion of well-known figures in the railroad industry or the rail enthusiast hobby.

Moderator: Aa3rt

 #617620  by Otto Vondrak
 
DogBert wrote:There's a large focus on facts and what is happening & why
Wow, your show had facts in it? Lucky.
 #617749  by JoeCollege
 
This show is not intended for foamers and other hardcore railfans, a population once noted in one posters signature tag on these forums as a lot whose level of geekdom exceeded even that of Trekkies. It's a TV show designed to entertain and interest the casual viewer and casual railfan. One of the problems with the railfanning "hobby" for the vast majority of potential railfans is the complete and total buzzkill of the extreme railfans obsessed with the slightest technical detail and an overarching need to be right about everything.

It's an easy and mindless hour of TV to DVR and watch on a rainy day, to learn a little something, or to interest kids and the general public in trains. It's not a technical manual or 3 credit history seminar course.

Relax and enjoy it or go out and look at real trains. I just don't see the big deal or why folks are getting all fired up over it not being "factual". As William Shatner told Chris Farley and the other SNL "Trekkies", get a life.

FWIW, I think the host does a fine job. He clearly is enjoying himself and gets some good info across. To some of us, it's much better than a monotone lecture on the technical specifics of some particular locomotive or something obscure, inane, or arcane.
 #617867  by atsf sp
 
The ideas and speaking is good in this show. I have to give that to Matt. he is good in it. Just the editing with stock photo and the way they jump from place to place is weird. I found out that Barnum & Bailey train was pulled by steam engines. So they went to steamtown and taught you how a steam train works. It was just really random.
 #618212  by Kamen Rider
 
What I would really have like to see was what the crew has to put up with when they do MSG. that must be a headach.
 #618406  by Otto Vondrak
 
Kamen Rider wrote:What I would really have like to see was what the crew has to put up with when they do MSG. that must be a headach.
Why would tying up in Long Island be any more headache than anywhere else?
 #618768  by nessman
 
Otto Vondrak wrote:Why would tying up in Long Island be any more headache than anywhere else?
For starters you have that pesky 3rd rail that'll kill you if you step on it. Penn Station is a very busy, very complex place.
 #618791  by NellsChoo
 
I can't say I have been real happy with the series so far, but I do tape and watch it each week. I am biased... I am not into modern high speed, high dollar equipment and stuff. But it's still fun to watch TRAINS on TV!

I wonder if the host is so animated while at work?? He must be one HAPPY man! :-D I am curious, though... how did this felluh get the host job? I would think PanAm would NOT want one of their guys promoting things they aren't really involved with, and on Class 1 roads yet! I'm suprised he can handle the g-force of those 70mph freights out west!

So, good or bad, it is still good to see a show about trains. Which reminds me, it's on tonight!

(run to the VCR)

JD
 #618967  by MEC407
 
And the other 99% of viewers would still have no idea what he was talking about. :P

Maybe Pan Am didn't want the publicity. {shrug}
 #619192  by Kamen Rider
 
Otto Vondrak wrote:
Kamen Rider wrote:What I would really have like to see was what the crew has to put up with when they do MSG. that must be a headach.
Why would tying up in Long Island be any more headache than anywhere else?
well, for starters, having to get everything trough the Midtown tunnel, and secondly, I was told, by some folks at the circus itself, that atleast parts of the train had to be put up in Jersey. Something about a moron unloader on the other train leaving his tractor on the line overnight, only to get run over the next day by the frist train into the yard. They brought the train into LIC to unload, then had to send it to jersey. then, they had to bring in back to queens when they were ready to reload it.
 #621661  by Red Arrow Fan
 
NV290 wrote:
GOLDEN-ARM wrote:Awesome. A show about locomotives, hosted by a conductor. (most comfortable chairs for sleeping, his main points, I imagine..... :P ) I saw where he has already said "train tracks are 4'8" gauge, the same as Roman charriots wheels". Seems his railroad is running a bit "tight". Awesome !!! :(
I was kind of bothered by that as well. You would think the producers would have found an Engineer to host a show about locomotives and the difficulties involved in moving trains. No offense to Conductors, but on road trains, once moving, a Conductor is nothing more then an extra set of eyes to look out for signals and danger. They do not in any way, shape or form have ANYTHING to do with running a train. And i can count on one hand the number of Conductors i have met in 10+ years who know even a 1/4 of the grades on my division and about the same number who even understand air brakes to the point they could run a train. It's not even in their job description. A Conductor does the ground work and the paperwork. Once moving, he is a set of eyes and handles the radio chores. Thats it. And to add insult to injury, the person they chose works for a regional most famous for incredibly slow, short, underpowered trains. The average train on PAR is around 50 cars. I have seen MANY that are 30 or less. And he works in an area with less then 10 trains a day in mostly DCS territory. It's like a shortline up there. This is the best guy they can find? He does not even know the track gauge and he is supposed to host a show about Locomotives? You would think CSX would have been able to provide plenty of great choices since after all, it is a real railroad.

The whole idea is to me, just as stupid as having a show about airplanes hosted by a flight attendant. Or a show about saling ships hosted by a deckhand. If you get my drift.

Congrats to Mr. Bown for landing the gig, but without even seeing the show yet, it's clear the producers are off to a bad start.
Careful NV290, your jealousy is showing!
 #622657  by Engineer Spike
 
I think that the show has some good points. First, it shows the general public that the railroad is still very important. People always see the semis on the highway. Some think that the railroad is a old and out dated. When I studied logistics and transportation in college, it pointed out that the market share had gone down. Railroads still haul the majority of all goods. By showing the Steamtown clips, he illustrates how far we have progressed, in the last 50 years.
My father watches the show. He is not a railroader, nor a buff (all though I dragged him to enough train shows, and museums, before I could drive). He now sees more of what I do. The coal train is a good example. He remarked about this show. I explained how I handle large 100+ car coal trains too. I too handle 10,000'+ intermodal trains too. It proves the professionalism and experience required to safely run these trains.
The main point is that John Q. Public knows that without the railroad he would not have a house, a warm house, a new car, or that new Play Station. He would not be able to have the convenience of trains travel either.
 #623436  by JLJ061
 
I would like to see a foamer or rivet-counter make his own show. I can see it being just like Matthew Broderick's teacher in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Now how much of a viewing audience is THAT gonna generate? :P
 #624548  by Mikejf
 
Hah. I can picture it now.
"..23..24..25. This boxcar only has 25 rivets on the side . That means it was made in 1966. Compared to a 1965 model of the same car, pictured here, that had 26 rivets. Lets count them to be sure. 1...2...3.."
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