Some priceless footage by the great Fred McLeod. Fred recorded every one of his railroad films with sound-on-film technology. This means that the sounds you're hearing were recorded right on the spot as the film was shot.
You can tell that this footage was shot near the end of steam operation, because most of the engines no longer have their cylinder-head covers in place.
Hudsons and Mohawks always get more air time, so it's nice to see some good footage of the workhorses of the system: the 2-8-2. Local action at 5:03 and 7:03 was exceptional. Thanks for sharing.
The Yard scene of the H-5 and Big four caboose is taken from the Big Four at Greensburg Indiana. The scene of the Hudson leaving under the coal dock is without a doubt Greensburg, Indiana. The train is likely the James Whitcomb Riley. This is the Chicago line of the Big Four. Which leads me to believe that the double track footage is on the Chicago line as well (half of this line was double tracked at the time). Another comment I saw could be right as well. It does also resemble the Bee Line, or line between Indianapolis and Cleveland in Ohio.
Man, what a thrill it must’ve been to ride the combine on the rear of those mail trains! These are incredibly valuable images…bravo and thank you for posting.
Probably filmed with a 16mm Auricon, which photographed an optical sound track along with the picture. The 16mm film had a single row of perforations, rather than two, which left room for the optical track. I handled one: they were all-metal and heavy as heck!
ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WKZMDngd5OA.html This is a recording of one, I also believe in some of Heron Rail Video's DVDs there is audio of some of them.
Magnificent scenes, beautifully set up and filmed. Must be 16mm at least, and the sound--well, my jaw is on the floor. Thanks to the visionary who caught these wonderful sights and sounds!
@@cjsnidlio9409 I'm not the photographer so don't know for sure, but I don't think the sound was dubbed, and believe this was either a sound camera or separate recording on the spot.
Concieved an alternate history of American Railroads where an Oil Crisis in 1953, combined with laxer regulations in the 1920s, enables a larger rail preservation movement. I even came up with specific locomotives and where they'd be displayed.
The long train headed by the Niagara at 8:37 and the two mail and express trains behind Hudsons (at 9:18 and 9:37) look to me like they might have been shot somewhere along the NYC Western Division (Elkhart-Chicago). Maybe Fred McLeod got up there a few times? The shot at 9:37 is a dead ringer for many of the slides in Sandy Goodrick's NYC Western Division book.
there's a video with 2 scenes showing the Dreyfus hudson with audio, i think they have the original audio because the whistle smokes when blown, the scene matched with the audio
Video from this time with live sound is so hard to find! I’m always appreciative when I can hear the sounds that were recorded at the same time. Thank you for sharing!
When I was visit family in Blue Island, IL I'd take ride over to the NYC right of way and get set for a show. Chicago was a busy NYC destination as well as big freight trains too.
I always enjoy seeing footage of NYC rr steam power in operation, it's a true shame that the NYC didn't save any of their Hudson and Niagara type locomotives from being scrapped and preserved for future public display in some type of museum or park. I would love to see a streamlined Dreyfuss class Hudson and a Niagara type engine on display somewhere still in existence.
It’s a real shame that none were preserved. If preservation was a thing when they were retiring them, then we might have seen one in preservation. Perhaps maybe someone will come along and build a new J3 Hudson. We still have a tender, so they can work off of that.
I think 5413 was supposed to be saved and sent down to the Smithsonian but the museum wanted one of the locomotives that pulled Roosevelt's funeral train so they went with the Southern 1401 as it was right next to that railroads HQ
Dear Charles! Thank you so much for putting this online! Eli_Santin wrote that this was filmed by Fred McLeod with a sound on film camera! Fantastic! First time I hear those great Hudsons with true original sound and the whistles! Perhaps Mr. McLeod used an 16mm Auricon Camera. Those were famous for sound on film. Love also that great KODACHROME color. They hold the color so great. Even today. ALWAYS retain/hold your reels of film even after digitalisation! Cordial greetings / herzliche Grüße! Géréon
I can't see if anyone has asked this question, but where I can buy this video? Is it still for sale out there? I have lots of NYC steam videos, but this one is one I've never seen before. The sound is among the best.
Wish that he had filmed at grade crossings with mee-mool lights *(o)T(o)* and gates and trains not moving so fast. Some of these films are played back too fast.
I think this has to be the most surefire set of footage that actually has real sound of these beasts working. I haven't seen many videos of a Hudson or a Mikado with real synced audio, but this video takes the cake. Like 3:58 is so good it sounds real. That or it would take unnecessary skill for someone to patch the sound with that of another locomotive from another bit of footage. Also 9:37 solves the question: Did NYC Hudsons have Nathan 6 Chimes?
Anyone know what program this came from? I see Reading Steam right at the end, so there’s obviously a DVD or something out there with all of this on it. Would love to buy it!
Hi Charles, we'd like to inquire about usage of some of this footage for an NYC related project as many of our excursions take place on former NYC territory. Is there a way to get in touch with you directly?
@@daniko4447 is she she has a Streamline Boiler of sparkling blue and white paint the drive wheels 4 Boxpok drivers front and back and 2 Scullin disc drivers in the center a Boston and Main 6 chime an Bell on the side swinging back and forth a Berkshire tender with a stoker and a water scoop. The 20th Century limited will bee good it will have 2 mail cars 4 sleepers a polar express car 5 passenger cars 6 looker passenger cars 2 kitchen cars with big domes 2 dining cars with small domes and the observation car with the 20th century logo in the back.
Looks like alot of it was shot on the Big 4 mainline in east central Ohio. Saw the tower at Valley Junction Ohio, coal dock at Galion, and a couple scenes betw Galiin and Marion.
Because The United States is essentially The saudi-arabia of Coal, we should bring back Steam Locomotives in a new Modern Era of phasing out oil and gasoline engines. A modern efficient Coal powered Locomotive (see the Niagara) would be amazing.
The original Berkshires were built for the Boston and Albany which was a NYC subsidiary. The Berkshire in the video was built for the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad (a NYC subsidiary). They were soon transferred to the Big Four where they operated for the remainder of their short life.
@@saxonaudio it depends on how you define what is the New York Central. NYC subsidiaries, the Boston & Albany and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie had Berkshires built for them. The B&A was the first railroad to purchase Berkshires and the name comes from the Berkshire Mountains that the B&A ran through. The New York Central proper, roughly defined as the New York to Chicago mainline, never owned a Berkshire. The P&LE Berkshires were delivered in the late 1940s. The New York Central System, including subsidiaries, dieselized from east to west. The P&LE switched to diesels a few years after the Berkshires were delivered. The relatively new engines were transferred to the CCC&StL (commonly known as the Big Four) which was another NYC subsidiary on the west end of the railroad .
@@maxwellwalcher6420 That's.... not my question. My question is whether this is a preview for a Machines of Iron video or not, since the channel's name, Charles Whitcomb, is one of the two people running said film company.
@2:34 it's Valley Junction which would be Hooven, Ohio on the Cincinnati- Indianapolis mainline. @2:57 I believe that could be either Riverside yard in Cincinnati or Cincinnati Union Terminals Roundhouse. @3:49 I think this Greensburg Indiana is where the big coal tower is shown same line. @5:00 I think we are back at the small yard at Valley Junction. @8:10 the train is coming off the Whitewater Branch (Connersville Indiana- Hooven Ohio) on to the Cincinnati- Indianapolis Mainline.
This is, by far, the realest sound footage of NYC action I've seen. Most NYC videos are dubbed over with reused Reading T1 audio, but THIS? This is authentic. This is sound you would get from the stored audio archives.
