"BIG TRAINS ROLLING" 1949 AMERICAN RAILROAD ASSOCIATION PROMO FILM PASSENGER TRAINS XD60394

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Created by Dudley Pictures in 1949, "Big Trains Rolling" promotes the U.S. railroad industry, which at the time was at something of a zenith -- due to the fact that airlines were still expensive and not that reliable, and because super highways were just beginning to come on the scene. (Notably, the film was re-made in 1955, just a short time after this version was produced, to show modern developments in railroading. See that version here: • BIG TRAINS ROLLING 195... )
The film begins with passengers on a train at 0:54. The film shows the view outside the train at 1:02. Coal trains are then shown at 1:07. Freight trains are displayed at 1:18. Food transportation train is shown at 1:28, and workers loading the train at 1:32. A steam engine is shown at 1:37. The narrator begins the first section of the film by talking about the history of travel in the United States, a horse and carriage are shown at 2:34. The first steam engine is shown in a picture book at 2:53. As railroads pushed ahead, settlers followed, an image of crops being planted is shown at 3:31, mines are shown being dug at 3:33. The film shows a train coming into a city at 3:53. The film displays a train moving through nature at 4:33. The film then shows workers cleaning the train cars at 4:40. The narrator describes dining cars being stocked with fresh food at 4:50. The narrator says that usually, there is a round house nearby at 5:10. A train is shown pulling into a station at 5:57. The train is shown being loaded at 6:19-6:39. At 6:46, the passengers are shown the space in the car by the porter. The conductor signals for the train to leave at 7:00, the narrator then describes the train leaving. The film shows two children (Carol and Jimmy) at 7:43, watching the scenery. The narrator describes watching the scenery as “one of the most interesting motion pictures you could imagine” at 7:55. At 8:02, the conductor is shown collecting tickets. The mail clerks are shown at 8:19, and the narrator states that most United States trains carry the mail. Mail clerks are sorting the mail at 8:36. The narrator describes the dining car as one of the most popular cars, and the passengers are shown eating a meal at 8:48. The kid’s menu for Carol and Jimmy is shown at 9:11. The dining car kitchen is shown at 9:23-9:40. The children are shown finishing their meal at 9:49. The narrator describes modern trains as being the cheapest and most comfortable means of transportation at 10:07. A single room is shown at 10:30, compartments at 10:34. A Pullman car suite with a bunkbed and passengers getting ready for the night is shown at 10:47. Jimmy and Carol are in what is known as an “upper section car,” they have upper and lower beds 10:58. The refrigerator car is shown being loaded at 11:53. The narrator describes that railroads are of the utmost importance to moving the nation's raw materials to factories, materials like iron ore are shown being transported and forged at 12:00-12:25. At 12:37, the narrator states that coal is one of the most important materials that trains deliver. Railroads also carry logs; logs are shown at 13:16. Houses being built by the wood are shown at 13:23. Cotton is moved to New England and the Southeast, cotton shown being made into fabric and other things at 13:35. Oil is also moved by railroads, trains transporting oil shown at 13:48. Railroad tracks go right down to the seaports, freight car delivering to ships at 14:08. Train rolling through nature is shown at 14:30. Audio cut at 14:50, the narrator jumps back to Carol and Jimmy at 14:52. Their train pulls into their station at 14:56. They meet their aunt and uncle at 15:09. The train departs at 15:19. The end screen appears at 16:04 and a message saying to visit the 1949 Chicago Railroad Fair also appears at 16:09.(For some reason this print repeats the last minute starting at 16:24 through 17:33.) Written by: Carl Dudley and Herman Boxer. Photographed by: Edward Hutton, s.s.c., and Edwin E. Olson. Edited by: Ernest Flook. Narrated by: Art Gilmore. Original Music by Howard Jackson. Produced by Dudley Pictures Corporation, New York, and Beverly Hills.
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com

[@thunderbird1921]

Railroads literally built America and countless of our communities. We should be dancing with the one who brought us.

[@goglowdaddy1686]

Thunderbird, Very astute and thoughtful point. Yes, "Dance with the one that brung ya." I agree, but you likely will have to explain your esoteric statement to the YT masses.

[@pinetree9343]

You can never go wrong restoring railroading films from the past.

[@JohnDavies-cn3ro]

Thank you for this film, old, big time railroading on the high iron at its very best. Had great fun identifying the different locomotives. And those two children - I wonder what they grew up to be, and if they're still around? Imagine sending them unaccompanied on a long haul journey like that today?

[@jackbuckley7816]

Enjoyable film for all railroad fanatics. The era of passenger travel on trains mostly was over by the time I came along. It's so unfortunate that such no longer is possible as it once existed.

[@shimshonbendan8730]

Imagine seeing both steam locomotives and the new Diesel-Electric locomotives. I was born in 1952, but never was able to see steam locomotives, but I sure did see a lot of diesel-Electric locomotives like the EMD F7.

[@amtrakjohn]

@Shimshon Ben Dan yes/ agree. We are about the same age; I recall live steam just once, with my dad. The RR caught my fancy/ and I did all I could, to go to work there, in any craft. Managed to do it for 25 years.

[@lawrencequave7361]

I was born in 1947. When I was maybe three years old, my grandpa took me out for a walk in a meadow adjacent to the small farm house where we lived near the town of Ocean Springs, MS. The L&N railroad ran east and west along the north end of the meadow. North/south tree lines bordered the meadow on each of its opposite sides such that only about a hundred yards of the railroad could be seen unobstructed. Suddenly, a black steam locomotive with its tender appeared from behind the west tree line, crossed the width of the meadow, and disappeared behind the tree line on the east side of the meadow. At first startled, in awe for three seconds, I watched the steam locomotive do its thing of chugging loudly and puffing cotton balls of white smoke into the air. And, for me, THAT WAS IT. My first, last, and only glimpse at the railroad 'age of steam'. Thereafter, on future trips to and from Ocean Springs, I was equally fascinated watching my dad race trains being pulled by EMD F7 diesel-electric engines on the train tracks almost right next to Hwy 90. Total fun was watching the trains run after dark with the help of the engine's one headlight corkscrewing its way through the night. Clearly, from my story, you can understand how much this little bit of railroading impressed me. I often wondered if that constantly circling headlight made the engineers dizzy.

[@plunkervillerr1529]

Thank you for airing this film, from a model train collector. Long live the choo...choo. Travel by rail was safer then. Today the highways are jammed with fast moving, threatening tractor trailers and the skies are overcrowded. It`s sad that we`ve lost all that was worthwhile.

[@scottholman3982]

Railroads had seen the airplane begin to cut into their business, and so got together to make a promotional film. Rail travel was at its peak when this film was made, and the industry was profitable without subsidy. The government was putting money into aviation, encouraging the development of airlines. Within10 years of the making of this film, more people were traveling by plane than by train.

[@lorenzoboyd6889]

5:53 - Glendale, California 8:15 - Note the holsters. Rail postal clerks carried .38 revolvers. 15:23 - Glendale

[@-oiiio-3993]

My grandparents lived on Rustic Lane in Glendale from 1946 - 2008.

[@simonf8902]

Nice shots of the Daylight.

[@-oiiio-3993]

When passenger travel by rail in the U.S. was profitable and competitive.

[@jacksons1010]

Profits were eroding as thousands of war-surplus C-47's, C-53's and C-54's were converted for airline use. Once business travel migrated to the airlines, long distance passenger rail was doomed.

[@michaeljohn9263]

I'm aware that our past isn't perfect, however I'd be more than happy to go back to these days compared to the disaster we're living in now (2022).

[@pinetree9343]

@@braininavatnow9197 hell no. Arkansas Billy Bob lied to too many times to count. Truly, the beginning of this country's ruination.

[@swingrfd]

I will soon be 74 and I believe our great nation is getting closer to the ideals of the Framers of our Constitution, a secular country of freedom and justice for all.

[@jacksons1010]

The only "disaster" we're living in now is Americans turning into unappreciative snowflakes with utterly no clue how lucky they are to live here in this time.

[@swingrfd]

@@braininavatnow9197 We are entitled to have a government that works for us.

[@jacksons1010]

@@braininavatnow9197 That word..."entitlement" really depends on how you look at things. Not liking change - wanting things to stay as they were - that's entitlement too. 🤔

[@richardrichmarcleveque3607]

This is why a rail workers strike in 2022 or 2023 will hurt every single day

[@RivetGardener]

The railroads today are pretty poor compared to their past. Rail workers are ok for striking for more pay and benefits, I am all for that.

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

Peri - you ALWAYS come up with the best train videos and this one is no exception - LOVE IT!!

[@fueldragster]

We used to be a proper country

[@rapman5363]

The good old days

[@thunderbird1921]

Railroads literally built us. We abandoned what made us great in the first place.

[@michaeljohn9263]

I'm aware that our past isn't perfect, however I'd be more than happy to go back to these days compared to the disaster we're living in now (2022).

[@LesterMoore]

Back when we were a solid Judeo-Christian nation where the majority believed in God and our Constitution. Law and order was carried out. Break the law, convicted and the malcontents went to jail.

[@npcbirbsayshello4683]

A splendid day for fist shaking at the clouds, my fine gents!

[@njjeff201]

My town in Bergen Cty., NJ used to have 4 lines in 1957, now only 1. And it isn’t passenger anymore, only freight. Passenger line is 2 towns over.

[@supercuda1950]

The major railroads have systematically led to the demise and high price of passenger travel. Many people would travel by rail if it were not for the high prices. Passenger cars could be tacked on the end of a freight train, resulting in cheap, fun passenger travel. But the freight railroads don't want to see passenger travel thrive. All they want to do is haul freight and make tons of money doing it. I have taken the Autotrain several times, and despite the price, the trip is relaxing and fun. I live in Ohio and I could get to Florida cheaper and quicker, but the rail way is worth taking a "slight" detour to ride the train. Maybe someday America will take the hint from the rest of the world and make passenger travel viable again.

[@crickkett7510]

SMH

[@Game_Hero]

It was wheely educationnal

[@-oiiio-3993]

05:48 - Southern Pacific _Daylight_

[@jmorgan5984]

🤔Aaaaa.....Yeah, I've "MARVELED AND WONDERED" about all those things😱.....🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🥴

[@Idelia412]

Now look how trains have changed. Trains are old, dirty, lousy food now. Train stations mostly in the worst parts of towns. Overseas trains are modern, clean, and in decent parts of town. Our trains in the U.S. are a disgrace.

[@jacksons1010]

There's hope in the near future. The recent infrastructure bill provides for replacing essentially all the old Amtrak rolling stock. New trains on the rails starting in 2023.

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

@@crickkett7510 Seems to be you're just a disagreeable type of person, what with all the comments up and down through here that you "disagree" with.. smh back at you..

[@DiscothecaImperialis]

Do you have colored versions?

[@njjeff201]

It’s too bad the US still hasn’t a high speed bullet train like France or Japan.

[@tobygoodguy4032]

Hard to imagine a sleeping car today where a mere curtain separates you from a deviant. 🤠

[@crickkett7510]

What train do you sleep on?

[@jamessullivan9992]

This country took a wrong turn with the building of the interstates.

[@rapman5363]

At 8:16 they show the Post Office clerks sorting mail in the Mailcar. If you notice they each carry a pistol holstered to their hip. Somewhere along the line it was realized that arming Postal workers was not a very good idea. 🤷‍♂️ Over the years they did more harm to each other than they ever did to anyone trying to steal mail. #goingpostal

[@swingrfd]

There is no evidence of this. The railway postal service clerks retained their sidearms up until the end of the service in 1977.

[@-oiiio-3993]

@@swingrfd He's 'talking out of his hat'.

[@Cleveland.Ironman]

@@-oiiio-3993 are you sure he was talking out of his hat? It seems like more like somewhere else!

[@1940limited]

Is that the definition of "Going Postal?"

[@dennisfernandez7336]

They were armed because they handled registered mail.