Anyone Remember Berkshire Productions/Videography?

Grant and I go back a long way. We crewed on the 4070 and 765 together many years ago. We remain good friends and get together every once in a while.

Yeah, it seems kind of like a rip-off to sell it for that much considering he hasn't done anything with it since the company was acquired. By the way, Rich, do you still have some of Grant's videos? I'm looking for a copy of "Steamin' in the Valley".

No, I don’t have any of Grant’s old videos. Buckley has them all.

Do you know if there's any way I could contact Gene? He may very well have the original masters

I never met Gene and don’t know how to reach him. If you ever do get your hands on the original masters (which will be a mix of Betacam, 1-inch and MII formats) let me know. I have the means to digitize the Betacam and 1-inch stuff. I’m not sure about the MII stuff. That format didn’t last long and I do not have an MII machine.

I always liked "2102: The American Northern" but when I tried to buy it 15 years ago, it was out of print.  I eventually scored a copy buying a whole collection on eBay.  I burned that sucker to DVD right away because I've had a lot of failures with my Pentrex tapes which were also made in the 80s.

I might have some of Grant's other videos in my collection.  It's a shame if this great footage is trapped in format limbo and never gets any screen time!

Could you send me an iso of that 2102 DVD Ted?

Maybe.  What's an iso?  Also, I'm sure you realize that it's copyrighted material.

An “iso” is a disc image file. It is a file that precisely mimics the file structure of the source drive ... a “clone” so to speak. Sector for sector it is an exact digital copy of the source drive. When it is burned to a new drive, the result is an exact clone of the original drive.

This is not the same as copying files. It is the only way to make a fully functional copy of a DVD, complete with any menus or other features the author may have put into the DVD.

If you purchase an OGR DVD or Blu-ray disc, it was made from an “iso” file.

With regard to the copyright issue, the copyright holder (Gene Buckley) is not “defending” his copyrights here. By telling the person who is uploading this stuff to YouTube that he has no problem with that, he has essentially abdicated his copyright. Therefore, the original copyright is no longer valid. To properly hold a copyright, you have to defend it against violators. I have done so several times when YouTube users have uploaded some of my old Hopewell stuff. Clearly Mr. Buckley has no intention of defending his rights here.

Thanks for the explanation!  I should mention, when I bought the collection on eBay I acquired the VHS version of this title.  I promptly transcribed the tape to DVD (4:3, standard definition) using a stand-alone DVD recorder (remember those?)  I consider this a "fair use" copy for my personal use.  Some time subsequent to that, I discarded the VHS tape.  I did the same thing with most of my railroad VHS because they were bulky and getting balky.  I'm not even sure my VCR still works!

Please explain to me what I need to do.  If Rich is ok with it, I'll help you out.

At least several Berkshire Videography programs were reissued on DVD under the "Electric Pictures" label. I bought them at a train show quite a few years ago. If I recall correctly, my DVD purchases included the 2102, Asheville triple header, Gettysburg Railroad. Pere Marquette 1225 and PRR 1361 programs. I still have several of his VHS videos as well. The videos of both Hopewell and Berkshire were fabulous.  

Bob

@Ted S You can make a disc image of your DVD using this software. https://www.imgburn.com/

@CNJ 3676 You could also use the imgburn software to make a copy of your 2102 DVD. I will only be using it for personal viewing and will not distribute it myself.

I have VHS copies of “The Awesome A“ parts 1 and 2, “The Majestic Mikado”, and “Juniata’s Jewel”. Along with a number of Hopewell Productions videos including “Train to Everywhere”. 

@GameBreaker64 posted:

@Ted S You can make a disc image of your DVD using this software. https://www.imgburn.com/

How about that. Imgburn is what I use to make our iso files.

I went through a **** of a search to find "Train To Everywhere" a few years ago. I had a promise from someone to make me a copy but then they failed to complete the promise. Then got outbid on a copy on Ebay for a whopping $65. Luckily a friend of mine got a copy from a library down south and he made a video file of it and sent it to me. It was up on YouTube not too long ago as well but was taken down unfortunately which is a shame because it will never be transferred over to DVD ever it seems. I highly suggest the video though. Some of the best steam action you'll ever see!!

I actually downloaded that video before it got taken down! Great stuff!

Does anyone happen to have "Steamin' in the Valley" by Berkshire on VHS or DVD? I've been looking for it everywhere and it's all sold out!

Hello. i am the person who started what i call The Berkshire Productions Preservation Project to preserve every single video produced by Berkshire Productions. i currently am in possession of 20 original print run VHS tapes which are as follows.

Little Engines That Could-East Broad Top Railroad-1984

Berkshires Best Of A Breed-Nickel Plate Road 765-1986

Pacific Princess-Louisville and Nashville 152-1986

The Mighty J-Norfolk and Western 611-1986

Berkshires Montage Series Volume 1-1986

Berkshires Montage Series Volume 2-1986

Berkshires Montage Series Volume 3-1987

The Awesome A Part 1-Norfolk and Western 1218-1987

The Awesome A Part 2-Norfolk and Western 1218-1987

The Frisco Filly-Frisco 1522-1988

Indys Other 500-Nickel Plate Road 587-1988

Cotton Belt 819-1988

Nickel Plate Summer-Nickel Plate Road 765 and Norfolk and Western 1218-1989

Steamtown USA-1989

Independence Limited '89-Norfolk and Western 611 and Nickel Plate Road 587-1989

Climbin to the Canyon-Grand Canyon Railway-1990

February, Freedom and Flurries- Midcontinent Railway Museum's Snow Train '89-1990

The Mighty J Part 2-Norfolk and Western 611-1990

Sacramento Steam Showcase-Railfair '91-1991

Huntington '91-The 1991 NRHS Convention Official Video-1991

Train to Everywhere was my production, under the Hopewell Productions company name. It is also still under copyright, which is why it was pulled from YouTube.

When compared to today’s video, the quality of the video on that show is AWFUL, which is why I never released it on DVD. The first half of the show was shot on consumer grade equipment which was not all that good back in 1978.

Joseph, if you are serious about preserving the Berkshire Production stuff, you cannot do that with VHS copies. You’ve got to get your hands on the broadcast quality masters that we’re edited on 1-inch, 3/4 inch, Betacam SP and MII tape formats. The video quality of a VHS tape is terrible when compared to an edit master of that era.

Besides Gene masters that he has which i believe is all 41 programs, Tom McComas has Beta SP copies of the Berkshire Masters which include:

• Independence Limited 89
• Nickel Plate Road 587
• Juniatas Jewel-PRR 1361 1987
• Blue Mountains Railroad
• South America By Rail
• The Majestic Mikado-Southern 4501-1986
• Pere Marquette 1225-1988,
• Blue Mountain RR #398
• Berea Interlocking BI
• The Frisco Filly-Frisco 1522
• Grand Canyon RR
• The Mighty J Part 1 and 2
• Steamtown USA
• Steamin In The Valley-GTW 4070
• Pacific Princess-L&N 152
• VFT Trolley Treasures
• L&N Pocono Mountains Steamers
• Railfair 1991
• Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad
• Guayaquil & Quito RR.

I cannot confirm if they are masters that have been edited with the Text and narration included or if they are just the raw footage as shot by Grant.

@CNJ 3676 Would you be able to e-mail me if you still have those DVD programs? I'm looking for the DVD copies as they haven't surfaced in years. Send me a message at traincrazykid2005@gmail.com if you can.

I have a question or 2.  I spotted some footage in some previews at the end of Berkshire Productions videos as well as a clip or 2 featured which I believe could be programs but I cant confirm if they were made into full programs. The list is as follows.

Gettysburg Railroad-1989

Boone Scenic Valley Railroad-19??

New Hope Valley Railway-19??

Cass Scenic Railroad-19??

Midcontient Railway Museum-19??

I attached a photo of screenshot from Assault on Asheville. I was wondering if the font used was a proprietary font that was included in the editing software used to make these programs. I want to recreate it if possible.

I think the mid continent stuff was from snow train ‘89

Berkshire Productions shot the Circus Train with 1385 and Snow Train 89

@Joseph Ayer posted:

I attached a photo of screenshot from Assault on Asheville. I was wondering if the font used was a proprietary font that was included in the editing software used to make these programs. I want to recreate it if possible.

upload that image to WhatTheFont.  It should be able to give you a match.  Find the font.  Download it.  Load it into computer.  Most editing programs should be able to use it.

@Rich Melvin posted:

Train to Everywhere was my production, under the Hopewell Productions company name. It is also still under copyright, which is why it was pulled from YouTube.

When compared to today’s video, the quality of the video on that show is AWFUL, which is why I never released it on DVD. The first half of the show was shot on consumer grade equipment which was not all that good back in 1978.

Poor quality or not (honestly, it's really not that bad especially given some of the other stuff that's out there), there not a lot of 2101 footage out there.....and you got some really good stuff.  There's also some benefit of getting footage that was shot on video vs. being transferred from super8 or similar.  I'd just leave the original disclaimer on the video that says that it's less than optimal and consider the age of the footage.

@kgdjpubs posted:

Poor quality or not (honestly, it's really not that bad especially given some of the other stuff that's out there), there not a lot of 2101 footage out there.....and you got some really good stuff.  There's also some benefit of getting footage that was shot on video vs. being transferred from super8 or similar.  I'd just leave the original disclaimer on the video that says that it's less than optimal and consider the age of the footage.

You are too kind. I come from a broadcast television background. So when I look at that old 2101 show, especially the first half of it, I just cringe when I see the lousy color and soft focus images.

@Joseph Ayer posted:

I attached a photo of screenshot from Assault on Asheville. I was wondering if the font used was a proprietary font that was included in the editing software used to make these programs. I want to recreate it if possible.

I recognize that font. It was built in to a very basic Character Generator that I bought way back when. I think I sold it to Grant just as he was getting started with Berkshire. I think it was called TitleDeko or something like that? It has been obsolete and off the market for many, many years. I wouldn't worry about any copyrights on that font.

@Rich Melvin posted:

@kgdjpubs posted:

Poor quality or not (honestly, it's really not that bad especially given some of the other stuff that's out there), there not a lot of 2101 footage out there.....and you got some really good stuff.  There's also some benefit of getting footage that was shot on video vs. being transferred from super8 or similar.  I'd just leave the original disclaimer on the video that says that it's less than optimal and consider the age of the footage.

You are too kind. I come from a broadcast television background. So when I look at that old 2101 show, especially the first half of it, I just cringe when I see the lousy color and soft focus images.

I don't disagree.  Take what is commercially available for 2101 out there.  You have the Chessie's own program (made for a different audience), and Greg Scholl's tape.  That's about it.  You've got pacing on Sand Patch, 17 Mile Grade and Allegheny Mountain--if memory serves.  Not counting the shot coming back from Sand Patch where you can't even hear the whistle over the stack.  Greg has some (or all) of those trips, but a decent percentage of the tape covers more flatland running.

I've wrestled with the debate of whether to use old and less than desirable footage myself.  I've got a lot of single chip Hi8 stuff sitting around that's never seen the light of day for the same reason.  Still, I think that sometimes, a case can be made that the quality of what was shot overrides technical limitations of how it was shot.

Case in point.....that late Ron Loving's (Main Line Motion Pictures) film of 2716 on the Southern's Appalachia Division.  If you've ever seen the tube camera he had back then, let's just say the 2101 footage is far superior technically.  What the 2716 tape does have though is what I believe to be some of the hardest working steam action ever filmed.  That was the trip with bad coal, 2.5% grades, a heavy train and no diesel to be found.  From a friend who was riding the trip, they would get going, start having troubles, and the pressure would get so low that the brakes would apply and 2716 stalls.  Rebuild pressure, start again, rinse, repeat.  It is truly spectacular stuff.  Most people would have never released the footage because the camera was poor--at best.  Given what was captured, the timeframe when it was shot, and the rarity of it, I'm glad it's out there.  The full program never got upgraded to dvd (like much of Ron's older stuff), but there are a few short segments that surfaced in a later program or two.

Given the status of 2102 returning very soon to steam, and 2100 progressing, I'd put a vote in for re-releasing the 2101 stuff.  A lot of people never got to see it, and it really is good stuff.

Amen to that!! Rich you are too hard on yourself with that program. When my buddy sent me the copy he got for me I was beyond thrilled to see it. I'd watch it over a lot of newer programs. Why? Because it's something historic and different and like said above (not much 2101 footage out there).

While the camera quality isn't perfect. The footage of it on sand patch and 17 mile grade still is spectacular!!! You don't  and WON'T see footage of 4014 doing that EVER. Please reconsider and re-release that program or allow it to be put up for all to see. Too **** good to be shelved and forgotten about.

I watched some of these videos on Internet Archive.org and Juanita Jewel has some technical difficulties with buffering and after a while it just gave me an error message saying "this video file cannot be played."  I don't know why.   Is there a way to get this program on DVD-disc?

I fixed the Juniatas Jewel upload on Archive.org, discovered that the file hot messed up. Now it works fine. Oh an Rich do you remember if which of the 1984 programs Trolley Treasure and Little Engines That Could was the first one produced?

@CNJ 3676 posted:

At least several Berkshire Videography programs were reissued on DVD under the "Electric Pictures" label. I bought them at a train show quite a few years ago. If I recall correctly, my DVD purchases included the 2102, Asheville triple header, Gettysburg Railroad. Pere Marquette 1225 and PRR 1361 programs. I still have several of his VHS videos as well. The videos of both Hopewell and Berkshire were fabulous.  

Bob

Hello Bob, is it possible that you still have those Electric Pictures dvds? If so contact via this email Retrogamingbug@gmail.com

I'm interested in getting those copied since those Electric pictures dvds are difficult to find. Thanks,Joseph