I've set my DVR to record this show but I've yet to see it because I've had 2 Time Warner Cable boxes to fail within 3 weeks. I'm getting my 3rd box tomorrow and will set it to record the show. It's not available on demand, darnit.
The latest show had a touch of real world in it. The crews had their task's for the day to perform. Looked like all the needs of the trains were accomplished before they reached the troubled points on the rails. When the day's work was done and the crew returned to their base the boss of the crew got his notice of being laied off after 24 years. Tuff duty for sure.
It kills me that they almost ignore the engineer!
Originally Posted by challenger3980:
Originally Posted by jay jay:
I saw it, too. I don't quite understand what they did to fix that "broken switch", and I don't think they really hit that dog. Creative license, and all that.
John, the trouble with the switch, was that the switch heater wasn't working that allowed ice to form, preventing the points from closing properly against the running rails, which could very realistically put a train on the ground.Most model railroaders have experienced "Picking a Switch" it happens on the full size RR's as well. They solved the problem by removing the ice, and resetting the switch heater.
Doug
Thanks, Doug. It wasn't clear to me, in which case it would have been less clear to people who aren't familiar with railroad infrastructure.
Originally Posted by billpas:
For me, I felt bad for the foreman of 20+ years that was laid off by the ARR.
Does anyone know if the ARR is a union organized railroad?
It said he did get hired by the FRA in the lower 48, so thank god he got another job. Still such a shame at what happened to him and others.
I was really glad to hear them say he had landed another job. Hope he does well.
Originally Posted by Allan Miller:
Darn nice of you to think of me, Larry! And a Very Merry Christmas to you and yours! 
You are very welcome, Allan. A very Merry Christmas to you and yours, too!
I think there is atleast one more venture to run.
Originally Posted by Allan Miller:
.... And big Alaska RR fan that I am ....
They sure have some handsome equipment .....
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Indeed they do...not to mention some beautiful scenery to run in...
I think it would be nice to see it in the summer more than the winter.
No doubt, it is a little cold up here right now.
Originally Posted by Popsrr:
I think it would be nice to see it in the summer more than the winter.
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-21 might cause a few issues on the ARR
-21 For sure would have my car pointed South
Saw a re-run last night. It was the one where the snow was very deep and the road crew was trying to dig out the area between the tracks and the side of the hill and got the front end loader stuck. Finaly got it out and used the back hoe to dig out the snow and pile it on the track and then the wing plow would move it off the track. Also the story of the young couple with the baby on the way to a 6 week check up for the baby waaiting for the passenger train. It also had the 4 snow machine guys being chased by the Road crew foreman. The show also had the 2 brothers who need to fix the roof on the Dads old place and did not order enough material to fix it.
Another new one ran tonight. It was about the freight train and the passenger train and the road crew had to replace a section of track and also had to remove a section of track to install a new pipe under the tracks for snow melt to run off under the rails tather than over the rails. Pretty good show.
More of the usual. Different engine shots - 1 time they left Seward with 2 engines - another shot showed 3 - another showed 5. 1 of the shots going into 1 of the tunnels - they blanked out the engine number under the side window - just a big patch of Yellow paint.
They left Seward with the 4320 - then that number showed up on the Southbound by Talkeetna - then the Southbound Conductor was saying 4322 on the radio - another shot showed 4321.
Well, I enjoyed it. There seemed to be more railroad and less angst by the off-gridders. The worst thing that happened was that they were all going to the "spring party" in Talkeetna (say what?), and would they make the train? Then there was the old one-armed guy who was going to shoot trespassers, but I don't think he did; he should have gone to the party. But I did enjoy them replacing that culvert....very glad they didn't break that fiber optic cable.
Here's what one of the participants, Bud Lovel, had to say on the show's FB page, now that the show has concluded; he agrees with many of us:
- OK. I (Bud Lovel) was a pivotal asset in getting this show up and running. I met Christian Broadhurst on his first trip to survey the possibility of a show, and introduced him to many contacts in the area. Our family hosted the film crew in our home for not less than nine days. Two or more round trips from Wasilla to Talkeetna by road. Hours of attentive help in getting this series off the ground and working for the intended scope.
The ONLY thing we asked is that the series reflect the reality of living off the grid, and that the two books Mary Lovel wrote be shown somehow in the series storyline. After watching the last episode, I see that Windfall Films has NOT followed through with their word that Mom's Books would be highlighted in one of the episodes. They filmed quite a bit with her signing the books, and at the homestead explaining about the books. NOT ONE SECOND in the entire series was shown.
I am very disappointed in Windfall Films and Discovery Channel, Destination America.
I have been asked if I would help with another season, and at this point, I see no reason to offer any more help. I feel that we were taken advantage of because of our good nature and willingness to trust the word of the men that spent time with us, and who we helped in so many ways to get their project started and successful.
We were assured this would be a documentary, NOT a reality show, but the show was NOT a documentary at all, but another formula reality show, with everything being some kind of crises or urgent life threatening catastrophe about to happen. This fabrication of the circumstances filmed does not at all reflect the reality of the life we live off grid. We have plenty of real life crises to deal with without the fabrication of them. I admit that I allowed myself to be coaxed into 'staging' for the camera, but the end result was NOT what I was led to believe it was going to be.
I see now that Windfall films used everybody the same way. Shame on you Windfall Films. Shame Shame Shame. Your word is worth less than dirt. At least things can be grown in dirt that can be eaten. Distaste is all that grows in my mouth now when I think about what you ended up producing from all the excellent footage that was taken up here in Alaska.
Shame on you.
This show could have been so much better and more realistic, without all the contrived b******* and really lousy editing. I mean really...snow, no snow, shots taken completely out of context and hundreds of miles apart stitched in with shots incongruent. The show is a hodgepodge of amateur editing of excellent video and spliced together images. To say I am disappointed is a major understatement. I wish now that we HAD asked for compensation for our costs in helping you get your project done. A bird in the hand is really worth two in the bush.
Interesting post by Mr. Lovel, such a shame that he and the family were mistreated and deceived by the network.
Sounds about right. Why would the show want anyone to make any money from their show?
I'm surprised the ARR let them film everyone in the Baggage Car. They usually don't let anyone ride in there.
John, Thanks for posting the Facebook writings of Mr. Bud Lovell.
A quote from Bud Lovel...
This show could have been so much better and more realistic, without all the contrived b******* and really lousy editing. I mean really...snow, no snow, shots taken completely out of context and hundreds of miles apart stitched in with shots incongruent. The show is a hodgepodge of amateur editing of excellent video and spliced together images. To say I am disappointed is a major understatement. I wish now that we HAD asked for compensation for our costs in helping you get your project done. A bird in the hand is really worth two in the bush.
I see I am not alone in my opinion of this awful show. I could have written that myself - word for word.
How about that.
To each his/her own. I like it and that's a good thing that we can disagree.
I liked the show somewhat, showed a few things about life in Alaska. Found some of that to be interesting and also the railroad parts about what they go through to operate was interesting. However, I agree with Bud Lovel's comment, the actual documentary would have probably been much better. I did not care for the reality parts they dramatized and milked for all they could get out of them. I think if they would have followed Mr. Lovel's post (as to what he was expecting and told) it would have been a much better show.
Originally Posted by OGR Webmaster:
A quote from Bud Lovel...
This show could have been so much better and more realistic, without all the contrived b******* and really lousy editing. I mean really...snow, no snow, shots taken completely out of context and hundreds of miles apart stitched in with shots incongruent. The show is a hodgepodge of amateur editing of excellent video and spliced together images. To say I am disappointed is a major understatement. I wish now that we HAD asked for compensation for our costs in helping you get your project done. A bird in the hand is really worth two in the bush.
I see I am not alone in my opinion of this awful show. I could have written that myself - word for word.
How about that.
Well, this is what the most recent incarnation of "reality" TV has been reduced to. It seems rather contrived and thus overly dramatic.
Perhaps the most interesting thing I've seen all season, was the culvert replacement they did last night. I was a little surprised they didn't add some sort of funnel to stop the undercutting.
In my eyes, it was nothing but the same show that ran a few years ago called Extreme Trains (I think), only set in Alaska. Same editing style, same contrived drama, same "stretch" of reality. I just tuned out the bs reality part of enjoyed the trains...
redrockbill
I saw it was on yesterday, at around 8:00PM, so I start watching it, and all of a sudden, it was 1:00 in the morning. I have got to say I love it.
I have seen the same passenger train conductor in another show. I think they did a special about him or the railroad before. This show was somewhat interesting from the standpoint of what life was like in the remote areas. I still think that the elderly couple should move back into town. Their adult son has to bail them out everytime that they get into trouble. He lives in the next town but he has to ride the train to get to them and it only runs once a week.
Ray
I've watched this show bits & pieces and I like it. Only thing I noticed on last nights rerun from 7 to 8PM last night is when the mother has to see her son and takes a Passenger Train, I notice when they do the helicopter views of the train is has 2 SD70MAC's leading, but when the 2 guys are standing outside the plow waiting for it to pass the passenger goes by with an SD70MAC leading and a GP38 or GP40 on the rear. I thought that was kind of strange. But overall of what I've seen, people can have there opinions here, but I like the show.
Tom I would guess that most people that are not into trains probably did not notice the helper on the rear of the train.
Not really a helper - the ARR does that so the engineer can switch ends - no wyes in the middle of no where & they don't want to run long hood forward. So they run in Push - Pull mode.
R.K. Thanks!!
Originally Posted by RK:
...So they run in Push - Pull mode.
No...that would be Pull - Pull mode. There is no "pushing" going on when handling a passenger train with locomotives on both ends.
Push - Pull is when you have a locomotive on one end of the train and a control cab on the other.
Rich Thanks.
Ok - it's push - pull when the ARR breaks out the F40s - 31 & 32. They bring those out in the summer. Along with the DMU. The DMU gets the Whittier Daily run.
If there's an F40 on each end of the train, it still isn't "Push - Pull."
Re-read the description of Push - Pull. Engine only on ONE end of the train...cab car on the other. Many commuter trains are set up Like this.
The ARR F40 are Cabs & HEP only - prime movers removed
I had the opportunity to ride the arr when I was at an afb in alaska thoroughly enjoyed it. Myself I despise these stupid contrived reality shows it would be great just to see how the rr operates because some people really believe this is how these people work and act. There was a show called black gold and was about oil drilling crews and was about the dumbest show I ever saw. But I love seeing the trains and scenery again and remembering the places I went to up there. chief
Originally Posted by RK:
The ARR F40 are Cabs & HEP only - prime movers removed
I'm not familiar with the ARR's F40 fleet. Are they set up to control an engine on the other end of the train, or are they just used as a second unit to supply HEP?
If they are used as control cabs and the MU wiring is run throughout the train to control the engine on the rear, then yes, this would be "Push - Pull." Pushing when the F40 was leading, pulling when the powered unit was leading.
Hope they will run more ARR shows.
