Railroad: Alaska TV Series

Yup. It's not bad, but it's not excellent either. To me, the only interesting parts are the actual shots of the trains and the crews. At least you get to see how hard it is to run a railroad in the Alaskan winters---

I would say similar to Fec fan. What the railroad and people living there have to go through to survive in those conditions was interesting to me as well. Overall, I enjoyed watching the series. I think there were two seasons though and I missed a bunch of the second season, not sure how many episodes there were all together?

Go to the railroad web site and write down all the locomotive numbers.  While you watch the show check off how many you see.  Sometimes on the same segment you will see ten or twelve different numbers.  One thing for sure there is always a crisis.

I liked it. Definitely worth watching.

 

They should do this with other railroads to remind us how vital they are. They are just there and most people do not have an understanding how difficult things could get without railroads. Railroads anywhere are quite a job to keep operating.

 

Thanks for heads up on the schedule. I missed some of the episodes.

Railroad Alaska 2015, TV Schedule, also check Comcast. 

http://www.destinationamerica....ows/railroad-alaska/

http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv-listings

The show is OK, but not excellent.   You can watch videos on this page.

Railroad Alaska 

You can watch all the Episodes on You Tube.

On You Tube

 

There is a series called Extream Trains that follows differnt types of trains through out their route.  The series only lasted one season back in 2008.  The made 8 episodes.  Coal Train, Freight Train, High Speed Train, Ice Cold Express, Steam Train, Overnight Traveler, Circus Train, and  Transcontinental.  They replay these from time to time and you might find them on U-Tube.

Pretty good series.  Shows you what the people in the back country have to do to survive with the railroad being their main line to civilization.

It's a good series to watch even if you aren't into trains.  We like it.

 

Art

This would have been a good series if somebody like Mike Rowe had been the host instead of that over the top idiot they used. The content was good, but he was so annoying that I gave away a couple episodes on DVD to a co-worker's five year old.  He has a higher threshold before he turns the TV off and walks away.

It's OK, but it should really be titled "Off Gridders Alaska", because it's more a story about THEM, than the railroad.  I also grow weary of EVERYTHING being down to a last second do or die crisis.  It's really a shame that the producers of these shows can't just find a good story and let it play out naturally instead of trying to interject fake hyped drama into EVERY scene and episode.  It's like the movie Unstoppable.  I honestly think the REAL story of the runaway CSX 8888 in Ohio is MUCH more interesting than Hollywood's version.  

Those "Extreme Trains" programs are, without a doubt, the absolute WORST TV shows about railroads that have ever been produced. They gave the entire industry a black eye. The over-excited, hyped-up host really needed to take a Valium. They got important facts outright wrong, they portrayed rank and file railroaders as idiots and generally ruined what could have been an interesting and educational series on railroading...all for the sake of hype, short attention spans and contrived excitement. Absolute trash.

 

The show only lasted a single season because after the first season was released and the shows were seen by various railroad officials, no railroad in the country would allow them back on the property. That ought to tell you something...

I think the Alaska railroad show is idiotic putting themselves, others and kids in danger by living off grid. The train scenes are ok though.

 

Extreme trains was the worst show I ever saw. I watched it twice and never watched it again. Rich is right on with his take on it. 

Both of these shows are painful to watch. The host of Extreme Trains was annoying at best. On one episode of Alaska RR. Some mother who was living out in the woods in a small cabin discovered she was out of baby formula and she had to trek through the snow and make it to the train tracks in time to flag down the speeding train. It was so cold she didn't have to wear any gloves.

Thanks for all the response.  I will watch the episode I taped before I make a decision to watch any more of them.

Yeah both of these programs had a shot at really capturing the railroad in a good light and showing what really is going on and how things are done.  Instead they sadly missed the boat in a big way...for my tastes anyhow.

That is painful to read.

I liked both shows and will watch season 3 or 4 what ever they are up too.  Like they say.  It's like watching a train wreak, you can't help not looking.

 

I hate the made up drama.  Oh, no the train won't get through.  I live up here in Alaska & I know some of the train crews.  I can tell when they are "acting" for the made up drama.  I know the scenery & trains are jumping all over the place.  They talk about trains leaving Whittier to Anchorage & I see scenery from the Seward area.  Which you won't see between WHT & ANC.  Cut out the made up drama & the off gridders & it might be an alright show.

I watched a couple of the shows but did not care much for it. Way to much time about the" Off the grid folks" I do not care how snow is removed of thier roofs, or the bears steal food, blah blah blah. boring. Only quick shots of trains or train yards.

The false drama was pittyful. YUCK!

I'm still trying to figure out how

quote:

It was so cold she didn't have to wear any gloves.

Just my guess but, another History Channel sensationalism, or contrived drama. Trying to make viewers think that it was "dangerously cold", yet she didn't even have gloves on. Typical History Channel artificial hype!

That series was OK except for the host; he was like a kid in a candy store, way too animated. It would have been better as a silent film!

Don

No, the series was NOT OK.

 

These programs gave the entire railroad industry a black eye. They got important facts outright wrong. They portrayed rank and file railroaders as idiots and generally ruined what could have been an interesting and educational series on railroading...all for the sake of hype and contrived, fake excitement. They were absolute rubbish.

 

The show only lasted a single season because after the first season was released and the shows were seen by various railroad officials, no railroad in the country would allow them back on the property. That ought to tell you something.

Railroad Alaska is on Discovery in the UK as well. I was hoping I would learn some more about US railroading. However it appears to be more about living out in the woods.

I did like the track gang guys in the first series but after their Forman got the push I haven't bothered watching regularly.

 

Did catch one the other week when they were shipping explosives and had forest fires....

I fell asleep so it can't have been that exciting.

 

Nick

Railroad Alaska is a "reality show" which translates to a scripted story about people that lead a highly unusual life. My son is a television producer and has done dozens of different "reality shows" and he tells us first hand what is going on.  What they strive for is conflict, fights, drama, a gross exaggeration of the ordinary and to create odd situations that have no similarity to anything real. This show like all reality shows are like watching the movies. Their sheer absurdity is what keeps people interested.

In other words, such shows are total CRAP!!!!!!

not to hijack just a comment on Fat & Furious Tommy told his customer he needed power steering on his el camino to make it safe. when he pulled the old steering box out he held it by a power steering hose. all these shows are for entertainment and to sell sponsors products. best cure for this is press the power off button and do something on the layout!