SET YOUR DVR'S TV SHOW EXTREME TRAINS

This show only had 8 episodes in 2008 before being cancelled.  I loved it and the host, who is a conductor for Pan Am Railways, was excellent.  The boxed set of season 1 is only $14 from Amazon.  Out of 44 reviews of the set, 33 are 5-star.

Hi Alex.  Is this part of the History Channel?  I have Verizon FIOS and couldn't find the channel listing.  Maybe I'm overlooking something?

 

- Mike

I think its channel 127 on fios. Its down there in the 120s with the Military channel, etc...

history channel2...just watched about fastest high speed trains and showed the guy how to rivit a old steamer boiler at steamtown..history2 or digital would say H2..

Hi Mike I have Verizon FIOS also the channel number is 127

 

Alex

form 2pm-3pm is steamengines...3pm-4pm is high speed trains..just watched that one..

Caught an episode this morning featuring a NS coal train traveling through the horse shoe curve

Thanks Alex.  DVR is set.
The episode at 3pm will show the Acela.  That should be interesting.

I'm glad you guys are setting your DVR'S and getting to see this great show.

 

Thanks, Alex

I liked the idea of the series but the production stunts (zooming camera, high speed filming) pretty much killed it. Perhaps that type of action appealed to the non-train folks out there (or as we call them Train Curious)

 

It did drive Hot Water and Rich nuts, so I guess it wasn't all bad

On DISH it's channel 121. The time is 2-4 Central.

 

Chet Klyn

If this is the same "Extreme Trains" show from a few years ago, good luck. I wouldn't watch it on a bet.

 

The host is a hyper-active joke, most of their railroad "facts" are just plain wrong and the camera work/production technique is some of the worst I have ever seen.

 

There is a reason it was cancelled after only 8 episodes.

See I told you it drove Rich nuts LOL

 

Yup its the same one

It is a real shame that the HISTORY CHANNEL has turned into the "Reality Channel", and no longer really has anything "history related", except for when they occasionally show some of their older re-run programs.

Well...being a non-train guy that has never worked in said industry, I couldn't tell you if the facts are correct or not.  I do remember the host interviewed actual railroad employees...and you saw a lot of behind the scenes work, which I thought was fascinating.  Finally, I thought the host had a very infectious and upbeat attitude.  Compare the production value of this show to some of the train DVDs on the market where the narrator appears to be like something out of the movie "weekend at Bernie's"...yea dead.  Also a lot of train vids make no attempt to cater to maybe those railfans that have little to no knowledge of train operations.  I saw several on youtube and they are talking about this siding, lay up over the hill, blah, blah, blah.  I have no idea what they are telling me!  I simply see the train coming down the track.  Frankly, I thought having an excited host, who actually works in the industry was refreshing.  Definitely beats seeing an old train guy with a walker filling up his depends every episode.   

 

For what it is worth, some guy on youtube ripped some of the episodes.  Here is one:

 

That's too bad!

 

Rich:

"The host is a hyper-active joke, most of their railroad "facts" are just plain wrong and the camera work/production technique is some of the worst I have ever seen."

 

I always had the impression that the show host 'talked' and 'acted' as though his audience were kindergarteners. He drove me nuts!

 

Alex

The hapless host's hyperventilation suggested he ate too much sugar drank too much coffee while imbibing prescription drugs. It was the perfect caricature of what is known as a "foamer". Worse, he was or is a railroader. He is probably still a butt of jokes if he is still on any road. A blown and rare opportunity. Gives me a migraine. My wife watched the first show with me. I cringed with a wan smile. The only train show I ever turned the channel off before the first break...

I offered to buy this entire set for Rich Melvin if he let me run the #765 again and he said the crew would only be allowed to shoot me after he tortured me first.

 

Scrapiron Scher

 

Just by coincidence, I just re-watched the coal train episode last night.

 

I had previously watched the series, and have it on my ipad.  My wife was sitting in the room with me, so I had to warn her before hand that the host is really annoying.  He seems like a nice guy, but tried too hard to make the show into something ... well I don't know what, like Deadliest Catch or something.  

 

There are so many scenes where I feel embarassed for him as the workers obviously think he's a tool.  I mean seriously, at one point he asked the engineer on the helpers pushing the coal train up to the curve "are you scared."  They cut away from the engineer before he can answer and roll his eyes no doubt.

 

If you watch the coal episode, in case you don't catch it, the train has "six engines, six engines, SIX ENGINES!!!!!" 

 

I actually like it though!  Silly, but trains.

Bad Chris go to your room. LOL!

The host reminds me of a Ty Pennington (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) on an overdose of uppers.  It's actually painful to watch him make such a fool of himself.  I rate it as one of the worst train series I've ever seen, and am just very grateful that it died at an early age.

Imagine the poor guy finding out it's on the air again. Time for an extended leave. Go fishing Something. Wear a hat. grow a beard. Whoever the director was..I am surprised he wasn't  thrown under the train. They probably got the syndication rights for less than the cost of a single piece of tubular track.

Reminds me of all the problems the UP Steam Crew had with the "host" and the young "producers/directors" when they did the story on the UP steam operation, including a trip to Denver for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Special. A whole lot of "footage" could NOT be included in the program that eventually aired!

Its 271 on Direct TV and I set it to record the Acela episode...

was looking forward to seeing it until I read the posts here ...

wow you "train guys" are a picky bunch!!

I don't know that desiring FACTUAL information, especially from "The History Channel" is being "picky"!

When they were on the BNSF train through Cajon, of course our BNSF spokesperson had to be on the lead unit with the host and the camera guy. They were even more of the crew on the second unit. Our spokesperson made sure the train crew only said what they were prompted (told) to say and then told the tv network what footage they could and could not use. I know the conductor and engineer that was on the train, worked with them both, and they couldn't have picked a better pair of knuckleheads!

 

When the one engine had to go to diesel service for a major repair, the host made it sound like that train waited for the repair to be done. NOT! If you watch that episode, it wasnt even the same train they continued to show footage of. That particular engine was in the shop at diesel service for days!

 

So yeah, the series is much like the movie Untoppable in many ways..... just meant for entertainment, not really a wealth of "history" or "facts"!

It's the difference between having an understanding about railroads and being a foamer.

 

Rusty

No, it's just that some have not been suckered in by the inane video-babble that inhabits the airwaves these days.

On the same channel tomorrow 2/21 at 10am and 11am eastern time, the show Trains Unlimited is airing.

Get used to the host saying "this insane!!" or "This is crazy!!" multiple times.   My younger kids liked the show, but the camera moving all over the place was hard to get used to.

Trains Unlimited is a series well worth watching...informative and well produced. I recorded most episodes to videotape as I watched them.

 

Bob

I fully agree with that! One of the very best series that the old "History Channel" ever did, with lots of very unusual "facts". I think I even helped with one or two episodes, related to EMD.

Hi Greg, I just saw it on my guide, I'm going to set my DVR for this show. Like some of the guys said it's worth watching. This last show was okay, but like most said it's a little insane.

 

Alex

Well not being a real railroader, I liked the show as much as I like anything on TV, which is very little. I found it somewhat entertaining, and liked the exuberance of the host at least.

To all about the host. Matt Bown is a nice guy and um.....he can be annoying. He is very up beat, just how his personality is. He's a conductor up here in Maine for PanAm railways. Plus he's a drummer for the band Afterblack. I've downloaded all the episodes out if curiosity and found they need improving, but what expect from a mostly amateur crew.

I'm waiting for Season 2.  Maybe they will ask Hot Water to host?

Go right ahead and hold your breath on THAT one! I've already done "my thing" with the "Trains Unlimited" series for The History Channel. Like I stated previously, there is no longer any "history" on "The Reality Channel"!

Oh No.. I'm not holding my breath on that.  Reality is king on most channels these days!

I Love Toy Trains is on RFD tomorrow.