Tracks Ahead TV Show asks you to call your local PBS station!

Thanks for posting Scott.  I've always enjoyed seeing the Vargas Brothers' work and always enjoy pictures of 3rd Rail equipment at Jeff Silk's layout, the Mt. Marlboro Scenic Railway.

I had no idea "Tracks Ahead" was still a current production.  I'll call my PBS station today. 

RE: Scott's comment: "Tell them how much it means to you to see your hobby validated and how interested you are in seeing Tracks Ahead etc."

I've watched plenty of PBS and know that the ONLY WAY to "tell them" is with $$$$$$.  Every pledge break they say the same line "If you like this kind of show, the only way to keep them coming is to show your support to PBS.  Your dollars talk.".

- walt

Actually, we've given up on our local PBS station here in central NC.  We wrote them and explained we are no longer watching or giving $$$.   PBS here has taken to deferring shows we like so they can schedule three- and even four-hour elf-help guru marathon shows where the guru sells his/her books and CDs onhow to find happiness or true financial wisdom or whatever they are selling.  

I'd like to see that Tracks Ahead show.  Maybe the history channel or someone else will pick it up.  Or maybe in time I can get it to streeam on Netflix or buy the CD/blueray.  It's a Darwinian world and others seem to do what my wife3 and I are interested in a lot better than PBS now. 

Lee

I have to agree with you with NC programming "choices" Who watches those forty year old reruns of the cornball Lawrence Welk Show? The only worse thing are those sliced and diced perpetual reruns of oldies concerts that are supposed to raise funds. They can't seem to afford even new shows for that pathetic choice. 

I gave up on them as well. My choice is RFD these days with Trains and Locomotives as well as McComas Videos but these seem to have gone into a repeat cycle as well. 

Oh well...theres always Youtube.

Lionel's Rudy Trubitt was at one of the layouts and hopefully he will be in the LCS demo presentation portion of the show.   From talking to Rudy, he mentioned the the kids were happily running trains with their iPads, and left the Cab2 sitting on the table...

For those who have Amazon Prime, you can watch "Tracks Ahead" for free on your tablets.  I use my iPad and very much enjoy the show.

My local PBS station is pretty much funded/owned by the Koch brothers....

I watch "Tracks Ahead" on Amazon.

Took care of it up here in the Northlands.

Scott:  I, too, was surprised to learn that Tracks Ahead is still in production.  I knew the fellow that started the show back in the mid-1970's.   Chuck Zehner was from Milwaukee and was a railroad fan with an idea and he became the first producer.  Chuck passed away many years ago, probably in the 1980's and the Milwaukee PBS stations continued to produce it for a while.

I moved to the Cleveland area in 1986 and requested that the show be shown here but there was no interest.  I asked and wrote, had some friends request the program but the local PBS guru's just would not cooperate.  Meanwhile, over the last 25 years or so, I had forgotten all about our little campaign to bring it to our market and assumed that the show was gone.

Maybe we can try again.  Be worth the effort.

Paul Fischer

Well, there are a lot of depressed elves out there that need help...

In other news, Tracks Ahead (at least Season 5 of it) is on Hulu Plus. I didn't know it was on Amazon, so thanks for everyone who mentioned that. I have seen repackaged episodes of Tracks Ahead on DVD at the local Costco.

for the dvds, go here and enter tracks ahead in the search (won't let me link the search results) http://www.mptv.org/mobile/shop/

With the PBS Foreverthons, and sponsor promotion which seem like commercial TV ads, I think it is time for put a fork in the "Public" part of PBS!

I used to remember when the Houston PBS station when off the air between 0 and 6 AM to save money.  I can see a cable lead for nightime, and cut over the air.  That might save them some money.  And some stations have people who make more than some regular TV station jobs. Meanwhile, the station in Sanderson TX have upaid locals be the MC's for programs!  Again, maybe put a fork in most of it!