Television Show - Tracks Ahead -

[Big Bill]

I have a DirecTV sunscription to it.

Some segments are interesting to me, others are not, but this is normal for this type of program.

I think it's worthwhile to at least watch it once to get a feel for it.

[samfp1943]

Yes, Sir!    Thanks, BaltACD;

  Had found them, and have enjoyed a couple already!

[BaltACD]

Many of the episodes are available on YouTube.

[ROCKING-ROBERT]

YOU MIGHT TRY PENTREX.  THEY USE TO HAVE MANY OF THE EPISODES.

 

ROCKING-ROBERT

[daveryan]

Yes I used to watch it on pbs out of morgantown WV it's a great show with a great host.

[JoeUmp]

Check out MRVP.  They have many of the season 9 episodes online.

[OJLAR]

samfp1943

Our local P.B.S.  station was on, as well as a promo for a show  "Tracks Ahead"  was shown.  I had never seen the program mentioned, but curiosity got the 'railfan' in me interested.  The program was a series of vignettes two were on an outdoor rr in a German Theme park, and featured a large outdoor presentation of a german narrow gauge rr in LGB gauge; next was a garden rr in Kentucky. 

   The program host, Spencer Christian, mentioned in his introduction that the program was "... in its' 'twenty-fifth year..."  I 'surfed' through the Model Railroader site and saw asingle promo for a video of "Tracks Ahead" and mention that was made of its Season Nine origin.

   The PBS  video had included some source  advertising for "MRVP" and Model Railroader Magazine .  as well as Kalmbach Publishing Co.  Admittedly, I am not a consistant viewer of PBS, but I think I would be interested to see some more of the "Tracks Ahead" program, if some kind of schedule was published, so if could be searched for.

Has anyone else see the program? Is it worth looking for? Just askin'.

  Normally, these things would be heavily promoted in the Kalmbach Magazines and its web sites ( witness the 'pop-ups- in the Forum and Newswire that seem to be a constant agravation). As a longtime magazine reader and poster, How in the world had I missed this video ?  Let alone they had been around for some twenty-five years.  

 

You can also purchase the Tracks Ahead programs on DVD.  They are all good but I returned #8 as it had a glitch in it and wouldn't play.  They advised me to fast forward past the glitch as they couldn't afford to remake it.  Too bad as I didn't think that was a good way to promote the programs.

[Atlantic and Hibernia]

Made a nice change from the usual line up of cooking shows

Kevin

[MidlandMike]

Early on the show was shown in prime time on my local PBS station.  Then it was on Saturday mornings some times.  I had not seen it for a while, but now it is on Thurs at 7:30.  I probably never would have found it, if I didn't get the monthly program guide from my local PBS station after an appropriate annual donation.

[wanswheel]

Chuck Zehner, Jr. (1942-2000)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=16719817

The originator of the TRACKS AHEAD concept was the late Charles E. Zehner, Jr. Chuck was always interested in trains and was a fixture of the rail fan community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for many years. Zehner kept a scrapbook about his efforts to bring railroading to the general public. It recorded Zehner's days as founder of the Lionel Club's "Program Night" rail fan presentations in Milwaukee, his days hosting and producing the 87-episode public access JUST TRAINS cable TV show, and his work as Senior Producer for the TRACKS AHEAD program produced for PBS.

To most people, a kitchen table is just a place to eat supper. But to Zehner, a kitchen table was a place to create a television show about trains that has been shown on more than 200 stations around the United States over the last 11 years.

"It all starts right here, right here at my kitchen table," Zehner told friend David Riddle as he sat at the table flipping through an overstuffed ring binder. "I have a notebook full of story ideas, with a pocket for each idea and any notes, photos, or brochures about the idea. Different fans send me ideas and I have several of my own, and each one goes into the notebook."

For someone whose career is in television, that wouldn't be unusual. But for Zehner it was, because for him it was only a hobby. "I'm just a working stiff with a 40-hour-a-week job like everybody else," Zehner noted. "My bread and butter comes from working in a factory, and then after work I go down to the TV station. I don't have a college degree," Zehner said, "but I've got street-smarts. I know what the audience wants, and what will play well with the public. We've got a clean and educational show, one that's interesting, but also one that a mother cannot be afraid to sit down and watch with her children. We receive a lot of fan mail from mothers who watch the show with their children."

Zehner and the other producer for the series, Executive Producer David Baule, made an effective team, with Baule bringing his television skills to the mix and Zehner bringing the story ideas. "We're a regular Barnum and Bailey," said Zehner, who often reminded those around him of circus promoter P. T. Barnum. Zehner had created a circus model to go with the HO and O-gauge model trains in his basement. Baule is also a modeler and collects American Flyer trains.

What is it like to take an idea from concept on paper to a finished segment? "It takes a lot of work," said Baule. "People just don't realize the amount of work that goes into a finished four or five minutes. By the time you account for scripting, research, shooting, editing, audio work and graphics, a four-minute segment can take roughly forty hours of work. If you have multiple locations for a story, then you increase the time. The important thing is that you must tell a story. There are too many railroad programs that just watch the trains go by. But without a story, those are just video wallpaper." Baule said. "We have tried to use the short segment approach on TRACKS AHEAD to cover all aspects of railroading. People tell us that they don't like a particular aspect of railroading. But with Tracks Ahead, they just stick around for the next story and always find something they like."

"But before we can do any of that," he added, "We have to find underwriters to pay for it all. Just like it takes a lot more time to produce the series than people realize, it takes a lot more money to make this show PBS quality. This isn't just a camcorder set up trackside taping the cars as they roll by."

Kalmbach Publishing, whose Model Railroader, Trains, Classic Toy Trains and other magazines are familiar to many, was the sole underwriter for the first series of Tracks Ahead. Model manufacturer/supplier Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., helped underwrite the second and third years of the series, in addition to Kalmbach , and both were joined by the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry in financing the series' fourth year. The fifth season was once again underwritten by Kalmbach Publishing, Wm. K. Walthers, Inc, and joined at the upper levels by Kato, USA, and MRIA (The Model Railroad Industry Association.) The sixth season is currently underwritten by World's Great Hobby, Kalmbach Publishing, and Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

After a story idea is put into the "grid", or program lineup, phone calls are made to those who can tell the story on camera or who have more information about the idea. Further research is done, a script is written, and arrangements are made for sending a producer/director, videographer, and audio engineer to the site(s) to capture the story. Frequently, as in the case of the segment on the Pacific Fruit Express in one of the episodes this season, crews must travel to several states to get the entire story.

When the raw tape is returned to the station it is time coded and the time for every scene is logged. The writer reviews the scenes and writes an editing script, and the scenes are edited "off-line" to begin to piece them together in the proper order. Next, the work goes to "on-line" editing, where music, off-camera voices, and other effects are added to form a complete segment. The process of editing what turns out to be a 4-minute segment can take days. Finally, as more and more segments are finished, a script is written for the host and the transition scenes are shot.

Put the segments together according to the program grid, mix in the right music, add the graphics and the host, and there it is --the sixth, and second high definition, all digital series of 14 programs of Tracks Ahead. Enjoy!

The new Tracks Ahead series now is available to all PBS stations. The first five series are currently running throughout the United States. To find out when your PBS station plans on airing any of the TRACKS AHEAD programs, call your station's program director or public information department. If for some reason your station's programmers haven't heard of the show, have them call Milwaukee Public Television at 414-297-7512 for more information!

© 2005 Milwaukee Public Television

[samfp1943]

Thanks, Balt for sharing that video. I checked with the PBS station here and was told that they use the program as sort of a 'slot filler' from time to time. That would tend to make it impossible to follow as a viewer.  I am going to check out some of the Internet links posted in this Thread..  My thanks to all, for the information. 

 When I was living over in Southeatern Kansas, I used to see a program that was presented on our cable system on railroads, both National, and International.

    It was usually presented on the local ' Farm and Ranch Channel' most of the time it was either very early on a Saturday or Sunday. Again, another program used as a 'filler' on the local cable provider's network. I may be mistaken, but I think that Kalmbach was also invoved in that one, as well?  I cannot even remember the name of that program now.  

 

[BaltACD]

[desertdog]

I had not seen it for years and then it popped up recently on our local PBS outlet here in Phoenix.

John Timm

[Firelock76]

I've seen "Tracks Ahead" shows on and off ever since it debuted in 1990.  It was always very enjoyable and I was amazed at how much they packed into a half-hour show.  It's not on our local PBS station so I wasn't aware it was in production anymore. 

[MikeF90]

Some DVDs are available from Milwaukee Public TV and Historic Rails (search for Tracks Ahead).

As for being hard to find airing on public TV, I suspect that the rights holders may be asking too much. PBS stations already pay a lot for current programs, and in some cases a local affiliate has had to drop off and go independent.

[carnej1]

schlimm

 

 

samfp1943

Our local P.B.S.  station was on, as well as a promo for a show  "Tracks Ahead"  was shown.  I had never seen the program mentioned, but curiosity got the 'railfan' in me interested.  The program was a series of vignettes two were on an outdoor rr in a German Theme park, and featured a large outdoor presentation of a german narrow gauge rr in LGB gauge; next was a garden rr in Kentucky. 

   The program host, Spencer Christian, mentioned in his introduction that the program was "... in its' 'twenty-fifth year..."  I 'surfed' through the Model Railroader site and saw asingle promo for a video of "Tracks Ahead" and mention that was made of its Season Nine origin.

   The PBS  video had included some source  advertising for "MRVP" and Model Railroader Magazine .  as well as Kalmbach Publishing Co.  Admittedly, I am not a consistant viewer of PBS, but I think I would be interested to see some more of the "Tracks Ahead" program, if some kind of schedule was published, so if could be searched for.

Has anyone else see the program? Is it worth looking for? Just askin'.

  Normally, these things would be heavily promoted in the Kalmbach Magazines and its web sites ( witness the 'pop-ups- in the Forum and Newswire that seem to be a constant agravation). As a longtime magazine reader and poster, How in the world had I missed this video ?  Let alone they had been around for some twenty-five years.  

 

 

 

 

I've seen it off and on over the years.   It is hard to know when it is on.  Some of the shows I did see were of interest, some not so much, same as much TV.  Kalmbach could promote (on here) better.

 

Here is the Official PBS site for the Program;

http://www.tracksahead.net/

 I was under the impression that the Program was no longer in production but according to the Website there were new episodes that have aired in 2015.

Although the show premiered in 1990 only 9 full seasons have been produced in the last 25 years..

 The website mentions DVD's being available but has no information on how to order.

Because of PBS's involvement (and presumably,primary ownership of rights) Kalmbach may not be able to market the program directly.

 

[wanswheel]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDjxhKJxLspP93wqFjXZ7ng/search?query=tracks+ahead

[schlimm]

samfp1943

Our local P.B.S.  station was on, as well as a promo for a show  "Tracks Ahead"  was shown.  I had never seen the program mentioned, but curiosity got the 'railfan' in me interested.  The program was a series of vignettes two were on an outdoor rr in a German Theme park, and featured a large outdoor presentation of a german narrow gauge rr in LGB gauge; next was a garden rr in Kentucky. 

   The program host, Spencer Christian, mentioned in his introduction that the program was "... in its' 'twenty-fifth year..."  I 'surfed' through the Model Railroader site and saw asingle promo for a video of "Tracks Ahead" and mention that was made of its Season Nine origin.

   The PBS  video had included some source  advertising for "MRVP" and Model Railroader Magazine .  as well as Kalmbach Publishing Co.  Admittedly, I am not a consistant viewer of PBS, but I think I would be interested to see some more of the "Tracks Ahead" program, if some kind of schedule was published, so if could be searched for.

Has anyone else see the program? Is it worth looking for? Just askin'.

  Normally, these things would be heavily promoted in the Kalmbach Magazines and its web sites ( witness the 'pop-ups- in the Forum and Newswire that seem to be a constant agravation). As a longtime magazine reader and poster, How in the world had I missed this video ?  Let alone they had been around for some twenty-five years.  

 

I've seen it off and on over the years.   It is hard to know when it is on.  Some of the shows I did see were of interest, some not so much, same as much TV.  Kalmbach could promote (on here) better.

[Andrew Falconer]

A case of DVDs for the entire 25 seasons of Tracks Ahead or a case of Flash Drives with Quicktime videos of the entire 25 seasons of Track Ahead is what Kalmbach could offer to interested viewers.

[samfp1943]

Our local P.B.S.  station was on, as well as a promo for a show  "Tracks Ahead"  was shown.  I had never seen the program mentioned, but curiosity got the 'railfan' in me interested.  The program was a series of vignettes two were on an outdoor rr in a German Theme park, and featured a large outdoor presentation of a german narrow gauge rr in LGB gauge; next was a garden rr in Kentucky. 

   The program host, Spencer Christian, mentioned in his introduction that the program was "... in its' 'twenty-fifth year..."  I 'surfed' through the Model Railroader site and saw asingle promo for a video of "Tracks Ahead" and mention that was made of its Season Nine origin.

   The PBS  video had included some source  advertising for "MRVP" and Model Railroader Magazine .  as well as Kalmbach Publishing Co.  Admittedly, I am not a consistant viewer of PBS, but I think I would be interested to see some more of the "Tracks Ahead" program, if some kind of schedule was published, so if could be searched for.

Has anyone else see the program? Is it worth looking for? Just askin'.

  Normally, these things would be heavily promoted in the Kalmbach Magazines and its web sites ( witness the 'pop-ups- in the Forum and Newswire that seem to be a constant agravation). As a longtime magazine reader and poster, How in the world had I missed this video ?  Let alone they had been around for some twenty-five years.