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History Channel "Extreme Trains"

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Posted by lvanhen on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 8:12 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

loathar

Somebody PLEASE put a ball gag in the hosts mouth! He sure doesn't act like he's an engineer.

He never said he's an engineer. He's a conductor.

As for why does he talk so loud (I know somebody has asked that one somewhere) if he didn't they'd be complaining that he didn't talk loud enough. I've also seen remarks (at least one) indicating that the dialog seemed too simple (thought up by a ten year old is one remark I've read). The answer to that is simple enough. Whether you want to believe it or not many of the people watching know next to nothing about railroading. Where does it say you have to be a serious modeler or a railroader to watch a show about trains? My parents watch them and they know next to nothing about how the railroads work but they enjoy the shows nonetheless. A drawn out technical explanation about how things work would probably result in much of the veiwing audience going somewhere else for less cerebral material.

How many "wow, bang, amazing"s are necessary?  Didn't need a long technical explanation - but getting ALL the facts right would help!

Believe it or not, I DID enjoy the show - after I started using the mute button & reading the script!!Mischief

Lou V H Photo by John
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Posted by Great Western Rwy fan on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 7:34 AM

Wow You guy's are a tough crowd!!

First off They didn't have to make this series at all!! Keep criticizing it and maybe it will get cancelled, That would be one less railroad show available to us.

Not every body knows how things work in the Railroad industry! I found it very interesting to watch, The rotory dump was probably the most interesting for me,Plus watching them switch out the wheel.I would have never known how they do that if I hadn't watched the show.

Also I liked  the ariel view of Horseshoe curve,Someplace I intend to visit in the future.

As for the shots of apparently different trains posing as one, well anybody who has ever filmed a train knows how hard it is to get shots at different locations of the same train. Probably harder when helicopters are involved!

And as for the host, Well he's just acting.I think it's better then having a narrator talking in monotone!! if nothing else he at least made it funny.

Personally I can't wait for the next episode!!

 

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 7:32 AM

 When they were changing the wheelset on the freight car, was it just me or did it seem that they were working at the front of the truck in some scenes and at the rear of the truck in other scenes?

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 7:05 AM

 I had a huge deja vu moment when yet another conductor had no clue how the dynamic brakes worked.  Was there another railroad show that made the same mistake, or is it just one of those wierd mind things that happend when you get old like me? OK, not his thing, he's a conductor not a <insert craft here>, but since it was a breakout segment you think they would have gotten it right.

 The speedy video thing was annoying, and misleading - managed to get my gf to watch it with me and when they started out from the coal loading facility she was like "wow, doesn;t take them long to get moving". Well, yeah, it does, that was just speeded up. I have NO clue why they kept switchign trains in the overhead, very confusing except the one switch was obvious because it was a train of empties. It sure seemed like they had enough footage of the one they were riding to not have to do that.

 I also watched a bit of Modern Marvels: Bullet Trains that came on after, nice being able to pick out locations on the Northeast Corridor.

                              --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by Been Nothing Since Frisco (BNSF) on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 6:51 AM

SteamFreak

loathar
I was hoping a spike would fly out and hit him in the mouth!Laugh

I was praying the shop crane would drop that GE unit on his head. Dead

 

Lol, me too. It was a little informative but other wise I thought it was pointless.

Does anyone know if this will be a series? If so, when the next show? What's it about?

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Posted by BRAKIE on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 6:39 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

loathar

Somebody PLEASE put a ball gag in the hosts mouth! He sure doesn't act like he's an engineer.

He never said he's an engineer. He's a conductor.

As for why does he talk so loud (I know somebody has asked that one somewhere) if he didn't they'd be complaining that he didn't talk loud enough. I've also seen remarks (at least one) indicating that the dialog seemed too simple (thought up by a ten year old is one remark I've read). The answer to that is simple enough. Whether you want to believe it or not many of the people watching know next to nothing about railroading. Where does it say you have to be a serious modeler or a railroader to watch a show about trains? My parents watch them and they know next to nothing about how the railroads work but they enjoy the shows nonetheless. A drawn out technical explanation about how things work would probably result in much of the veiwing audience going somewhere else for less cerebral material.

Jeff,

All railroaders have a tenancy to talk loud-I did and still do.

The biggest problem with this show is the forum "experts" that know very little about real railroading.

It is not a glamorous job and guess what? To the majority of railroaders its no more then a job with a very nice pay check.

As far as being fast in changing brake shoes..Why bother? That's a carman's job and I never seen a trainman change brake shoes in the 9 1/2 years as a brakeman especially on a steam locomotive like that that shop man was doing.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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Posted by BRAKIE on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 6:29 AM

secondhandmodeler

"So, how do you know which hole to fill?"  Laugh

Conductors are trainmen not MOW workers.Take a MOW worker and he will know nothing about being a trainman.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 5:54 AM

loathar

Somebody PLEASE put a ball gag in the hosts mouth! He sure doesn't act like he's an engineer.

He never said he's an engineer. He's a conductor.

As for why does he talk so loud (I know somebody has asked that one somewhere) if he didn't they'd be complaining that he didn't talk loud enough. I've also seen remarks (at least one) indicating that the dialog seemed too simple (thought up by a ten year old is one remark I've read). The answer to that is simple enough. Whether you want to believe it or not many of the people watching know next to nothing about railroading. Where does it say you have to be a serious modeler or a railroader to watch a show about trains? My parents watch them and they know next to nothing about how the railroads work but they enjoy the shows nonetheless. A drawn out technical explanation about how things work would probably result in much of the veiwing audience going somewhere else for less cerebral material.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Central Illinois
  • 245 posts
Posted by Texas Chief on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:41 PM

wm3798

 He sounds like Billy Mays...  "That's Amazing!"  But wait!  If you order now, I'll send you another pack of wonder widgets at no extra cost!  That's a $14.99 Value!"

He could also be played by Will Farrell...

L


 

Yea, at $20 shipping and handling per Widget.

Dick

Texas Chief

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Posted by larak on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:23 PM

loathar
They must be showing footage of different coal trains. I thought I saw 4 pushers in one of the arial shots.

 

You did and they did. The train kept switching tracks too. 

Still, I found it fun and even informative IN SPITE of the "host" and the fifteen plus minutes of commercials.

The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open.  www.stremy.net

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Posted by loathar on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:16 PM

I'm REALLY surprised they let him get so close to some of the moving equipment. He kind of reminded me of Hulk Hogan at times. That over excited steroid kind of acting...

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Posted by howmus on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:11 PM

 

SteamFreak

loathar
I was hoping a spike would fly out and hit him in the mouth!Laugh

I was praying the shop crane would drop that GE unit on his head. Dead

I had exactly the same thought.........  What a dork!  The camera work was obnoxious to say the least.  It did remind me just how much I hate watching commercials though.  Ithinkhetalkedrealfastsotheycouldfinishtheshowandgetafewmoreofthemin.  On a scale of one to ten, I'd give it -3.  Did you notice they did manage to get some "Hitler" footage in though.Smile,Wink, & Grin 

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by SteamFreak on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:02 PM

loathar
I was hoping a spike would fly out and hit him in the mouth!Laugh

I was praying the shop crane would drop that GE unit on his head. Dead

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  • From: Amish country Tenn.
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Posted by loathar on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:01 PM

WOW!! BANG!! BOOM!! COOL!! SERIOUS!!
It IS pretty informative. I always wondered about the couplers on roto dump cars.Last dumper I saw, they had to uncouple every car and run it up and down a ramp track.

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Posted by secondhandmodeler on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:00 PM

"So, how do you know which hole to fill?"  Laugh

Corey
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Posted by wm3798 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:58 PM

 Gives you a new appreciation for Mike Rowe, though, doesn't it...

Route of the Alpha Jets  www.wmrywesternlines.net

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Posted by SteamFreak on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:56 PM

He's afraid of climbing the Alleghenies? The guy's going to need smelling salts if he ever rides through the Canadian Rockies. And how many times did he say "THE Horseshoe Curve," instead of just Horseshoe Curve? I'd love to hear the pusher engineer's thoughts. What a doofus. Dunce

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Posted by wm3798 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:56 PM

 He sounds like Billy Mays...  "That's Amazing!"  But wait!  If you order now, I'll send you another pack of wonder widgets at no extra cost!  That's a $14.99 Value!"

He could also be played by Will Farrell...

L

 

Route of the Alpha Jets  www.wmrywesternlines.net

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Posted by richg1998 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:55 PM

 I guess the History Channel thinks we all have A.D.D. My stepson and I watch with the TV on Mute and on screen text. Makes the program bearable. I might give up on this series if this guy is in all of them. It must be a headache with sound on. Oh well. back to the Weather Channel.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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Posted by loathar on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:53 PM

They must be showing footage of different coal trains. I thought I saw 4 pushers in one of the arial shots.
I was hoping a spike would fly out and hit him in the mouth!Laugh I don't think I'd even act like THAT big a noob going around the shoe. I feel sorry for the crews that have to deal with him.

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Posted by Guilford Guy on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:51 PM

 "What a ******* Buffy"

Alex

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Posted by secondhandmodeler on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:48 PM

Ball gag, yup, that would work!  He sure is enthusiastic!Clown

Corey
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Posted by wm3798 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:45 PM

 ...I have the same problem when I'm putting mustard on my bratwurst...  *** nozzle clogs up every time!

What a doof.

Lee

Route of the Alpha Jets  www.wmrywesternlines.net

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Posted by Guilford Guy on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:38 PM

There's 2 SD40's which are 3000 (I think) HP each.

I'm disappointed in his brake shoe changing skills. At Railcamp I changed a brake shoe faster than he did. Then again, he works for Guilford... "Brakes? What Brakes?" We'll just stick our boot out in front and stop it!"

Alex

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Posted by Don Z on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:38 PM

There are only 2 pushers...a pair of SD40-2's. That would be 6,000 HP.

Don Z.

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Posted by loathar on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:31 PM

Anybody catch when he said the 4 pushers totaled 6000hp???Confused

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Posted by wm3798 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:27 PM

 I have to agree... I also don't like the way they're speeding up the tape on everything...  Looks like a bloody Lionel layout!

I hope the cab ride around the curve is a little more subdued...

I suppose they're playing to an audience not made up of railfans...

Lee

Route of the Alpha Jets  www.wmrywesternlines.net

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Posted by richg1998 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:25 PM

 The info is good but he is a pain. Talk about hand waving. Might make a good lawyer also.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

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Posted by Don Z on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:23 PM

loathar

Somebody PLEASE put a ball gag in the hosts mouth! He sure doesn't act like he's an engineer.

If he continues to babble on, I won't watch another episode....."Are you scared?" Whistling

Don Z.

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Posted by loathar on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:21 PM

Somebody PLEASE put a ball gag in the hosts mouth! He sure doesn't act like he's an engineer.

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