Desert Empire(1948)

Vol 7 - Channel Tunnel Trains(en)

Few projects have stirred the imagination as much as the building of the Channel Tunnel. The sheer scale of the enterprise and the immense effort involved in creating the Tunnel, can only be admired. Aware of the historic significance of the project, Eurotunnel employed camera crews to film every stage of the work as it progressed. It is from this vast and hitherto largely unseen Eurotunnel archive that much of this programme has been made. Beginning with a brief historical survey of previous efforts to construct a fixed link across the Channel, the programme concentrates on the railway aspects of the project. The story of the construction of the Tunnel is interwoven with the vital role that railways played in its execution. The large narrow gauge railway network built to service the construction work is explored as is the building and testing of the locomotives and rolling stock which were to be used on Eurotunnel s Le Shuttle service.

Continental Divide(en)

Filmed in 1987, this documentary chronicles the journey of Via Rail's The Canadian as it makes its way across Canada.

Trať družby(cs)

Inlandsbanan: De som tog tåget(sv)

A journey along the Inlandsbanan, from Mora to Gällivare, in the last summer of 1991 when the passenger traffic is to be shut down. A decision and its consequences. A film about the view of Norrland in these EC times.

The Halt(ru)

Trains travel through the night without stopping. The clatter of the carriages quickly disappears, along with the wail of the locomotive. The people at the station are all asleep. But why are they so exhausted ? And what are they waiting for? Set inside an isolated train depot, The Train Station is one of Sergei Loznitsa's most haunting films. It is also one of his most pointed social critiques. In this film, we are brought to a remote train station deep in the Russian woods. It's nighttime. In the distance, we hear the clatter of locomotives. The station, a small wooden building, sits silently, surrounded only by snow and train tracks.

Berlin: Symphony of a Great City(de)

A day in the city of Berlin, which experienced an industrial boom in the 1920s, and still provides an insight into the living and working conditions at that time. Germany had just recovered a little from the worst consequences of the First World War, the great economic crisis was still a few years away and Hitler was not yet an issue at the time.

The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat(fr)

Likely in June 1897, a group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.

Empty Harbours, Empty Dreams(en)

The film explores how the three British colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island became provinces of Canada and charts the subsequent decline of their economies after Confederation. Photographs, archival drawings, cartoons and interviews with Maritime historians are used to document the case.

One-Way Ticket(es)

Documentary about how the arrival of the railway industry impacted Puerto Rican culture economically, socially, and humanistically during the first half of the 20th century. It includes photos by Jack Delano, among others, and scenarios to reconstruct the experience of what could have been the last trip made by train from San Juan to Ponce in 1953.

Off the Rails(en)

The remarkable true story of Darius McCollum, a man with Asperger's syndrome whose overwhelming love of transit has landed him in jail 32 times for the criminal impersonation of NYC subway drivers, conductors, token booth clerks, and track repairmen.

The Friendship Train(en)

This short film details the history of the 'Friendship Train', created, following the end of World War II, to travel across the United States to collect food for war ravaged countries in Europe.

On the Train(zh)

On the Train captures from the birth to the last moment of the railway, 98.2 kilometers long and opened in 1992, crossing southern Taiwan.

Dream-Plan-Build Horseshoe Curve(en)

Ride along as Horseshoe Curve takes you on a captivating behind-the-scenes railroad journey in Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains. Trackside views allow you to see first hand some of railroading's greatest accomplishments in action. This special edition of the Dream Plan Build Video Series covers the many miles of scenery from Altoona to Johnstown, PA, complete with dynamic views that will inspire the modeler in you!

Monumental Utah(en)

This Traveltalk series short visits Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.

Zion: Canyon of Colour(en)

This Traveltalk series short visits Zion National Park, Utah. Amongst the sights, we view the seven-hundred foot long Arch of Zion. To provide human access to the park, man-made structures are just as spectacular in their engineering accomplishments; these include the Mount Carmel Highway and Tunnel, and Zion Lodge.

The Road Taken(en)

This 1996 documentary takes a nostalgic ride through history to present the experiences of Black sleeping-car porters who worked on Canada's railways from the early 1900s through the 1960s. There was a strong sense of pride among these men and they were well-respected by their community. Yet, harsh working conditions prevented them from being promoted to other railway jobs until finally, in 1955, porter Lee Williams took his fight to the union.

A&C to S(en)

As the modernisation of London Underground continues, long serving A-Stock and C-Stock trains have been withdrawn from service, and their differing characters will slowly become a memory. London Transport Museum commissioned Geoff Marshall to record the transition between old and new trains.

Cavalcade of San Francisco(en)

This Traveltalk series short celebrates San Francisco, past and present.

Train 406(en)

This short documentary offers a step-by-step account of a fast freight train on a run from Toronto to Halifax, with glimpses of the vast amount of organization necessary in the operation of a country-wide transportation network.

The Station(it)

A day in the life of a train station.