Empty Harbours, Empty Dreams

TGV, génie français du rail(fr)

Stamp of Character(en)

Discover the "character" of one of Missouri's oldest tie and lumber operations through this archival black-and-white film that documents one of the last railroad tie drives on the Black River made by the T.J. Moss Tie Company of St. Louis in the 1920s. Thanks to release of the film by the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation, the rare footage in "Stamp of Character" takes us through the entire process of making railroad ties, at a time when forests covered almost two-thirds of the state. The original silent motion picture was shown in movie theaters as an advertisement by the T.J. Moss Tie Company. Using digitally edited narration and realistic sound effects, this video makes the past live again.

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.

Railwaymen(cs)

A short documentary about the work of railwaymen and life on the railway.

Frustrated(en)

Afro-American men and women express their views on why some Black men are travelling from the US to Brazil to find sex partners.

End of Track(en)

End of Track is the story of the Transcontinental Railroad’s construction march across southern Wyoming and the growing pains of a state in its infancy. It’s a story of incredible engineering achievements and boisterous “Hell on Wheels” towns. A story of greed and corruption, murder and mayhem; of a clash of cultures and Native American retaliation. But it’s also a story of hope and ambition, determination and unimagined success.

Elizabethan Express(en)

Originally intended as an advertising short, this film follows The Elizabethan, a non-stop British Railways service from London to Edinburgh along the East Coast Main Line. A nostalgic record of the halcyon years of steam on British Railways and the ex-LNER Class A4.

Train Time(en)

A short documentary about the transportation of goods and livestock by train around the UK.

Model Citizens(en)

Somewhere in the world right now--much closer than you think--people are playing with trains. You might not see them at first, but they're there. In basements. In garages. In converted Army barracks. They're among the world's most compelling underground communities.

TGV Paris-Marseille, ligne de tous les défis(fr)

3rd Ave. El(en)

Impressionistic picture of the Third Avenue Elevated Railway in Manhattan, New York City, before it was demolished. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2010.

Le Dragon de Fer(fr)

Cavalcade of San Francisco(en)

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

Gare du Nord : La Plus Grande Gare d'Europe(fr)

The White Pass Journey(en)

Includes all new footage which captures the WP&YR experience and history from Skagway, Alaska to Fraser, B.C. and from Fraser, B.C. to Carcross, Yukon. Fully narrated with insights and historical context.

Once upon a Line(en)

Model husbands prove that size isn't everything as they get steamed up over Lilliput locomotives.

The Mystery of Bay Bulls(en)

A film on the "SAPPHIRE", the oldest identified wreck in Canadian waters. Parks Canada's underwater archaeology team is responsible for the excavation of the three-hundred-year-old frigate.

William Wells Talks About The Island(en)

William Wells defends the viability of Fogo Island and expresses his apprehension about the exodus of young people.

How They Dug the Victoria Line(en)

First transmitted in 1969, this documentary follows the construction of the world’s most advanced underground system. Macdonald Hastings narrates the story of one of the most complex tunnel engineering feats of its time. He reveals the isolation felt by the miners who spent six years burrowing deep beneath the streets of London, shows what they did beneath one of London's most famous department stores and explains why the ground at Tottenham Court Road had to be frozen during the hottest weeks of 1966. The result is a brave new world of transport with automated trains, two way mirrors, automatic fare collection and closed-circuit television, all choreographed by a computer programme played out by an updated version of a pianola located in a control room somewhere near Euston station.

Panoramic View of Conway on the L. & N.W. Railway(xx)

A hand-colored ride along the Bangor-Conwy-Colwyn Bay railroad filmed from an express train from the London and North Western Railway; Stations, vistas and a tunnel under the Conwy Castle (misspelled in the title) in North Wales.