A Railwayman's Word

America's Railroad℠ marks 40 years of service with this exclusive look inside the company. From the making and building of Amtrak to its plans for the future, this is the definitive story.

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.

Les Trains de tous les records

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.

Climb aboard the illustrious Bernina Express for a festive ride through spectacular Alpine landscapes, taking in snow-covered peaks, architectural wonders, and majestic glaciers.

This documentary introduces you to the entirety of the Amtrak service network, which spans from coast to coast, and border to border. From both trackside and onboard perspectives, you’ll see and survey the trains that so many ride for practical purposes and pure enjoyment. Along the way you’ll learn about Amtrak’s intriguing origin story, its on-going challenges, and insights on what’s yet to come.

This documentary takes a look at Class I railroads – BNSF Railway, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, and Union Pacific, short lines, Amtrak, commuter lines, and railway preservation in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.”

Final Line

Tommy’s Train is a story about imagination, drive, and the power of a dream. Once existing as a tourist attraction in the city of Anacortes, Washington, Tommy Thompson’s Railway ran every summer from 1987 until 1999. The genuine steam locomotive and coaches were all hand built by Tommy in his garage workshop, and he maintained and operated the railway with his family.

An intimate insight into the servant culture and lifestyle of the Viceroy of India and family, as they visit Simla (Shimla) and Lahore.

Director Agnès Varda and photographer/muralist JR journey through rural France and form an unlikely friendship.

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.

In this documentary, Chicago, America’s Railroad Capital, you’ll discover how the third largest U.S. city became the nation’s most important hub, serving six of North America’s largest railroads. Along with its robust commuter system, more rail traffic passes through Chicago than any other city in America.

The story of how newspapers were distributed during the Blitz, stressing the importance of an accurate and objective press on the home front.

A light and somewhat satirical look at the problems and pleasures of Continental holiday travel. A passenger on the Hook Continental Express from Liverpool St. imagines the possible destinations of his fellow passengers.

A British Transport Film, in German!

When a business tycoon allows himself to be 'snared' into seeing some films in a railway traffic manager's office, there must be a reason for it. In this case, it's a particularly giant-sized transport problem. But before he's convinced that the railways can help him solve it, there is an atmosphere of battle in the room, and some interesting and unexpected facts are hurled about in the course of the argument. Made to promote the use of railways to transport raw materials and finished products.

The Channel Tunnel linking Britain with France is one of the seven wonders of the modern world but what did it take to build the longest undersea tunnel ever constructed? We hear from the men and women, who built this engineering marvel. Massive tunnel boring machines gnawed their way through rock and chalk, digging not one tunnel but three; two rail tunnels and a service tunnel. This was a project that would be privately financed; not a penny of public money would be spent on the tunnel. Business would have to put up all the money and take all the risks. This was also a project that was blighted by flood, fire, tragic loss of life and financial bust ups. Today, it stands as an engineering triumph and a testament to what can be achieved when two nations, Britain and France put aside their historic differences and work together.

The 28-minute presentation Bybanen i Bergen – minutt for minutt showed a trip on the Bergen Light Rail from Nesttun to Bergen, shortly after the opening of the line in June 2010.

Experience one of the most spectacular train journeys in Norway from the orchestra stand. Join us minute by minute from high mountain to fjord. The journey starts at Myrdal station on the Bergen Railway and winds from 866 meters above sea level down to Flåm by the Sognefjord.