I Love BIG Trains, Part 1: Jeff takes us on a tour of the Illinois Railway Museum where we see a sleek, retro Burlington E5 diesel pulling articulated, streamlined passenger cars, and a Frisco 2-10-0 Decopod steam locomotive. See the latest diesels and learn how freight cars are used, including hoppers loaded with coal and special flatcars that carry containers to the shipyard. We also visit the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad’s rail yard, see a turntable in action and Jeff explains how a hump yard works. Also high speed trains from France, Spain, and Portugal. If you love trains, you’ll love this video. (35 minutes).

I Love BIG Trains, Part 2: See the largest passenger steam locomotive in the world, the Union Pacific Challenger. Learn about railroad signals, both old and new, including a railroad crossing wigwag signal and semaphore block signal. Jeff shows us how a signalman uses a lantern to signal the engineer. Ride a South Shore Freight Lines’ GP38 as it heads a line of freight cars, including a caboose (we ride in the caboose, too). Plus action at the Norfolk-Southern yards just west of Pittsburgh. Music by Jim Coffey and narrated by Jeff. All aboard for 40 minutes of exciting train action.

I Love BIG Trains, Part 3: We visit the South Shore again, this time with their passenger service - the last operating interurban railroad in the U.S. We check in with Doyle McCormick, an expert on steam locomotives who headed the restoration of the legendary 4449 Southern Pacific Daylight. Then North to Alaska, where the scenery is breathtaking and the best way to see it is from a train. All aboard for a highballin’ ride on the rails. (40 minutes).