ONLINE VIDEO !!!!!!!

[Jim Holland]

Greetings!

	Through the courtesies of Tom Parkinson, I am in possession of an
Online Video called *PCC CARS!*  Personally, I am concentrating on PRCo
only for collecting anything relating to streetcars, and I mention this
just to emphasize my enthusiasm for this particular tape - just in case
you don't catch the same!  You will note a list of promised videos at
the end of this post; they shall most definitely be added to my
collection!

	This is a British production and one of a series put together in honor
of the 60th birthday of the PCC streetcar.  Although there are some
errors in the narration, the research for this particular video seems to
be quite thorough and the errors are way overshadowed in context to the
whole!
	There seems to be a parallel to the two PCC books by Fred Schneider and
Stephen Carlson.  This first video starts with a little history showing
the developments which led to the need for the PCC car, its
construction, and its mechanics.  There is even an interview with Mr.
David Stumpo in Philadelphia who gives a very basic description of the
mechanics from underneath a SEPTA PCC!
	After this introduction, we then tour the systems of Brooklyn, Chicago,
Baltimore, San Diego, El Paso, Los Angeles (LATL), and Vancouver.  There
are many color shots in many of these cities going  w-a-y  back and they
include the *Pink Lady* and 1000 in Brooklyn; 7001 and 1944 experiments
with various color schemes and the Blue Geese and Green Hornets of
Chicago; and shots of the LATL cars in the two tone yellow!  Even
"Detroit's Blue Streak and United Traction 301 . . ." are included along
with ". . . Birneys, Witts and a host of more stunning scenes of US
traction."  The tape is almost 1.5 hours long.
	These are home movies converted to video and the quality runs from good
to very good but the scenes are absolutely priceless!  I was spell-bound
right from the beginning!  While this is a tribute to the PCC, many
scenes show other cars on each system.  And with these other cars well
interspersed, even the non-PCC fan should find this tape fascinating! 
In Vancouver we catch a glimpse of the strikingly handsome BCER
interurbans and are promised a tape on these cars in the future!
	The video is dedicated to Everett White and in addition to Mr. White,
the video includes films from the following photographers:
J. Braun; R. Braun; Walter F. Druck; Henry Elsner, Jr.; Bill Greenwood; 
L.J. Hillier; Bill Hoffman; W. C. Janssen; K Hodgson; H. Luff;
M. Jenkins; C.P. Long; P. Matthews; R. Muller; J. Prophet; G. Schmidt; 
R.D. Vible; and M.J. Russell.  Tom Parkinson and others contributed to
the production.

	A companion tape that is already available is *PCC Parade* which
includes rare fottage in Cincinnati, Pacific Electric, St. Louis, Kansas
City, Montreal, Dallas, Cleveland, Twin Cities, Shaker Heights,
Birmingham, Detroit, Johnstown, San Francisco, and Illinois Terminal!

	Also promised are PCC tapes on the following systems:

		1)--PITTSBURGH
		2)--PHILADELPHIA
		3)--TORONTO
		4)--Atlantic City, Boston, Newark, and Washington DC
		5)--Great Interurban Journeys, 2 Parts.

	The Main address is listed as follows:
		ONLINE VIDEO
		Little Martins,
		Ox Lane,
		St. Michaels,
		TENTERDEN
		Kent, TN30 6NQ
		England

	And from this address they also offer:
		1)--Tramways of S. America, $36 US; $42 CD
		2)--Johannesburg, $33 US; $39 CD
		3)--Braga and Oporto, $30 US; $35 CD

	Another offering is the *Niagara and St. Catherines Interurban* but
presently it is in the PAL video format and pricing is only in pounds!

	They indicate that further tapes are available from:
		G.P.S  VIDEO
		P.O. Box 5895
		Station "A"
		Ontario
		Canada
		M5W 1P3

	MANY  MANY  THANKS,  TOM,
	FOR  BRINGING  THIS  TO  MY  ATTENTION!


	O-F-F  T-O-P-I-C:

		The October 1999 *NMRA  BULLETIN* includes a review
on a Pentrex video called *Above Southern California Rails*  --  VHS,
$19.95, 42 minutes, #ASCR.  While non-streetcar it sounds very exciting
because it is an aerial view of trains in action - a view not unlike
looking at a model railroad, except that this is the prototype!  Pentrex
went to quite a bit of expense to charter a ". . . jet-helicopter loaded
with state-of-the-art, gyro-stabilized video equipment."  I quote a
little of the review:
	"Then soar skyward to enjoy sweeping panoramas, pace speeding
locomotives, and get incredible aerial views of long curving trains. 
Skim over the blue Pacific Ocean chasing Amtrak trains and BNSF freights
along the 'Surf Line' near San Clemente.  Check out the newly rebuilt
BNSF yards in San Bernardino and examine UP's West Colton Yard.  Race
the Talgo trainset through the Los Angeles area.  Then swing over the
harbor area for a bird's-eye view of container operations and the brand
new coal facility.  The weather is crystal clear . . .  You'll marvel at
the ultra-smooth, incredibly close, breathtaking photography. . .  This
video offers a perspective like no other."
	"Also available is *California Electric Trilogy*, $29.95, #CAL3."  This
includes the Key System, Sacramento Northern, and PE.

James B. Holland
------- -- ---------
        Pittsburgh Railways Company (PRCo), June of 1949 -- June of 1953
    To e-mail *off-list,* please click here: mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net
N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.mcs.net:80/~weyand/nmra/