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Quality Railway Videos and Documentaries
Bernina Express
This videotape features the "Bernina Express" from Chur in Switzerland, climbing the metre gauge Albula Pass to Samedan and Pontresina, before going on to ascend the scenically spectacular Bernina Pass. This is followed by the breathtaking descent to the final destination in Tirano, just over the border in Italy, negotiating on the way many ingenious feats of engineering including the spiral viaduct near Brusio.
The first half of the journey is by 16 2/3 Hz AC powered equipment, while the second, on the former Bernina Railway is 1500v DC. In this segment the Bernina Express comprises two electric railcars hauling seven trailers! These railcars are really "locos with passenger accommodation"! Although centred on the Bernina Express, we are treated to views of many other trains, including Crocodiles, modern and older electric railcars hauling several trailers, modern electric locos, passenger, freight and mixed trains. There are the usual excellent camera angles and positions, including helicopter views, for which RioGrande is famous.
See the trains traversing beautiful stone viaducts, including high views of Landwasser, where the train leaves the viaduct to immediately enter a "hole in the wall" tunnel in the mountain side. There are some fabulous gear sounds of the trains in absolutely magnificent Swiss mountain scenery. There is a kind of zig zag, but with the usual points replaced by hairpin bends in the open or in tunnel or snowshed. The trains have street running in several places, with at least one motorist not sure where to go!, and two stations more like tram stops in the street. There are views in the cab of the driver and his controls and meters, as well as drivers views of the track ahead.
I have travelled on the Rhaetian railway several times and quite a lot of the journey is accompanied by an almost ear piercing squeal from the wheels and flanges on the incredibly tight curves, but in the videotape this has been edited out, being replaced by quite pleasant music. I would have liked a little of the noise to be included. That is my only criticism of the tape.
Taken and edited on Broadcast Standard Betacam SP, I have no hesitation in ranking it PQ A throughout.