Sacramento Northern
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Catch the Interurban Experience in Action
In 1940, long after most interurbans had degenerated into poorly-maintained shadows of their pre-WWI prime, the Sacramento Northern was operating trains of heavy wooden arch-window cars looking fresh from the paintshop, rumbling slowly through tree-shaded city streets before racing across open countryside.
Journey back 60 years for a trip on California's legendary Sacramento Northern Railway, from the Bay Area to Chico, in the Sacramento Valley. The Woodland and Colusa branches are also covered. The DVD provides a fascinating view of the countryside before it was despoiled by urban sprawl and the automobile.
In the first half of the twentieth century, interurbans served small town American well -- connecting neighbors by distributing people and commerce reliably and cheaply when life was simpler and less hurried. The SN epitomized these electric lines, and embodied most of the characteristics of the genre, plus many unusual features. These included a variety of passenger and freight equipment, grades requiring helper locomotives, a tunnel and many bridges, set in spectacular scenery. A unique catenary equipped carferry topped the list of the line's special features, and an interview with one of its long time Captains gives a wonderful insight into its operation. Like many electric railways, SN operated local service in the larger cities it served; this was provided by Birney cars in Sacramento, Marysville-Yuba City and Chico.
This extremely rare, color coverage came from stunning 16mm film taken by pioneer cinematographers Art Alter and Chuck Savage.
Approximately 50 minutes, all color, digital sound effects, narration
Web link
The Western Railway Museum operates Sacramento Northern cars (and many others) over a stretch of the original Sacramento Northern mainline. Their site also has plenty of links for further exploration.
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