DVD review
Backyard Railroads: Crystal Springs Garden Railroad Tour
Movie-Mix Productions
282 Kerry Drive
Santa Clara CA 95050
Price: $12.95 + $5.75 s&h
Web site: www.moviemix.com
60 minutes
Unlike most garden railways, the Crystal Springs is operated in much the same way as a full-size railroad. It is also unusual in that all motive power is live steam. The program begins with Jack telling us about the locomotives and what it takes to get them going in the morning, as well as their hourly maintenance schedule throughout the operating day.
We then see the railroad at work. Operations begin with an order placed for furniture at a local furniture store. The furniture must be made but, before that can happen, the lumber must be milled. Before that takes place, the logs must be harvested, then delivered to the mill. We begin with logging operations in the forest, which are carried out with the aid of actual steam-powered donkey engines (here being run on compressed air). Logs are loaded onto trains and delivered to the mill. Jack’s mill is fully animated, again by actual steam equipment (again run on compressed air). Once the logs are milled, the finished lumber is transported by rail to the furniture factory, then the finished furniture is delivered to the customer.
The visuals are accompanied by Jack’s narration, describing in detail what is happening. Other members of his crew (it takes at least seven to properly run the railroad) also explain their duties and activities. The film winds up with scenes from the Crystal Springs’ open house at the last Garden Railway Convention in the Bay Area.
This video is well produced and edited. There’s lots of action and we are left with a clear idea of how this ground-breaking operation is conducted. A special feature includes many still shots of specific features of Jack’s fine railroad. This program should be of interest both to live steamers and to any garden railroader who wants to learn more about what can be achieved in the fascinating hobby of ours.
