Modern Marvels: Trains

[LoudMusic]

I've found that although Modern Marvels is very entertaining, if you know something about the subject matter from education or first hand knowledge, the show'd content is driven by what the show's directors/producers understand about the subject matter and not how something really works. Case in point...I watched a show about the C-5 - a plane I flew for five years - and it had many well...embellishments to the truth of actual operations. The show "played up" some very mundane things and "played down" what was actually more important IMHO. A lot of that I'm sure was driven from the footage they got. I didn't see this show on trains but I'm guessing they built the storyline around the footage they shot then edited it all together with their limited understanding of rail operations to make the show. Entertaining? Sure it is...but maybe not too exact as many of us would like.

But how many people care about that intricate detail, versus the number of people who care about what they actually air on television. If you want the specialized information you'd have to buy it on DVD or some such. People like you who are in the upper 0.0001 percentile of C-5 knowledge aren't their target audience

 

[Herc Driver]

LoudMusic - very very true...and a point I wouldn't dispute. It bothers you though when you know what is being showed to "everyone" isn't quite the truth or is just made up hollywood fiction to add something to the "story"...even when the "story" is basically a documentary/informational-style show. But unless it gives away state secrets or puts someone's life in danger...nothing to get too worked up about.

 

[LoudMusic]

Well if you're saying it's flat out a lie, then there's definitely something wrong there. I didn't see the C-5 show, but the freight train show was just ... watered down. For example, when they talked about how a diesil locomotive got power to the wheels they just said a diesil engine turns a generator which provides electicity to the motors on the axils. There's a bit more going on there. And for steam engines they said that steam enters one side of a chamber pushing the rod one way then enters the other side of the chamber pushing it back. They didn't even talk about how the damn thing MAKES the steam. Kind of a major aspect of how the locomotive locomotes, but the general populous doesn't real care so why waste their time. Also I guess in that example the show was about freight trains, not steam locos. They've done that show before and I imagine it was much more detailed.

I have no airforce connections but we do have Jacksonville Airforce Base just down the road. There are C-130s in the air almost all the time running drills. From a quick wikipedia search it looks like the C-5 is a wee bit larger Do you have any pictures or stories? Well, ones you're allowed to share?

 

[LongIslandTom]

Guys, keep in mind that these TV shows are just 1 hour long. Not much you can pack into a 1-hour program.

If you want to explain in sufficiently intricate detail how a diesel electric locomotive works, it's going to take a 12-part series! (ditto for the C-5, actually probably even longer, considering the hours of training/orientation/familiarization/qualification/operation he has been through to get there).

Keep this in mind: 1-hour shows = the summary, the nutshell, the cliff notes, etc. :thumb:

 

[nolatron]

And that's 1 hour with commercials. So you're talking about maybe 40-45 minutes total of program footage.

I have the show on the DVR will finally get a chance to watch it this evening.

 

[LongIslandTom]

Exactamundo!

Plus the risk of boredom (i.e. channel flipping) increases if a program is longer than 1 hour.

I love trains and I'll probably sit through a 12-part series... I doubt anyone else in my family will though. sign1

 

[LoudMusic]

Exactamundo!

Plus the risk of boredom (i.e. channel flipping) increases if a program is longer than 1 hour.

I love trains and I'll probably sit through a 12-part series... I doubt anyone else in my family will though. sign1

I couldn't even get anyone to join me for one episode.

 

[Herc Driver]

I totally agree that unless the information is absolutely false, it will suffice for the 1 hr show that it's made for - and I'll watch it just for the enjoyment. I love watching those Modern Marvel shows and just about anything on the History Channel, and as such, am no way bashing their programming. But I've seen enough of the shows to know there's plenty they don't bring to the screen and what makes it is based on the understanding of the subject matter by the film editors...which is less than what a person with a better understanding of the subject would have. But forgive me...I'm the one beating a dead horse.

As for pictures...I don't have a single digital pic from my C5 days...but quite a few of my current C130 time in Iraq...but this is a train forum so I'll resist the temptation of posting them here. It's all about the trains.

 

[LoudMusic]

As for pictures...I don't have a single digital pic from my C5 days...but quite a few of my current C130 time in Iraq...but this is a train forum so I'll resist the temptation of posting them here. It's all about the trains.

Do you have a picture of a train in a C130?

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Planes, trains, automobiles, they're all cool, go ahead!

 

[Herc Driver]

Sorry to say that we just changed to a newer computer at our house and all the military pics are still on the old one waiting to be copied over. But it's on the "to do" list.:thumb:

 

[Iron Goat]

Herc,

If you don't mind, I'll "drop" in a C-130 photo while you get your shots ready. Since Herc is a "driver" and works up front, I thought I'd show the guys our back porch. Herc and the other drivers keep us Loadmasters in the rear... but we don't mind, 'cause it can get pretty exciting back there at times.

Bob :thumb:

 

[LoudMusic]

Herc,

If you don't mind, I'll "drop" in a C-130 photo while you get your shots ready. Since Herc is a "driver" and works up front, I thought I'd show the guys our back porch. Herc and the other drivers keep us Loadmasters in the rear... but we don't mind, 'cause it can get pretty exciting back there at times.

Bob :thumb:

Nice view from your office there. Thanks for sharing

 

[Herc Driver]

I may work in the "pointy end" - but Iron Goat worked in the "business end" where all the action was. I don't even know how my loadmasters walk around in night vision goggles checking out a load just before the drop while I'm flying the run-in in a three ship formation getting all bounced around in prop wash.

 

[LoudMusic]

.
"My biggest thought from the show is that it's a shame they aren't taking the energy produced from dynamic braking and applying it somewhere else. Perhaps through overhead wires to a train climbing the same hill. Though, I drive a hybrid car so it's kind of the way I think now "

I think its GE that is coming out with a hybrid locomotive that uses the electricity generated from the dynamic braking and stores it in batteries for later use.
look here: https://www.getransportation.com/general/locomotives/hybrid/hybrid_default.asp

The show was pretty cool, nice to see inside the plant and seeing them being put together.

I recently posted about this hybrid loco on a hybrid car forum I visit and someone provided the following link.

http://www.railpower.com/products_hl_ggseries.html

Cool stuff!