Sacramento Northern - Catch the interurban Experience in Action

In 1940, long after most interurbans had degenerated into poorly maintained shadows of the pre-WWI prime, the Sacramento Northern was operating trains of heavy wooden arch-window cars looking fresh from the paintshop, rumbling slowly through the 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 urband sprawl and the automobile.

In the first half of the twentieth century, interurbans served small town America well -- connecting neighbors by distributing people and commerce reliably and cheaply when life was simpler and less hurried.

This extremely rare, color coverage came from a stunning 16mm film taken by pioneeer cinematographers Art Alter and Chuck Savage.

In association with Catenary Video Productions.