Product Details

• Directors: Les Jarrett
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• DVD Release Date: November 21, 2002
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00007IT95
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202,606 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

From the Actor

I've been around a lot of steam locomotives, but the first thing that one realizes about #3985 is that it is BIG. HUGE! It was also a pleasure getting to know some of the people who work on her...even though it is their job tending to her is truly a labor of love. If you like steam locomotives, than you'll like this one, because they don't come any bigger than this!

Product Description

Union Pacific’s steam locomotive #3985 is the largest operating steam locomotive in the world. This 4-6-6-4 locomotive, built in 1943 still runs today as part of the railroad’s public relations program. In this DVD, we’ll follow 3985, which is also called the "Challenger", in Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma & Texas as she shows the public what big steam was really like.

Highlights
*Visit the Cheyenne Steam Shop to see where 3985 is maintained.
*See some of the historical equipment still in the roundhouse
*Follow the engine on it’s ferry move across Nebraska
*Enjoy her pulling an excursion from Council Bluffs to Sioux City, Iowa
*See 3985’s NRHS convention trip from St. Louis to Gorham, IL
*Follow her through Oklahoma and Texas!
*DVD includes chapter menus

If you like big steam, you can’t get bigger that this! A must for every steam fan’s collection!

In color, approx 1 hour.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars OK, but not a lot about the locomotive., February 21, 2005

By 

Gene Pope "gene" (Trout Creek, MT USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: America's Steam Trains-Challenger 3985-The Worlds Largest Operating Steam Locomotive (DVD)

I had expected this to be a lot about the train's history and technical details with lots of shots and information about the components and systems making up this incredible machine.
Instead it was almost all shots of the locomotive and train going past various crossings, over various bridges, etc. Nice but one of the advantages of having it on DVD is that you can watch a drive by scene over and over until your thumb wears out so there is not a lot to be gained by putting 55 minutes of them on a DVD. One shot from each side and one showing the articulation and you are pretty much done.
If you do like the endless repetition of the same locomotive pulling the same train going by a hundred times or so you will really like this video!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great video, December 17, 2007

By 

jbugs (Illinois) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: America's Steam Trains-Challenger 3985-The Worlds Largest Operating Steam Locomotive (DVD)

I bought this video for my son who is 16 and mildly mentally handicapped. He loves trains and especially steam. This video is informative on the history of the 3985, but not too detailed or complicated to make it boring for a kid. The visuals is what my son likes the best. Great shots of the train in all conditions. I would reccomend it for entertainment purposes. Maybe not for 3 year olds but great for a bit older and any train lover.