WBTS Railway Video (R.W. Richardson -1946)
Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2018 1:05 pmWBTSrailway.net
The Wobbly wasn't narrow gauge. But, it was a back-woods steam railroad with a strong NG flavor and a distinct NG connection. As far as
I know, only two videos were ever taken of the line. John Frank was kind enough to share his video with me and it's posted on the
website. The only other video I know of was taken by none other than Robert W Richardson. The Colorado Railroad Museum has an edited
version of it in their collection, but not the original film or negatives. This version was edited by Mr. Richardson some years after
his 1946 visit. His ride is detailed in his book "Chasing Trains," an excerpt of which is on the WBTS website.
Unfortunately, a few of the video clips were in the wrong order. I'm assuming with the passage of time, Bob just put it together wrong when it was
edited. Whatever the reason, it was simple to fix now that it's digital. Other than adding a few captions in appropriate areas to help
tell the story and fixing the order of the clips, I made no changes or cuts to the video footage.
Seeing as how this was recorded on 8mm film in 1946, there is no sound. So to begin and end the video, I used a piece of music written and performed by Ed
Stabler for a 2014 documentary on the Texas State Railroad that we produced together. I think it fits this WBTS video for a few reasons:
1) It's titled "East Texas Train" which certainly applies to the Wobbly.
2) The style of music perfectly fits the subject, IMHO.
3) The last conversation Ed and I had was about the new Wobbly website I'd just put on line. He was heading to the hospital for a minor
surgery and asked me to call him to discuss after he was back... which of course didn't happen. So, this is another way to keep his
memory alive.
Some things to note:
-The track conditions clearly indicate why the railroad got its moniker: Wobbly, Bobbly, Turnover & Stop
-The radiator is steaming in nearly every shot you can see it
-Check out the lady that seems to be talking on her cell phone at 10:45
I strive for complete accuracy, so corrections are welcomed and appreciated.
Enjoy.
The Wobbly wasn't narrow gauge. But, it was a back-woods steam railroad with a strong NG flavor and a distinct NG connection. As far as
I know, only two videos were ever taken of the line. John Frank was kind enough to share his video with me and it's posted on the
website. The only other video I know of was taken by none other than Robert W Richardson. The Colorado Railroad Museum has an edited
version of it in their collection, but not the original film or negatives. This version was edited by Mr. Richardson some years after
his 1946 visit. His ride is detailed in his book "Chasing Trains," an excerpt of which is on the WBTS website.
Unfortunately, a few of the video clips were in the wrong order. I'm assuming with the passage of time, Bob just put it together wrong when it was
edited. Whatever the reason, it was simple to fix now that it's digital. Other than adding a few captions in appropriate areas to help
tell the story and fixing the order of the clips, I made no changes or cuts to the video footage.
Seeing as how this was recorded on 8mm film in 1946, there is no sound. So to begin and end the video, I used a piece of music written and performed by Ed
Stabler for a 2014 documentary on the Texas State Railroad that we produced together. I think it fits this WBTS video for a few reasons:
1) It's titled "East Texas Train" which certainly applies to the Wobbly.
2) The style of music perfectly fits the subject, IMHO.
3) The last conversation Ed and I had was about the new Wobbly website I'd just put on line. He was heading to the hospital for a minor
surgery and asked me to call him to discuss after he was back... which of course didn't happen. So, this is another way to keep his
memory alive.
Some things to note:
-The track conditions clearly indicate why the railroad got its moniker: Wobbly, Bobbly, Turnover & Stop
-The radiator is steaming in nearly every shot you can see it
-Check out the lady that seems to be talking on her cell phone at 10:45
I strive for complete accuracy, so corrections are welcomed and appreciated.
Enjoy.