Since it's related to train in general, I thought I would detail my alternate take on Steam Around the World. A series of videos of Harry P. Dodge's footage in various part of the world in the 1960s...
Steam Around the World (1991)
This mini-series aired on ABC during the early 1990s, and is widely considered one of the best railroad documentaries ever made. This show detailed the 1940s-1970s recordings of railroad photographer Harry P. Dodge, who previously sold his films to the Walt Disney Company for use in an educational series that never materialized. However, Walt himself mandated that the films be maintained, and they were eventually sold to ABC.
The series is narrated by then-obscure actor Charles Martinet, who would eventually gain fame as the voice of Nintendo mascot Mario. Here however, he narrates the show in his natural voice. His fluency in Spanish and French can also be seen whenever he pronounces the name of a location in either of those languages. His narration was very popular at the time for the numerous wisecracks he would ad-lib from the original descriptions he was given as a script. For instance, when referring the the Hungarian 424 4-8-0s being called Buffaloes and the design being cloned for use in Korea, he stated "Perhaps Buffalos are not such an invasive species after all."
The majority of episodes in the series are centered around a specific region of the world. Such as Western Europe, the Middle East, or Latin America. Accordingly, they are named “The (x) Archives)”. However, some episodes are dedicated entirely to the rail networks of certain regions in countries, (The US Archives is split into several parts), or smaller region (The British Archives).
- The Pennsylvania Archives: Such was the variety of the state’s railroads was that it was the first state/province to have its own episode. Of particular note is the entire Pennsylvania Railroad mainline from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh with its vast array of steam engines. Further north there is the Jersey Central, Erie Lackawanna, NYC Pennsylvania Division, the Reading, and the docks at Erie.
- The Western European Archives: Dodge recorded such scenes as Chapelon’s SNCF designs all across France, the Broad Gauge network of Spain, Greek saddle tanks, and narrow gauge lines along the German Rhine. Then the Italian rail network in its early electrification days. Also included are the steam engines and railways of Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Plus a detailed look at the rail network of Norway and former Austria, which the Kaiser-reich took over after the German Civil War and World War 2.
- The Western US Archives: Everything in what captures the Great Plains and most of the Pacific Northwest is here. Union Pacific Challengers and Big Boys in Wyoming, Great Northern and Northern Pacific streamliners in Montana, Southern Pacific along the entire West Coast, the Milwaukee Road electrics, and various other iconic locations like the Rio Grande's line through Utah are all present. With the addition of logging railroads especially in the Northwest.
- The British Archives: This episode covers the railways of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Whose island statuses allowed them to generally avoid the turmoil of mid 20th century Continental Europe. This in turn allowed for a diverse range of railway engines. Ranging in size from the Broad Gauge lines of Ireland to the Welsh narrow gauge. There is plentiful footage of the LMS and LNER operations in Glasgow, where the greatest designs of Sir Nigel Gresley and Sir William Stanier are shown in large numbers [1]. Also of prominent note are American war engines and Bulleid Pacifics on the Southern Railway, and the Ten-wheelers, Cathedral 4-8-0s, and Auto-tanks of the Great Western.
- The African Archives: Rails from the Cape to Cairo were the dream of Pioneer Cecil Rhodes. Today, we follow the final form of that dream, the Railway of British Africa, is recorded when huge Garratts still dominated the line. Albeit with the occasional Mountain type also being a staple engine on express passenger trains. Mozambique, Ethopia, Senegal, Angola, Nigeria, the Congo, and former French West Africa are also detailed in spades. [2]
- The Southwestern US Archives: Railroads in the Southwest were almost entirely limited to the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe. Being known rivals, we follow the best of both engines on their respective famous mainlines. The SP treats us to its cab forwards from Yuma, Arizona to Novojoa, Sonara [3]. In addition, there is Santa Fe action on the famous mainline from New Mexico to Barstow, California and on the line to Torreon.
- The Eastern European Archives: In spite of the political turmoils left since the Russo-European War [4], Dodge managed to enter Eastern Europe. Returning with footage that would eventually evolves into priceless relics. Including footage of Yugoslav Railways prior to the breakup, Decapods hauling heavy freights throughout Poland, the great express engines of Hungary, the unique coal-oil fuel hybrids of Romania, and the masterfully crafted engines of Czechoslovakia.
- The Asian & Pacific Archives: During the 1950s through 1960s, Harry Dodge captured the best of Asian steam. Starting with India and its numerous gauges, as well as the Darjeeling Himalayan line. Then we are treated to the wide array of steam engines from both the foreign-owned and nationalized railroads of China. Wider afield there is Japanese preserved steam, the wood burners of Thailand, Indonesian Tank Engines, secondhand Japanese engines in the Philippines, Hungarian-built 4-8-0s in Korea, and Malayan Pacifics.
- The Russian Archives: Traveling the great Trans-Siberian Express route, Dodge has managed to capture the largest nation land-wise. With all the major types of steam engines present from the 0-6-0s shunting to the massive 4-8-4s that hulled trains across the frigid Siberian plain. There are even scenes of the lines in Mongolia, and railroads in other parts of the former Russian Empire.
- The Latin American Archives: This program features a wide variety of Latin American steam engines. Including Garratts in the Bolivian desert, French-built 4-8-4s and 2-8-4s in the Brazilian jungle [5], and 3ft gauge lines in El Salvador and Guatemala. As well as the mountainous lines of Peru, British-built engines in Argentina, and scenes in El Salvador, Mexico, and the US state of Cuba.
- The Midwestern US Archives: Harry P. Dodge has managed to capture the greatest of the American mainlines. Including the Pennsylvania's Mountains and Articulated on the Panhandle from Pittsburgh to St. Louis, the New York Central's Hudsons, Mohawks, and Niagaras Water Level Route from Cleveland to Chicago, and the Erie Lackawanna's famous mainline across Ohio and Indiana. In the wstern half we also see Milwaukee Road, Burlington Route, Monon, and Illinois Central.
- The Australian Archives: Harry Dodge again wows us all with footage fresh from the land down under. With Garratts hauling many of the freights on various gauges. The broad gauges lines of Victoria just months before the conversion to dual-gauge began. The Puffing Billy, Zig Zag, and other then-new tourist railways, and the final days of steam in New South Wales are also featured in large quantities.
- The Canadian Archives: This magnificent episode covers the railways of Canada. Namely the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National. As usual, the best of both's steam fleets are present. The former's Royal Hudsons, Challengers, and Cab-Forward 4-10-2s, and the latter's Confederations, 2-8-4s, and Garratts. All linked with amazing views through the Canadian Rockies. [6]
- The Southern US Archives: Another classic in the episode, this railroad details the railroads in the Southern US. This program is focusing mainly states that were part of the former Confederacy. As such, we see how the railroads were no exception as to how the South was, for better or worse, typically later to adapt many changes in the rest of the world. The large steamers of the Louisville & Nashville, the Southern's Crescent passenger train, electrics on the Florida East Coast, and many other oddities are heavily detailed.
- The Middle Eastern Archives: Harry P. Dodge has managed to sneak through the turmoil ridden areas of 1960s Middle Eastern nations to record some of their finest locomotives at the time. Including the vast array of Turkish locomotive designs in terms of origins and types. Further south we see the electric era of Kurdistan Railroads in their entirety. With further special mention going to the British-built 2-10-2s, Japanese built 4-8-2s, and American war machines that defined steam railroading in Iran. Elsewhere we see rail operations in Israel, Jordan, Husseinistan, and Wahhabistan. [7]
[1] Here, Stanier managed to introduces 4-6-4s and 4-8-4s to the LMS' West Coast Main Line. Whereas Gresley built W2 4-6-4s and I1 4-8-2s to run on the LNER's East Coast Line alongside his A series Pacifics. All of this happened because of TTL's WW2 counterpart being a bit later. Other locomotives in the program include the Gresley T2 4-8-0s used in the Scottish Highlands, and the engines built by Gresley and Stanier's successors Arthur Peppercorn and Robert Riddles.
[2] Needless to say, Africa gets better a lot more quickly than OTL.
[3] ITTL, Sonora and Chihuahua were absorbed into the USA after an alternate Spanish-American War.
[4] TTL's version of the Second World War, where an alternate version of Czarist Russia is the aggressor.
[5] This is another one of my railroad ideas I got from reading
A More Perfect Union by
@HeX. Who also inspired my own ideas for a USA TL.
[6] The Garratts were inspired by
@TheMann.
[7]
See this map for details. Lebanon and Israel are the same as OTL. Kurdistan is in the Southeastern Turkey, Northern Iraq and most of Syria. Husseinistan is all the Ottoman territories in the Arab world that didn't go to Kurdistan, and Wahabbism is everything in the Arab Peninsula that is neither Husseinistan nor a UK territory in the map.