Modern Marvels: Then and Now - Transcontinental Railroads
Modern Marvels: Then and Now - The Maginot Line
Saturday, October 6, 5:00-6:00 PM
The Maginot Line, a defensive string of forts with enfilading firepower, was built by France between WWI and WWII. Conceived by Minister of War Andre Maginot, it was meant to forestall another German invasion until troops could arrive. But the French began to think of the line as a substitute for manpower. When Belgium declared neutrality and exposed France's flank, Germany was able to sidestep the line. We'll visit the "impregnable" line's forts, observation turrets, and underground railroads.
Time Machine: True Story of the Bridge on the River Kwai
Saturday, October 6, 8:00-10:00 PM
The film "The Bridge on the River Kwai" dramatized the WWII story of the Thailand-Burma Railway, yet it was largely fictional. Over 65,000 Allied POWs battled torture, starvation, and disease to hack the 255-mile railway out of harsh jungle for the Japanese. Finishing in only 14 months, many never returned from The Railway of Death. Repeated Sunday, October 7 @ Midnight, and Saturday, October 13 @ 1:00 PM
Save Our History - The Underground Railroad, Pt. 1
Friday, October 12, 7:00-8:00 AM
"So many slaves escaped into freedom along a route that could not be ascertained that the slave owners said there must be an underground railroad under the Ohio River and on to the North." Abolitionist William Cockrum, 1854. Join descendants and scholars as we tell the story of America's first civil rights movement.
Save Our History - The Underground Railroad, Pt. 2
Friday, October 19, 7:00-8:00 AM
The Underground Railroad was neither, in fact. Nor was it a centralized national organization. Instead, it is the symbolic name for the century-long struggle of slaves making the dangerous journey out of bondage, and a secret network of free blacks and whites of conscience that offered solace against the slave-holding South.
Classroom (no ads) The Great Depression: The Great Shake Up
Monday, October 22, 6:00-7:00 AM
When the market crashed and banks failed, hard times hit America, making us all poor immigrants starting over with only a dream. Some grew rootless like James Michener, riding the rails; some escaped in a quirky pastime, Marathon Dancing. The nation turned to FDR for a paycheck, but at a price. Mario Cuomo hosts this in-depth look. Rated PG
History's Lost & Found
Thursday, October 25, 7:00-8:00 AM
Letters of Mary Todd Lincoln; Ben Franklin's Armonica; Jayne Mansfield's Death Car (#118)
This week we search down: an entire museum in a box in Canaan, Maine; six startling letters from Mary Todd Lincoln's "lost years" that shed light on her alleged insanity; the first travel-trailer; a musical instrument invented by Ben Franklin; the Memphis Belle; and Jayne Mansfield's death car.
Modern Marvels: Earth Movers - The Power to Move Mountains
Thursday, October 18 @ 9:00 PM
Feel the earth move under your feet, and dig into the fascinating history of earth-moving equipment--from invention of the simple spade to today's powerful steam shovels. Meet the legendary giants like John Deere, Jerome Case, and the founders of Caterpillar, who helped forge America's monolithic construction industry. Repeated Friday, October 19 @ 1:00 AM and Sunday, October 21 @ 3:00 PM
History Alive: Battle History of the Navy - Born into War
Sunday, October 28, 8:00-9:00 PM
Flanked by two oceans, America's fortunes would rise and fall on the exploits of a strong navy, which suffered disasters, but stood undefeated at the end of the 20th century. In a rip-roaring look at history's mightiest navy, Part 1 sees the Continental Navy battle the Royal Navy in the Revolutionary War, and later the fledgling U.S. Navy take on England again in the War of 1812. The Navy is split by the Civil War, but a steel, steam-powered Navy arrives just in time for the Spanish-American War. Repeated Monday, October 29 @ Midnight
Monday , October 8 - The Pinkertons
Founded in Chicago in the 1850s by Allan Pinkerton, the Pinkerton Agency developed methods for tracking down counterfeiters and bank robbers. During the Civil War, its detectives protected Abraham Lincoln even on his inauguration train, forming the basis for what would become the Secret Service. Later, the private national detective agency helped track down criminals like Jesse James and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, who eluded state or local authorities
Monday, October 15 - The Rush for Gold
The real story of how gold made millionaires of a few, but spelled disaster for most of the fortune seekers who were lured to the hills
Monday, October 22 - Fathers of Texas
The sagas of Sam Houston and Stephen Austin, leaders of the revolt against Mexico and founders of the state of Texas
Monday, October 29 - Boom Towns to Ghost Towns
The saga of mining and cattle towns in the new frontier, which thrived for a time, but went bust when economic conditions changed
* Trivia note: The History Channel says Butch Cassidy made about $120,000 robbing trains, while Paul Newman made over $750,000 playing Butch Cassidy
Or search any other series on The History ChannelListen to the Delta Queen whistle or caliope
Petticoat Junction Homepage
How Pullman passenger coaches were invented
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Last Year's Trains Unlimited episodes and Railroad Related listings on the History Channel
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French TGV sets new world rail speed record
Amtrac Passenger Train hits pickup truck, 6 cars derailed, one on side, 11/04/00. Pictures © CBS California Zephyr derails in Iowa, 90 injured, 1 dead 3/18/01
Privatised British Rail close to bankrupcy 10/7/01
Why the World Trade Center in New York was built, what it stood for, and thoughts of engineers & railroaders over the past century about building up. Printout version
UP/SP/MP has cabooses for sale at the Union Pacific's current yard sale
Or click here for a website that tracks rail transit projects around the world, including the first test run of Amtrac's 150mph NY-Washington train.
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