A new 30 minute PBS style program traces the history of private rail cars from 1841 up to the present time. The program opens with a brief overview of the demise of the American passenger train. A few cars from those trains still operate today as private rail cars. They represent the best of American passenger train service in the last century. Through vintage film and current video, fourteen private rail cars are profiled in this documentary. The histories of these cars are given through interviews with many of the current owners. Some older historic cars are shown in the program such as the Virginia City, Federal and the Ferdinand Magellan, a retired presidential car.Film clips of the 1984 Reagan train and more recent Kerry campaign train are included in the program along with some rare mileage excursions and special all-private car trains. Luxury Rides the Rails is the most complete chronicle of private rail cars and their histories ever produced. The program will be shown on many PBS stations later this year.
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