VHS Videos meet YouTube!

9/1/2015

Amtrak P30CH Video Uploaded to YouTube

Since the last blog post about my video collection, I have spent considerable time figuring out how to convert old VHS tapes to an uploadable digital file. I purchased the Roxio VHS to DVD 3 converter, visited my parents to use their VHS player, and gave myself a crash course in the Photoshop Premiere Elements Version 11 software that I accidentally purchased several years ago.

This first clip I have chosen to experiment with was a video recorded on June 2, 1991 of soon-to-be retired Amtrak P30CH's 703, 702, and 705 arriving in New Orleans on a special positioning move on the Norfolk Southern. This video is pretty short and employs just a few of the features of Adobe Permiere Elements that I was able to figure out. Going forward, I expect that my video editing skills will improve! It is hard to believe that this video is 25 years old!

Back in the day, the video camera accompanied us on many railfan missions. It was passed around quite frequently depending on what other cameras were being used (and whomever ran out of film). It is difficult to determine by looking through the old videos who the photographer was. Sometimes it is easier to determine who the photographer was NOT by seeing who appears IN the video!

The first of two scenes in this P30CH clip was not taken by myself as I was positioned inside the curve at Oliver Junction to take the below picture which has been posted on-line for some time now:

Interestingly enough, a video of this train passing through Spartanburg, South Carolina has been posted to Rail-Videos.net. It is cool to see how pieces of a puzzle come together long after an event has occurred. The button below will take you to that video:

Amtrak P30CH Positioning Move - Spartanburg, SC

Chris

9 Comments

Lou Bangma

9/1/2015 11:13:28 am

good job I want to do the same thing but keep putting it off since I have hundreds of slides to convert and have not done it.

Christopher M. Palmieri link

9/1/2015 11:39:42 am

I understand, Lou! So much material, so little time! Be sure to share.

Jerry link

9/1/2015 11:20:05 am

Great video. I was inspired by Bob Fairbanks and got my VHS rolling a couple of times and have a bunch of odds and ends from here there and everywhere.

9/1/2015 11:41:15 am

Thanks, Jerry. Now there is a name I have not heard in a long time! I wonder what happened to Mr. Fairbanks and those infamous videos?

Phil LaRosa

9/1/2015 12:15:49 pm

Kurt Nastasi still has a few Fairbanks videos. Amtrak, MOP, and IC. As luck would have it I borrowed those from him about a week before Katrina, thus saving them from drowning!

9/1/2015 12:33:25 pm

Phil, Thanks for the update! I may have to reach out to Kurt Nastasi - I would like to see those videos. BTW - I think it is time for you to upload more videos, though your KCS SD60 cab ride video will be hard to beat!

9/1/2015 10:52:06 pm

I would but these days I'm scared to even take my phone out of my bag the way they're pulling people out of service for minor infractions. I'll have to go through the videos I have and see if there's anything worth posting.

I miss seeing the P30's, and I can't believe in all these years no one has come out with a pooch in HO scale!

Steven Palmieri link

9/1/2015 11:47:20 pm

Old School!

James Donohue link

9/2/2015 09:36:16 am

I bought a Samsung VHS to DVD recorder, and then used software to convert everything to mp4... unfortunately, I think mp4 is Not a good format, and I should have used avi, or mvi...
AND , I stil have more videos on 8mm video, BUT I can NOT find an 8mm Video player to play the tapes back...
I suppose I should try to find an 8m Video player on Ebay, that's what I've been told...

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