Tracks Ahead 6


1999 Emmy, given for Outstanding Excellence in the Video Arts

<<5:30 p.m. Saturdays on MPTV-10 and MPTV-HD>>>
(See MPTV website listings for additional repeats)

TRACKS AHEAD's sixth season is a 14-part magazine-style series that explores every aspect of railroads around the world, including railroad prototyes, models, personalities and lore covering not only the railways and modelers of the past, but also of the present and the future.

"We're striving for more depth in each episode," said David Baule, executive producer and director of the series.

"The stories will intrigue a variety of viewers, while walking a middle line between technical and general information. Our goal is to capture the excitement and history of railroading. We continue to explore everything involved with it, from model trains and museums to collectors and authors."

The new episodes also visit Hamburg, Germany to inspect the largest HO layout in the world, examine the history of amusement park trains, ride a restored portion of the old Sacramento Northern Railroad, and explore many other locations.

Viewers meet artist David Tutwiler and modeler Dan Zugelter, follow the progress of the last Alco PA-1 locomotive, and examine the new layout at Chicago's Museum of Science & Industry.

"We go from holiday layouts in Ohio and a bed-and-breakfast in Arizona to see a train on an island in the Baltic Sea," Baule said.

“We look at everything from some of the world’s most famous working railroads and most impressive museum displays to unusual private collections and authors with a wonderful grasp of railroading history,” Baule said.

Tracks Ahead Series 1 - 5 was re-released to all Public TV stations in the summer of 2002. Call your local affiliate to inquire about dates and times.

TRACKS AHEAD is the proud winner of a 1999 Emmy, given for Outstanding Excellence in the Video Arts. The series has also won Gold Awards (1996, 2002) and a Silver Award (1999) in the Houston WorldFest video competition.

The first Tracks Ahead series was produced in 1990, the second in 1992, the third in 1995, the fourth in 1997, and the last in 2002. The series began as a production called Just Trains for local cable access television.

Program fans can find current reports on the production crew’s latest travels and progress at mptv.org. Baule shares his journal over the Internet, opening his personal record of the accomplishments, setbacks and frustrations they face.

Underwriters for the sixth series are Kalmbach Publishing Co.; Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.; World’s Greatest Hobby, and Trains Unlimited Tours.