Tracks Ahead


Tracks Ahead is a television series about railroading, produced by Milwaukee PBS, originally solely for their station WMVS, then syndicated to public television stations, starting in 1990.
In general, the series examines all aspects of railroading, both in the United States and in the rest of the world. Content covers a wide range of railroad-related materials. This includes scenic rail journeys, short-line railroads, layouts, artists, photographers, and other railroad related material.

Background

At the dawn of cable television, Chuck Zehner, a Milwaukee train enthusiast, began producing and hosting the interview format show Just Trains on Milwaukee's local access channel on Viacom Cable. Eventually the show was picked up on the cable network around Milwaukee, After 72 shows Milwaukee's WMVS Channel 10 agreed to air a new magazine format show On Track in the Milwaukee market. For the second season it was renamed Tracks Ahead and expanded to the PBS network.

History

The first season was hosted by Charles E. "Chuck" Zehner and the second season by Ward Kimball. Both were later repackaged and re-released with Spencer Christian as the host. All subsequent series have featured Christian.
The primary audience for the series is women and children by 63.4%. The remaining audience is railroad interest groups.
Season 5 was the first in 1080i high definition; season 6 was the first to incorporate 5.1 enhanced audio.
Tracks Ahead 7 started airing in January 2009. As with the previous two seasons, it is in high definition, with digital 5.1 surround sound. The 14-part season includes segments from Japan, the Caribbean, Patagonia, and all around the United States.
Tracks Ahead 8 starting airing in 2011 and marked the final season produced by series originator David K. Baule.
Tracks Ahead 9 began production in 2012, with the final series reaching air in 2015. TA9 was produced by Milwaukee PBS Producer Kevin F. Pulz and featured the introduction of drone production and continued many other innovative technologies that have garnered Tracks Ahead multiple awards for production throughout the years.
All programs are free offerings to public television stations and carried on around 200 TV markets in the US. As of 2008, the series can also be found in Japan, Romania, Germany and other European countries. Season 5 was licensed to HDNet in 2001, but that arrangement expired.

Episodes

Season 1 (1990)

  • Cleveland RTA
  • Indianapolis Children's Museum
  • Northern Railcar Wheelshop
  • Amtrak Chicago
  • California State Railroad Museum
  • Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad
  • Moffat Tunnel
  • Ward Kimball
  • Wm. K. Walthers
  • Santa Fe Piggyback
  • Lionel Trains
  • Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
  • Minnesota Commercial Railroad

    Season 2 (1992)

  • LS&I Railroad
  • Krupp Mak Locomotive Works
  • East Broad Top Railroad
  • The Tehachapi Loop
  • Germany's ICE Trains
  • Mt. Washington Cog Railway
  • San Diego Light Rail
  • Cass Scenic Railroad
  • BART
  • Union Pacific Harriman Dispatch
  • Jungfrau Railroad
  • Amtrak Beech Grove
  • Grand Canyon Railway

    Season 3 (1995)

  • Intermodal Shipping
  • The Wisconsin Central
  • Clarke Dunham
  • Chile
  • Amtrak Chef
  • Alaska Railroad
  • Transportation Test Center
  • Paraguay
  • Renssalaer Railroad Club
  • Apalachicola Railroad
  • Iowa Electric Railroads
  • New Orleans Streetcars
  • Morrison & Knudsen

    Season 4 (1998)

  • Rail Safari
  • White Pass
  • Trolley Museum
  • Tank Cars
  • Narrow Gauge
  • Middle Rhine
  • Vintage Diesel
  • Custom Building
  • Rail Motor Cars
  • Bailey Yard
  • Track Maintenance
  • Logging
  • Floating Railroad

    Season 5 (2002)

  • Circus Train
  • Copper Canyon
  • The Indian Pacific RR
  • Road Railers
  • Northlandz
  • The Ghan
  • The King of Toy Trains
  • Trains of Cuba
  • Cable Cars
  • New Zealand by Rail
  • Union Station
  • Pacific Fruit Express
  • Puffing Billy

    Season 6 (2006)

  • Alco PA1
  • Wisconsin & Southern Railroad
  • Digital Command Control
  • Ireland Steam Tour
  • Amusement Park Trains
  • The White Creek Railroad
  • Grand Canyon Hotels
  • Holiday in Cincinnati
  • Carpathian Logging Railroad
  • Miniature Wonderland
  • The Great Train Story
  • Rügen Island Railway
  • Empire Builder
  • G Gauge in Mesa

    Season 7 (2008–2009)

  • Ohio Central Railroad
  • Maine Narrow Gauge
  • Japan's Meitetsu Railroad
  • Young Guns of Steam
  • Palo Verde & Western Railroad
  • Japan's Bullet Trains
  • The Dakota Southern Railroad
  • Railroads in Patagonia
  • Panama Canal Railway
  • Los Angeles Rail Transit
  • Railtown 1897
  • EnterTRAINment Junction
  • Strasburg Railroading
  • St Kitts Scenic Railway

    Season 8 (2011–2012)

  • Harz Mountain Railway
  • Greeley Freight Station Museum
  • ChiTown Union Station
  • Saxony Narrow Gauge Railways
  • The Flying Yankee
  • Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad
  • The Mollibahn
  • FairPlex
  • Arkansas & Missouri Railroad
  • Adobe Mountain Railroad Park
  • Western Pacific Railroad Museum
  • California Zephyr
  • Trans Siberian Railroad
  • Trans Siberian Railroad

    Season 9 (2015)

  • Skunk Train
  • Wanamaker, Kempton and Southern
  • Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad
  • QJ Steam
  • Saxon Taura Holiday Park
  • Entertainment Junction
  • Taltree Arboretum
  • Miller F Gauge
  • Layout Under-Glass
  • LGB Friends
  • Tweetsie Railroad
  • Iowa Interstate Railroad
  • Images of the Past