Disco de Johnny Cash: “Ridin' the Rails: The Great American Train Story [DVD] [Sony]”

Ridin' the Rails: The Great American Train Story is vintage Cash at his best. Includes great footage of great railroad lines that have disappeared from the American landscape. Evokes memories of the heyday of the railroads and vintage Americana, long before the internet and cell phone. A time when the railroad was the fabric that kept this country together. Johnny sings from the heart and soul when singing about the great railroad lines of times past.

Rhino deserves two thumbs up for reissuing this excellent video on DVD. Johnny Cash is at his peak in this historically accurate depiction of American rail. A perfect combination for both railfans and music aficionados.

Johnny Cash loved the railroads and songs of the railroads. These are some of the best train songs ever written as only Johnny Cash can perform them. I loved this program when it was first syndicated to TV stations in 1974. I recorded it on my Betamax and later bought the Sony Beta commercial release and almost wore it out. It's been out of print in video for years and this new DVD release is most welcome. The color is much richer than on any prior version, even though it was apparently shot on high speed (grainy) 16mm film. The sound has also been substantially improved. If you love Cash and/or trains, this one is for you! Come along and ride this train!

Certainly a different view of Johnny Cash in this one. An enjoyable DVD none the less and gives a bit of history of the great era of Steam trains. Saw the video a long time ago so the DVD is a welcome addition to my collection.

Truth is, this is a 1970's made-for-tv film and not much more. The production is minimal, though the trains in the film are fascinating. The treatment of the music is somewhat disappointing. The album version of "The Legend of John Henry's Hammer" is fuller and more dramatic than the acoustic rendering of the same here. And his "Ride this Train" travelogues from his television show are more interesting than what's presented here. I would recommend this DVD for collectors or children interested in trains.