The Big Banana Railfan
Welcome to Big Banana Productions! Here, we focus on documenting the operations of steam locomotives from around the United States, and showcase what makes each one so unique and special. These fire-breathing beauties are mechanical masterpieces, that helped to build our great country into what we know and love today. Every steam locomotive has their own sense of character and personality, much like we as human beings do, and one of our main goals is to present each locomotive going about the tasks they were built for, along with discovering just how well they capture that old-time flavor of a bygone era. From moguls to decapods, from branch line engines to mainline superstars and from Geared Logging Engines to Narrow Gauge Steam, we will have you covered for great steam railroad-related entertainment!
The Big Banana Railfan
On Sunday, we visited the narrow gauge East Broad Top Railroad in Pennsylvania, taking in all the sights and sounds of the Friends of the EBT's annual Fall Reunion!
In this video, you'll see Mikado #16 pulling both passenger and freight trains over the railroad's regular excursion route between Rockhill Furnace and Colgate Grove. You'll also see the EBT’s Doodlebug railcar M-1, and inspection car M-3 in action, making for a nice mix of motive power as the trains make their way through the majestic landscapes of the Aughwick Valley in gorgeous early fall weather! Enjoy!
1 day ago (edited) | [YT] | 3
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The Big Banana Railfan
Over the weekend, we made another visit to the Woodstown Central Railroad in New Jersey, for two exciting days of classic steam and diesel railroading action!
The main event was a special photography day, hosted by the Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys, and featured two different trains, with recently restored 0-6-0 #9 pulling a freight train, and newly refurbished former Reading FP7's #902 & #903 leading a trio of passenger coaches. Lots of runbys were performed at many picturesque locations, and the weather was stunning all weekend long!
Footage from this event will be used in an upcoming video that will feature extensive coverage of the Woodstown Central, with a wide variety of trains traversing the entire route to both Swedesboro and Mannington throughout the operating season!
In the meantime, stay tuned for more videos coming in October!
1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 12
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The Big Banana Railfan
The moment has finally arrived! We are extremely proud to present our coverage of the K-36 100th Anniversary Celebration the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad!
You’ll see over 40 runbys at many breathtaking locations across the entire railroad between Chama and Antonito, with engines #484, #487, & #488 as the star performers on freights with rear helpers and mid-train helpers, plus mixed trains, caboose hops, and everything in between. You'll also see footage from the night photo sessions, as well as the parade of steam with all three locomotives running together!
From high mountain country, to volcanic rock formations, to flat open mesas, there’s plenty of gorgeous scenery in this video and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it! It’s over 80 minutes of great narrow gauge steam action in the Colorado Rockies!
3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 4
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The Big Banana Railfan
The latest video from our adventures in Colorado Narrow Gauge country is here, and features plenty of exciting steam action on the legendary Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad!
While the main reason for our visit was the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the railroads' K-36 class locomotives, we also spent a good amount of time shooting the regularly scheduled passenger trains as well, as they tackle the steep grades of 10,015-foot Cumbres Pass, all the while passing through some of the greatest scenery the American West has to offer! Lots of popular and scenic locations are seen, with 2 different locomotives, as the trains traverse the spectacular Rocky Mountain country that can only be found on the C&TS.
Enjoy this video, and be sure to look out for our coverage of the K-36 Centennial Celebration, releasing next week! You won't want to miss any of the action!
1 month ago | [YT] | 2
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The Big Banana Railfan
The first video from our Colorado Narrow Gauge Odyssey has arrived! This video highlights three days of shooting the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, and features many breathtaking scenes as the trains scale the dramatic landscapes of the Animas Canyon, and the towering Rocky Mountains. You’ll see plenty of iconic locations, many of which required a good deal of hiking!
Four different steam locomotives are seen, with lots of doubleheader scenes, as the sold out trains make their way to Silverton through some of best scenery to be found anywhere on earth! Enjoy!
1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 4
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The Big Banana Railfan
We've just returned from another legendary adventure in Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Country!
In mid-August, we spent over a week capturing some breathtaking pictures and videos of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, witnessing 7 different steam locomotives in action at many spectacular locations in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and New Mexico.
Capping off the excitement was a FANTASTIC 3-day photo charter at the Cumbres & Toltec, celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the K-36-class Mikados! We had the most amazing time shooting our favorite steam railroads once again and can't wait to return in the not too distant future!
Be on the lookout for the first of three videos from this grand odyssey, releasing next week!
1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 16
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The Big Banana Railfan
Our newest release is finally here, and it features plenty of exciting steam action with Nickel Plate Road #765 as she travels to three different railroads! This was filmed over 7 different days in both the spring and summer, beginning with a weekend of trips in Ohio on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, followed by a series of 35th Anniversary specials at high speeds on the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad, and wrapping it up with an excursion for the NRHS Convention on the Indiana Northeastern Railroad in southern Michigan. Enjoy!
2 months ago | [YT] | 0
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The Big Banana Railfan
Greetings railfans! With summer in full swing, it's time for an update on where 2025 has taken us so far. While uploads have nearly been scarce recently, we've been keeping busy shooting steam, both in the Midwest as we followed Nickel Plate Road #765 on her travels in Ohio, as well as in Pennsylvania as Reading & Northern #2102 stretches her legs on the mainlines of "The Road of Anthracite" pulling the Iron Horse Rambles!
So what's to look forward to? Well, we're excited to announce that our next video will be releasing next week, and will feature extensive coverage of #765 as she roams the rails of THREE different railroads, and is a feature you won't want to miss!
August will be a monumental month for us, as we embark upon the grandest and most ambitious adventure we've done thus far, with a trio of planned videos that will be sure to amaze! We won't spoil all the surprises just yet though, so stay tuned for lots of great action coming soon from The Big Banana Railfan!
3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 7
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The Big Banana Railfan
At long last, our first video of 2025 is finally here! This video features plenty of great scenes from a recent photo charter on the Arcade & Attica Railroad in western New York state, hosted by Dynamo Productions and Timeless Rail Expeditions. 2-8-0 #18 was the star performer on both passenger and freight consists, and a nice variety of locations and vintage automobiles made for a very memorable day! Enjoy!
4 months ago | [YT] | 3
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The Big Banana Railfan
It's safe to say that we've been having a steam-filled spring! Here's just a preview of things to come...
5 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 15
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