SKU: T27

The art of watching and photographic trains and railroad subjects ? popularly known today as ?railfanning? ? has been around since the first flanged wheels hit the rails back in the Nineteenth Century. Before World War II, there was a small but dedicated group of railfan photographers documenting the large network of American railroads.

Walter Druck was one of these photographers. Primarily interested in electric railroads, Druck visited a large number of lines all over the country, filming trolleys, interurban lines, and subway and rapid transit systems. When the War was over, the railfan hobby started to come into its own, and organized clubs such as the National Railway Historical Society and Electric Railway Association began to expand.

Most of these groups met once a month to discuss the world of railroading, share the latest news, and perhaps watch movies or slides taken by some of the members. The Stygian Caves was a film produced by Walter Druck in 1949. A rather quaint history of the New York City subway system, it was designed to be shown to railfan audiences at some of these meetings. Included are early scenes of subway construction, a primer on subway rolling stock, and various action scenes filmed in Manhattan and The Bronx. We have updated some of the titles and added music to the presentation.