Original version

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Great American Railroad Journeys

Documentaries

Factual: Travel

Michael Portillo crosses the Atlantic to ride the railroads of America.

Michael Portillo crosses the Atlantic to ride the railroads of America, armed with Appleton's General Guide to the United States, published in 1879.

BBC Two Scotland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

Great American Railroad Journeys: Series 1

Michael Portillo

John Comerford

Alison Kreps

Boundless Productions

Great American Railroad Journeys: Series 1: Episode 6: Schenectady to Rochester

Episode 6

Episode 6: Schenectady to Rochester

Series 1

Schenectady to Rochester

BBC Two - Great American Railroad Journeys, Series 1, Schenectady to Rochester

In Utica, Michael Portillo investigates Lock 20 of 57 along the 19th-century Erie Canal.

Michael Portillo rides the railroads of America. Michael has a lightbulb moment in Schenectady learning about Thomas Edison's General Electric Company.

Michael Portillo continues his American journey, heading west through New York State. He has a lightbulb moment in Schenectady, when he discovers how Thomas Edison's General Electric Company also leads the way in modern rail technology.

In Utica, he investigates Lock 20 of 57 along the early 19th-century Erie Canal - 325 miles of waterway which connected the Great Lakes with the Atlantic coast via the Hudson River. A yellow brick road beckons Michael to Chittenango, where a Kansas farm girl introduces him to a lion, and a tin man.

On a hillside near Palmyra, Michael finds out about a farm boy, Joseph Smith, and his Book of Mormon, from one of the 15 million believers who follow his religion today. Further west in Rochester, Michael discovers the story behind another famous 19th-century name still trading today: George Eastman, who launched mass market photography with his Eastman Kodak company.

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Great American Railroad Journeys

Series 1

Episode 6: Schenectady to Rochester

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC Two Northern Ireland

About BBC Two