Retracing the original route aboard the majestic steam engine 2816, the audience is transported back to the age of steam to re-live this alpine nation-building odyssey. The film weaves together spectacular IMAX aerial cinematography, breathtaking vistas of the west, archival photographs and maps and the potent energy and rhythms of a live steam locomotive to immerse audiences in a an era of remarkable ingenuity and struggle and a region of stunning natural beauty. Ride the rails along deep river canyons and over high mountain passes. Discover some of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes on earth and the heroic human drama and epic engineering that shaped a continent.