Watch with free trial
Sign in
Mighty Trains

Mighty Trains show logo

Embark on an exciting excursion around the globe to explore breathtaking landscapes. Experience the different modes of luxury that passengers can take on these great locomotives. Teddy Wilson, host and narrator describes Japan's trains as, "Japan Rail has devised an ingenious system of sensors and centralized operations -- a system so successful that during the devastating earthquake in 2011 every bullet train in the Shinkansen system was stopped in its tracks before the earthquake struck, keeping passengers on the bullet trains safe." From luxury to vintage to high-speed and even revolutionary these great trains navigate Canada's terrain, Japan's earthquake zones and every place in between. Jump behind the scenes with the engineers and crews as they travel to distant locales.
Documentary, Travel
Essential planBundle+ plan
Watch with free trial
Compare plans
Smithsonian Channel channel logo
7-day free trial (new users only), then $25 + tax per month.
Cancel anytime. See terms.

Watch Mighty Trains on Smithsonian Channel

Record to watch 18 episodes in the next two weeks

    Tren Crucero
    Bernina Express
    The Ghan
    Rovos Rail
    The Shinkansen
    Seven Stars of Kyushu
    Belgrade to Bar Railway
    Rocky Mountaineer
    Transcantabrico Clasico
    Coastal Pacific
  • Tren Crucero

    Passengers on Ecuador's Tren Crucero experience a dangerous rail journey, which includes tropical jungles, volcanoes and the Devil's Nose.
    Upcoming
  • Bernina Express

    Switzerland's Bernina Express is one of three railway lines on the UNESCO World Heritage list; it navigates 55 tunnels and nearly 200 viaducts and bridges.
    Upcoming
  • The Ghan

    The Ghan takes passengers on a three-day, two-night journey through Australia; the Pichi Pichi Railway offers passengers a trip on an original steam locomotive train.
    Upcoming
  • Rovos Rail

    South Africa's most luxurious train - Rovos Rail - travels from Pretoria to Cape Town in classic cars pulled by a series of steam, diesel and electric locomotives.
    Upcoming
  • The Shinkansen

    Japan's Tōkaidō Shinkansen, known as the bullet train, operates on a dedicated railway line at up to 177 mph.
    Upcoming
  • Seven Stars of Kyushu

    A trip aboard one of the world's most expensive and sought-after train rides details the journey for both passengers and crew.
    Upcoming

Enjoy Smithsonian Channel and 70+ other channels

Watch and record live TV with a Philo subscription

One Subscription.
Endless Entertainment.
Unlock live TV, binge-worthy shows, hit movies, and more. Starting at $25/month.
View plans
Mighty Trains

More about Mighty Trains

Embark on an exciting excursion around the globe to explore breathtaking landscapes. Experience the different modes of luxury that passengers can take on these great locomotives. Teddy Wilson, host and narrator describes Japan's trains as, "Japan Rail has devised an ingenious system of sensors and centralized operations -- a system so successful that during the devastating earthquake in 2011 every bullet train in the Shinkansen system was stopped in its tracks before the earthquake struck, keeping passengers on the bullet trains safe." From luxury to vintage to high-speed and even revolutionary these great trains navigate Canada's terrain, Japan's earthquake zones and every place in between. Jump behind the scenes with the engineers and crews as they travel to distant locales.

Starring

Teddy Wilson
  • Mega Machines
  • Richard Hammond's Big!
  • Inside Mighty Machines
  • Mysteries of the Abandoned
  • Europe's Greatest Train Journeys
  • Disasters Engineered
  • Heavy Lifting
  • Konstruierte Katastrophen - Desaster der Ingenieurskunst
  • Engineering Disasters
  • Impossible Fixes
  • SpongeBob SquarePants
  • Love After Lockup
  • The Golden Girls
  • The First 48
  • 90 Day Fiancé
  • Fatal Attraction
  • For My Man
  • Tyler Perry's House of Payne
  • This Is Poly
  • Squatters

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Philo is a live TV streaming service that offers two plans to fit your entertainment needs:

    Essential ($25/month): 70+ live channels and over 75,000 movies and shows on-demand. New users get a 7-day free trial!

    Bundle+ ($33/month): Includes all the channels and entire streaming library available in the Essential plan, the entire AMC+ library, and access to HBO Max Basic with Ads plan and discovery+ included.

    Both plans: offer 1-year unlimited cloud DVR, let you stream on up to 3 devices at once, create up to 10 profiles, and cancel anytime with no contract.

    Free Channels: Not ready to subscribe? You can also enjoy Free Channels with no credit card required—simply create your account and start watching.

  • Yes! New users that sign up for the Essential plan can try it free for 7 days. You can explore our channels, features, and content before your subscription begins. No contract required—cancel anytime before your trial ends with no charges.

    • An email address
    • A future payment method
    • A broadband internet connection
    • A supported device
    Philo devices
    Web, iPhone & iPad, Android phones & tablets, Roku, Fire TV, Samsung TV, VIZIO TV, LG TV, Apple TV, Android TV, and Chromecast via Android
  • Yes! You can record an unlimited amount of live or upcoming content to your cloud DVR and save them for up to a year. No equipment needed!
    Save
  • Nope! No hardware is required, ever. Philo's DVR is already built into the app, so there's nothing to plug in, set up, or pay extra for.

    With an Essential or Bundle+ subscription, you get unlimited DVR storage included, and your recordings are saved for a full year. If you're watching with the Free Channels, recordings are saved for 30 days.

  • Yes! You can enjoy tons of premium television and movies by upgrading your Philo subscription plan with add-ons.

    Here is a list of our available add-ons:

    • HBO Max Standard (ad-free): Watch HBO Originals and hit movies ad-free for $13 more per month. Live sports included (in HBO Max app)..
    • Movies & More: Watch award-winning films, cult classics, celebrity stories, documentaries, and more - for $3 more per month.
    • AMC+ (ad-free): Enjoy ad-free access to the entire AMC+ library for $4 more per month.
    • MGM+ (ad-free): Stream thousands of the latest hits, fan favorites, original series, documentaries, and comedy specials for an additional $8/month.
    • ALLBLK (ad-free): Stream original series, independent films, nostalgic Black cinema, reality, and lively stage plays for $7 more per month.
    • Hallmark+ (ad-free): Watch exclusive originals, reality shows, rom-coms, cozy mysteries, heartfelt dramas, and beloved holiday movies for an additional $8/month.
    • STARZ (ad-free): Enjoy today’s hits, classic movies, and bold original series for an additional $12/month.
  • HBO Max:
    • Sign up for the Bundle+ ($33/month) plan.
    • Go to your Philo account page and follow the steps to activate your HBO Max Basic with Ads plan account.

    discovery+:
    • Sign up for the Bundle+ ($33/month) plan.
    • Go to your Philo account page and follow the steps to activate your discovery+ account.