Caltrans: Then and Now 1895-1995

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• published: 19 May 2014
• views: 6390

This video was originally a slide show and script that was put together by a long time Caltrans employee, Structural Engineer Norman Root. This was his history of Caltrans (aka State Highway Division of The Public Works Department of the State of California). I was still new here at Caltrans in 1995 and was very impressed by Mr. Root's achievement. Slide shows had been the main stay of the department's outreach program since the early 1960's and I feel that Norman was using technology he was familiar with at the time. I was on the cutting edge of Technology when I arrived here in District 7 Graphics Department, since I had a Beta SP Camera and a Video Toaster on the Amiga so I decided to "enhance" Norman's wonderful presentation. I set up a slide projector in our old Room 12 Auditorium in the Basement of 120 South Spring Street and blew up the image so it filled the huge projection screen. Then taking a cue from Ken Burns (without the use of an animation stand) I panned, zoomed and animated the slides while holding the script in my hand for timing of the shots. I hope you enjoy this throwback to an era not long gone, since this was made way before Caltrans acknowledged the internet, and digital video was a gleam in Apple's eye, this video has been sitting on my shelf for almost 20 years without a viewing and there are plenty more where this one came from. You may view a tribute to Norman Root here at : http://www.dot.ca.gov/ctnews/oct11/news05.shtml