Rotten Tomatoes has given the film a 20% rating from 5 critics.[3] In a mixed review for the New York Times, Janet Maslin wrote "Part allegory and part photo essay, the film has a poetic beauty that rises above its brooding reticence. But too much of it lingers ineffectually over thoughts not quite spoken and deeds left undone." She praised the film's cinematography, saying "Whether capturing the natural beauty of clouds and wilderness or the grand old trains that summon a vivid American past, the film's look is extraordinarily eloquent and pure."[4]
The Baltimore Sun gave the film a very positive review, which said "Munch has taken a kernel of a true story and made of it a richly contemplative work. It is a celebration of cinema and of railroads, which when joined, have a unique and romantic capacity for transporting us to a different time and place." Comparing the cinematography to photos of Yosemite by Ansel Adams, reviewer Kevin Thomas concluded that the film is a "wedding of dreams and technology" and "a beguiling, unique reverie."[2]
At the 1996 Sundance Film Festival, Rob Sweeney won the Cinematography Award[5] and Christopher Münch was nominated for the Grand Jury Award. It also won Munch the Someone to Watch Award at the 11th Independent Spirit Awards.[6]
