Don't let this struggle fool you. #40 is a fantastic puller. I worked at NH&I for 4 years in the early 2000s. On a Sunday in October of 2002, I was the "Trainman" on the Fall Foliage trip to Warminster. We had 2198 7087 in push pull with 1096, 1220, 1505, and 1202 as our consist. Both diesels were not in good health and we limped into Lahaska on our last legs. 40 was on the regular train with 1430, 1424, 1127, and 4907 as consist. We combined our trains for the run home. 40 struggled not a lick getting us up the hill to Lower Mountain road but put on a fantastic show. In my opinion, the finest performance of throttle and scoop I ever saw. 40's crew that day was Pete Bransky engineer and the late great William Sherrick as fireman. I remember Tommy Marion was on 2198 but I sadly cannot remember his brakeman. Good memories!!!
I agree, I know it's a great puller. It's rare to have it happen with this locomotive. If you see my other video from this day (posted on Friday), you'll see it pulled (and pushed) great the rest of the day.
We were riding the train at Disney and it started raining. The train stopped at one of the depots on an uphill grade. It could not get moving again. After several attempts,it backed up and got a run on the hill, and was able to get up the hill.
I worked in the Carpenter shop full time back in 2006-2007 and had a large hand in the rebuild of the 1st class car. I also spent some time in train service Firing #40. Best memories of my life. Glad she’s still running.
Me and my wife were on that 611 run, we also had an emergency issue we had to stop and get a passenger off ASAP to a hospital. It was a long run but still fun
Shays at Cass Scenic Railroad run water on the front wheels to cut down friction. They climb an 11% grade at one point. Third steepest rail line in the world.
Yeah. I recall a Cass engineer talking about that. But also shay locomotives can climb grades like that because they are very torquey. Climax locomotives product the most torque. Shay is next.
This wasn't due to any issues with the track but because the tracks were covered with leaves and water. Also the locomotive was running backwards so the Sanders couldn't help much.
Great video! Smart engineer. With running backwards, the locomotives pushing as well as pulling. With no reverse sandes, it was a very tough pull up that grade. Great work by the crew.
I worked in New Hope Pennsylvania in 1968 and part of 1969. As hard as it is to believe this steam train at least the engine and tender were stolen. I worked at Moorehead Chevrolet on route 202 just outside of town towards Lahaska. A mechanic named Nick came to work one morning and said to me, boss I thought I was late for work today. I said no you seem fine to me and he said well I sat straight up in bed when I heard the whistle for the train. The train started to run at 9 AM in the morning at that time and when he heard the whistle he presumed he was late for work. It was I think he said 2 AM in the morning. It’s reasonable to assume that a few of the younger people in the area who hung around the train station and the repair shop probably threw a couple shovels full of coal in the banked firebox, build up a little steam and started the train on its way. Now for those who know New Hope and that train track area you do know that it has to cross the east and westbound lanes of Route 202 and had flashing lights at the crossing, at least it did then. The train went a few miles down the track and then ran out of steam and that’s where they found it. What a wild town New Hope Pennsylvania was and probably is, I live in Western Pennsylvania now and I miss places like New Hope. My three year old son called the train the Hope Choo Choo. Edited for spelling error
@@blw58824 I didn’t take into consideration that they built a new bridge between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, thereby moving route 202 over the new bridge north of the old route 202 that went through Lambertville and of course New Hope. I see that it’s marked 179 now and E. Bridge St. going over the old bridge into Lambertville. When that was called route 202 the lanes were split and the train had to cross both streets and the streets were separated by homes or businesses. The train was not making a late night freight run at 2 AM. When you find a train a couple miles down the tracks sitting there, no engineer, what freight do you think was involved? If you don’t remember route 202 going through new Hope and into Lambertville then you are a youngster. Edit. Do you remember when there were shows in New Hope and they starred female impersonators from New York? They were advertised that way on the marquee. I dealt with these people they were very nice they were very kind and sometimes they would come into the dealership where I work in drag or half of their make up on.
I believe sand can be applied to the track remotely from a reserve supply on the train. However not all conditions are right for this approach. The crew of the #40 did it on the second try. Great video.
In some places, yes. But there was a fair amount hanging on. The fact that it was cloudy/rainy for the most part didn't help bring out the remaining colors that day.
Experienced a similar situation in Md 2004 Cumberland excursion to Frostberg.. Overnite frost on the rails. They backed down.. Dropped off the cars and ran forward sanding the grade in to Frostberg then came back and picked up the cars.
I think this is the train I was on. The 1:45 fall foliage train on the 25th. It was pretty great to hear 40 as she struggled up the grade and finally made it after reversing getting some speed to make it.
Well done by the Engine crew to get the train going and keep the schedule. The track in that area looks like it could use some love to smooth out the grade some.
very intresting! i remeber riding 425 from port clinton to jim thrope once and it kept wheel slipping due to wet rails from the rain storm, we were in port clinton for about 10 minutes behind schedule,it was the smae situation as this.
My only complaint is I wish the videographer had been in a better position to view the loco’s wheelslip. But, I understand the moment picks the artist. Otherwise, fantastic video!
Yeah I know - I kept thinking that I should have gotten into better position, but I kept thinking the engineer was surely going to catch it this time and get going - and that's what I wanted, to see that moment when he got a hold of it and got going. So I kept stopping to pick a new spot, it ended up being behind the locomotive/train, so I couldn't get a good angle on wheelslip...
How come the engine is facing the other way? Did it not get a chance to turn around at a switch track. Also if the Engine was a 2-8-2 wouldn't the 2 trailing rear wheels perform better at grades. None the less great work by the crew and those are beautiful coaches.
It's a 2-8-0 - also, nowhere to turn around on the entire railroad. It could run around the train at an earlier siding, but they chose not to for these excursions.
If it was the first day on the job for the engineer then he didn't want to look incompetent. If it was the last day before retirement he didn't want to go home with a failure hanging heavily on his conscience. Both ways good.
Nooo no. I've never heard of a tourist train (at least in the US) doing that. Although I was tempted to...decided against it, didn't want to upset the wrong people... :P
I know, right! FYI there was nobody next to me... a lot of what you're hearing is either rain on the microphone or my own rain jacket swishing...a combo of noises. :/
So why didn't they sand the rails in the first place instead of screwing around spinning out for 10 minutes? Makes no sense. If you know you are going to have a problem, take care of it right away
Additionally, it wasn't really raining or slippery on the way down, and it hadn't rained on prior runs. The rain came rather quickly and hard enough to get it slippery on the way back.
Not a connecting train. Just was a different scheduled tourist train, which was scheduled to meet #40 and her train at one of the two run-around points/sidings on the railroad.
@@katerinakittycat3849 We moved the meet from Deer Park to Lahaska. Thanks to a good staff onboard the train we were able to leave with the 3:45pm trip on time. So even with the delay at this spot we were able to hold the schedule between the two trains for the remainder of the day.
time to set up a rail grinder and remove the slickness of the rails on the grades.. a nice non directional finish should be enough to increase traction .. those tracks also need to have the roadbed repaired.. so the drivers are not loading and unloading during the uphill.. counting out how many new ties are needed for the uphill grade areas and creating a donation box.. or a coin operated candy/gumball machine.. use candys not gumballs.. less under counter cleanups.. to collect new tie donations..
@@rlewis1946 in what i see they come about 250 ties per truckload.. no pricing without a call and that will vary on location. used ties are available.. but who knows if they will last.. but the gravel roadbed is what needs the most help.. a flat car.. with a backhoe or excavator as a hydraulic power unit.. some hydraulic cylinders from tractor scrap yards.. some creative machine work.. could allow the hydraulics to lift the track slightly under the middle of the long flat car.. so the ties could be pulled.. the gravel worked .. ties reinstalled and the track set back down and respiked.
This is how they delt with this like this.Because there were times an extra locomotives were not available. Some times they had to split the train in two scetions.
There's only a sandpipe in front of the drivers - not behind for backing up. So on the first attempt, there was no way to put sand down in the direction they were going, from the cab. The engineer thought he could keep it going on his own, and nearly did - but when they started backing down the hill and the engine was moving forward, they laid sand down for the locomotive to use on the second attempt in reverse.
Because the engineer thought he could handle the train without having to stop, get up there, get sand from the dome, get down, lay the sand down in front of the train, then try to get it moving again. If you notice, he never fully stopped until the decision was made to back up and make a run for it.
Because they don't normally deal with those sorts of grades going in reverse on their normal trip length, to Lahaska and back. Because they went further than Lahaska for these trips, to the Buckingham Valley area, then they had to deal with these grades in reverse...
