America's most impressive banking engine - Reuben Wells 

"Push it good- (Ah, push it) Push it *real* good" -Salt 'N' Pepa, 1987

Fascinating that such an odd locomotive survived to this day. The British bankers I can think of, the LNER U1, LMS Garratt and Big Bertha are sadly history, but this one is still around today which I find quite amazing. I remember seeing the locomotive in the game Trainstation ages ago. I never knew the history of it. It looks quite odd, but it has some character and for an 0-10-0 it may be the first of this wheel configuration. Great first video for 2024 👌

Ruben Wells is the American equivalent of Big Bertha but the loco survives into present day which is nice!

Steam history is one of the only areas that I can feel some national pride as an American. I mean, the Shay, Big Boy, and Reuben Wells demonstrate a common attitude of, "Okay, the circumstances suck... so let's make an engine that overcomes the circumstances!" If only I could figure out how to do that with my life...

The PRR operated Madison Hill with specially ballasted Model 1500 horsepower Model SD7's (Extra thick frames plus extra weight where it could be fitted in) weighing 370,000 pounds and with EMD's lowest gear ratio of 65:12 , there was also a unique rail washer system installed in the short hood, to get rid of slippery debris such as leaves, I would guess. Trains could not exceed 15 cars, or 350 tons. The engine had to be placed on the downgrade side of the train and speed could not exceed 8MPH. The units had to be inspected by the assigned crew every time prior to being used on the hill to assure all the special appliances (railwashers, etc) were functional. The "book" states that they were rated at 90K worth of TE., which is likely rather conservative. They were rated at 4.5 mile per hour minimum continuous speed.

All too often I watch these and feel the sadness as you describe the engines being sent for scrap. Love that this old UNIT not only was saved, but rebuilt.

The Reuben wells holds a special place in my heart as it was the first ever steam locomotive i seen as a child and seen it many times as a kid. Last time i seen the locomotive it had a little show that was played and its bell rang along side the story. It was an awesome experience.

Yooo someone finally did a video on the only steam locomotive I've ever seen in real life!

Live 20 Minutes away from the Indianapolis Children’s museum. Seen Ruby about every time I’ve visited there since I was a kid. She’s gorgeous. Really neat locomotive.

Some kinda running model of the Reuben Wells has long been a holy Grail of mine I grew up going to the Indianapolis Children's Museum and always loved seeing it as a full size steam Locomotive in their All Aboard exhibit

This is one of the first steam engines I’ve ever seen irl. I used to come visit Ruben Wells at the children’s museum a lot as a kid, it was a big part of my childhood

Little Engines CAN Do Big Things

Im so happy my suggestion got used, i live in indianapolis so ive seen reuben wells at the childrens museum most my life, glad she gets her story shared a bit more here

It's very fortunate that Reuben Wells (the engine) was preserved and at the request of the man who designed and built him. How often has that happened in the rail preservation world? Reuben Wells (again, the engine) has appeared in a few of the railroad books that I own and he really did deserve a video of his own on this channel! Merry Christmas!

Thanks for this - I learned of the Reuben Wells only last year, and was amazed by such a wonderful machine being built so early, and stil being with us. Its a lovely engine indeed. Sadly, Big Emma (aka Bertha?), the big pusher on the Lickey Incline was so totally worn out on retirement there wasn't much hope of preserving her - behind her trailing wheels, her main frames, I'm told, were worn away to half or less of their original thickness due to flange wear. The little Norris engines (as you show on the Lickey in its early days) were imported from the US specifically to work the Lickey. Stephensons didn't think they could build an engine capable of the work, and a Bury 0-4-0 they tried simply lay down and died, so having heard about the Norris engines, particularly 'Washington County Farmer' and 'Gowan & Marx', the directors bought some. They took a while to figure that (a) there was something special about the tender drawbar which helped and (b) American boiler pressure pounds weren't quite the same as British ones, but they were good little engines none the less. Some of them, rebuilt as saddle tanks, went to the infant Taff Vale Railway towards the end of their careers - and yes, like Big Emma and Reuben Wells, they are great favourites of mine!

I love it! Thank you. I love seeing Reuben Wells in the Indianapolis Children's Museum and it has such an interesting history. It has been part of my childhood for so long. One of many factors that drove me to railroads/railways. Proud to call this engine as my home state's engine.

I have seen the Reuben Wells locomotive multiple times at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, it is quite the sight to see and it comes alive inside its giant room, used to scare the crap out of me when I was a kid!

Thank you so much for this. This loco means a lot from me and is the one that got me into trains and with it being so close to my birthday this has really made my day, so thanks m8 for this.

America's Big Bertha.

2:12 Look at these hips dawg Sweet damn

I love this engine! I got to see her so many times in my life!

by far my favourite engine - ruben wells

These sorts of videos about unique engines and their stories are consistently my favorite. Keep up the good work and cheers to you and yours for 2024 🥂

The tracks are still in place on Madison Hill, though they're out of service. Madison Railroad, a shortline, still operates at the top of the hill though. I believe I heard that they considered making the hill line into a tourist attraction, at least for hiking, but rockslide issues in the cut make it unsafe.

Eyyy I live next to the Madison Incline! It's also unique because the fact that the walls are at a perfect 90° angle meaning rocks tend to hang over everything. There has also been instances of derailments and such on the line and runaways, one being the time a diesel with a scrap truck was going up the incline not knowing the truck was leaking water and caused the train to slip and roll down the incline

Yay, my suggestion finally became a video.

I've been to see this engine a lot, I love trains and the history of this engine really helped push that when I was young. Glad to see this cool video from a cool channel about my home state's famous engine.

It's fun to visit it at the children's museum of Indianapolis as well as to have gotten to tour that rail route before the rockslide closed it recently.

Very interesting. The Usui Pass in Japan has a similar history. The 1 in 15 grade was originally operated with rack rail but switched to adhesion using specially designed banking engines. The EF63 electric locomotives were used there for banking until 1997. I've been on it many times and it was always fun to watch the engines being coupled and decoupled. Also the station became famous for the kamameshi (clay pot rice) - because it took a few minutes to attach the banking engines, passengers could get off and buy it on the platform.

To think that parts of this route are still operating today is insane. Not to mention the incline is still there, tracks still in place

absolutely wonderful video, and a lovely little banker.

god i feel so dumb. I read the title and thinking. “ what does a bank need a steam engine?” as in a financial bank and not a gradient bank.

Great video ToT! Fascinating engine.

I actually did go to Madison when I was younger. Never saw the incline. But the riverside of the town was definitely in a hilly area. Also, most amazing vid I heard. Knew about the grade but never knew about what they used to get cars up it. But seeing an American tank engine with 10 drivers? Amazing m, and the fact it’s been preserved makes me want I go see it and it’s in Indy.

Eyy he's back

The little engine that could 😊

Ruben is easily one the most greatest banking engines of all time

Can be seen in my home state of Indiana babyyy I remember seeing her so much as a child just to be in awe by the size

I got to see this in person a few weeks ago, and also many times as a kid. It’s work car that it normally went up and down the hill with is also there and you can go inside it. It’s a really neat piece of history.

Great story….excellent research!

Hooo boy, 5.8% grade..! Makes the Lickey (2.65%) sound like a speedbump.

this loco is in my home state :) I am wanting to go visit it

The little engine that could.

It's no Shay, but a really cool looking loco. Would make a great model

Seen both the Madison incline and the steam locomotive. It is wild how steep the Madison incline is in person let alone having a steam engine go up without any sorta cog system.

The other steep gradient was/is Saluda,on the Norfork Southern,ex-Southern(?)! That is also out of service! Thank you! Thank you 😇 😊!

I have another suggestion for your great channel. The LMS 6202 'Turbomotive'. As far as I'm aware there isn't an awful lot of videos kicking about on youtube about this experimental engine. I'd love to hear your take on the class.

How to climb a big hill UK: Big Bertha/Big Emma US: Reuben Wells

I have a suggestion for a future video. (Apologies if its already been done) How about doing a video about the "60532, Blue Peter" incident, which took place on 01/10/94 near Durham. That would be a very interesting video to see!

I’m visiting London today.

I've (double-u)aited so long for the day (double-u)hen someone (double-u) cover this locomotive. It's my favorite part of the Indy Children's Museum by far, and The Reuben (double-u)ells is displayed along PRR Tool Car 60.

I've seen this engine!

Bloody Nora that's steep! 1 in 17!! For comparison the revered Lickey Incline in the UK which has been covered (indirectly) on this channel before, has a gradient of 1 in 37.7! And that is considered very steep by railway standards.

Wow.

I think if I was there back then I would have suggested to have a stationary engine at the top and winched them up and down.

5.89%? FIVE POINT EIGHT NINE PERCENT?! Even today's locomotives often struggle with grades of only 2%.

Pretty amazing that this oddball was completely successful. Evidently Mr. Wells knew what he was doing.

Great video. Like me!!!

I like trains

i have seen that locomotive

0:03 the D&RGW: i don't think so **proceeds to pull 5000 tons up a 2.5% grade**

Found a video of the locomotive in the Children's Museum: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mtj_2ACwOGc.htmlsi=ufK4xgJYgbaQWVAA

You know you should do a video on the saluda grade

Could you consider the Reuben Wells a camel type locomotive?

Uh how come you haven't used an image of reuben wells in the museum? Since i just looked up that it has a color image of it on it's wiki page..

Bertha’s brother

The Pennsylvania Railroad strikes again

I Like The Steam Engine It Looks Amazing

I wonder if shays would be good banking engines

Have you hear of the self balancing Have you heard of the self-balancing monorail might be worth the look

Wait this isn't Saluda-

😊🚂👍

The Uintah Railroad had 7% grades.

American big Bertha?

your intro still has audio that is clipping this is easily fixed

i you misspelt "Reuben" There are 2 e's it is literally on the locomotive

RAAAAAH HOOSIER STATE.

First, nice to see you again btw

anyone here from the TOT discord?

Eeeeeey 4th commenter

The Madison Railroad was one of the more stupid railroads built in the US

I live in the exact state in the US where this engine is now located in the Indianapolis Children's Museum. 🚂🚃🚃 Having such a relic of the past in our possession really brings out the wonder of how an engine like Ruben Wells was operating back in the day. 😊