I don't think anybody here in the comments apart from Paul Duffey understands what's happening here. What the driver was trying to do was hold the engine in place on the incline without using their brakes. Which is something these traction engines can do because you get two power strokes per revolution, which means steam on either side of the piston. This allows you to hold the engine in place if you close the throttle and hold the clutch tight at the right moment.
He's not wrong we run em up on inclines and hold em there all day long. Steam is the brakes Port Huron was one of the few manufacturers to have a real braking system.
@Marcus Keeler actually they did, if you shut the throttle at just the right moment mid stroke you can stop it without breaks and hold there which is what happened, if they wanted to get up the hill it could have handled that because it wasn't towing anything, but that wasn't the point
These incredible steam engines are such an important part of the modern world, I'd no idea groups of people had rescued them for what must inescapably be a very very long future. At a given point they will fail, but you have the videos: and hopefully that will be enough to make other generations far in the future explore them, discover how they were built and restore them?...............
i love modern technology im really interested in everrything but my man i still love this old beast i have big respect for people who invented this technology with their skills and instruments in that years its creazy
Got to respect the calmness of the lady behind the staring wheel and her partner. Being able to control that thing going in reverse at that slope takes some skill and understanding
Well I mean, its in the name; "old steam engines" obviously it aint gunna be as efficient as a combustion engine but it still generates quite a lot of power.
@@twistedmindsteam1449 You should convert to liquid natural gas instead of LP, it's even more efficient and cleaner, not to mention cheaper if ypu have you're own gaswell
@@hoovercamaro im considering it but i have to do all the research possible to be sure the firebox will still work the way i want, my firebox maintains itself using a couple thermometers and a little chip that moniters them and a little motor that adjusts the valves for me, propane was the easy choice
