Had to reupload this because it wasn't showing up on my channel page for some odd reason. I think something glitched in the uploading process, otherwise idk lol
As a Hungarian (as Hungary's premier locomotives were the MÁV 324 2-6-2 and MÁV 424 4-8-0) its still amazes me how big soviet locomotives looked like. Rather than improving their effectiveness they just scaled them up and in the end they looked very top heavy and bulky lol
Agreed, around the times of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Hungary produced some of Europe's largest, and most powerful (Máv class 601 2-6-6-0 mallet) locomotives of their time, along with some of the fastest express locomotives , like the Máv class 203 (4-4-2) and it's successor the Máv class 301 (4-6-2). Even after Austria-Hungary collapsed, hungarian railstock manufacturing remained top notch, producing the famous Árpád railcars by Ganz; and the country's most iconic steamer, the Class 424.
@@kovacsabelkristof3566 hungarian railways bulit some of the best locomotos until the Communist era. We have to accept that for what it was the 43X- Class was a Great locomotive but its quality? Yeah i have doubt. Namely their bogie and some minor issues. Thankfully these issues later got repaired in the 630 Class. However it still needed to replace its intended bogie from Ganz's Universal type... It seems we aren't so good with bogie ptoduction xD.
Great video as always. Did not expect that the AA20 would be based off a largely forgotten UP loco. Also the use of the Bocchi the Rock! gif at 2:04 was absolutely perfect
I wonder if the AA20 would have actually worked on the Union Pacific's track (assuming it was regauged accordingly)? After all, the Union Pacific had the 9000 class (4-12-2) in active service from 1926 to 1956, which is pretty good for US steam locomotives.
Maybe. After all, the 9000s were used on the flat strait plains with large, sweepiing curves, where the aa20 had to cope with the comparitably sharp curved soviet lines.
...eh? It's hard to say. It was way, _way_ heavier than the 9000s (roughly 55 short tons heavier, AFAIK) but did have lower axle loading (22 short tons vs 29.5 on the 9000s). It was about 8 feet longer in total though I'm not sure of the size of the tender. The rigid wheelbase was similar (~30ft vs ~33ft) so it in theory it shouldn't have any issues on wide open plain trackage and good coal. Lower tractive effort by like 20,000 pound-feet though, so UP probably would've been like "okay, but why would we bother?".
@@davidfuller581 The PRR S1 Was longer than the AA20 or better yet Big boy being a length of 140ft, It could work For sure, And since both big boy and the S1 is 1million lbs, the tracks can handle the Weight of the AA20 perfectly
@@DistanceNsVeterans weight isn't really the issue so much as axle loading. Also, the S1 was quite limited on where it could run because it was so big.
I have heard about the Russian’s 4-14-4 locomotive, and that it had some issues. To me, it appears to be either the same size, or a bit small than the Southern Pacific Cab Forward 4-8-8-2’s, which only one survives, that being 4294 at the California State Railroad Museum. I have seen that locomotive a lot at the museum, since I live not too far from Sacramento, California.
@@StansSt Yeah. However, I am glad that it didn’t got scrapped. There was another preserved Southern Pacific Cab Forward that was sadly scrapped, It’s AC-11 class No. 4274. If it wasn’t scrapped, it would likely have been preserved at the Western Railway Museum in Suisun City, California.
I always am fascinated whenever I see videos and hear stories of this unique engine, despite how infamous it was. I honestly believe that this engine would've been worthy of permanent static display.
The aa20 was just too crazy of an idea to work. The 9000s were bad enough as is, so it was more of a question over if they could do it than if they should do it. I liked the little segment of Katyusha at the end.
but in the end the Soviets understood instead of building big steam trains to pull in more cargo. it is easier to replace them with electric trains which can have more power than steam trains and diesel trains. 1990 50% Soviet rail way is electric. and transports 80% of the cargo. compared to the United States which is only 1% in 2022
@@Elliottblancher 9000s were a decade before the Challengers. The 9000s also worked sections where the UP's mallets also worked, so turning them as not a particular issue.
The 9000s worked from 1926 through to the end of steam. They were a significant leap forward in the UP locomotive fleet. It was a full decade before the Challengers pushed them from first-tier service.
The Omori editing shocked me a little, haha! Lovely video on this thing. I usually rag on it for being such a failure, but it really was impressive lolol
1:09 Are you suggesting that an experimental locomotive dreamt up by some recent graduates from the Moscow Institute of Transport Engineers was SOMEHOW built in Germany? IN 1931?! You do realize when that was, right? Did you, as you were copying these lines from the Wikipedia page, not notice the "citation needed" mark next to them? Just so we're clear: no, it wasn't built in Weimar Germany. The Voroshilovgrad Steam Engine plant handled the entire project. Even blueprints from sketches provided by said young engineers were made there.
You'll be surprised, but the Soviet destroyer Tashkent was built in fascist Italy. Also, USSR actively traded with Nazi Germany until Operation Barbarossa happened in 1941. Ideology is one thing, money is another.
I know it's not really that related, but I wonder what UP's 4-12-2s would look like if they lowered the headlight to the center of the smokebox. And then put the air compressors on the side like some of them had.
Would love to see someone talk about the electrification of the Soviet rail network. It's one of the most impressive achievements in rail history and, not to get too political but, it's arguably the only reason Russia still has an economy, but every mention of it I see just takes the wires for granted.
Especially in the heartland. Going around the northern parts of modern Russia, one can see a lot of abandoned electrification lines, large train stations and other stuff along those lines. All rusted to hell cause they were left there in the 90s and more often than not the republics decided to abandon them, seeing they had bigger problems to attend to.
@@elpi2804 It's a tragedy really. I don't know what other choice the republics had under the shock therapy doctrine and the mob years, but then the thing that makes it tragic is the inevitability of it all. I'm impressed *any* of it survived those dark times though, it all could have all gone the way of The Milwaukee Road
@@elpi2804 there are two reasons I see, why all this stuff is abandoned nowadays. The first one is that it does bring enough profit to keep it operating. For example, one 4-track stations nearby was disbanded to a regular 2 track passenger stop as two neighbor stations were capable to handle freight trains passing by passenger trains, so it isn't needed. The other one is the overall technical upgrades like better locos, so the freight trains can keep up witt the passenger ones.
but in the end the Soviets understood instead of building big steam trains to pull in more cargo. it is easier to replace them with electric trains which can have more power than steam trains and diesel trains. 1990 50% Soviet rail way is electric. and transports 80% of the cargo. compared to the United States which is only 1% in 2022
but in the end the Soviets understood instead of building big steam trains to pull in more cargo. it is easier to replace them with electric trains which can have more power than steam trains and diesel trains. 1990 50% Soviet rail way is electric. and transports 80% of the cargo. compared to the United States which is only 1% in 2022
Lol they copied one of the poorer mechanical design Americans made. I wouldn't have kept it either, think about it it would never be able to run under its own power
@@ifyourmarriedyourasimpanda7440 As A record For Being The Biggest Rigid Framed Steam Locomotive In Europe , I would Have Just Towed It To The Russian Railway Museum By Another Locomotive And Put On Display
I would love to see a video done about our P38 class locomotive. Unfortunately none were saved from the 2 or three built. But it was the largest articulated locomotive in Russia and I believe it would have been similar to the Yellowstone types. Sadly There are no articulated locomotives running in Russia. But we do have a ton of great steam still. Many are used for passenger and limited freight service
The Russians never did really adopt more successful and practical articulated steam power, they did produce a 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone type in the 1950's that was successful but it was only a prototype and by than steam locomotive production in the Soviet Union was curtailed. The Russians always preferred steam locomotives of 10 coupled designs for freight service. Sadly the AA20 was doomed from the very beginning.
Such an interesting locomotive by far and one thing you didn’t mention was that it had special heating apparatus in its tender to minimise the water from being frozen over during trips in the harshest winter conditions on the planet. I think a lot of the Russian steamers had this apparatus onboard, but there was something about the AA20 that made that technology special. I remember reading it in my vintage 1940s and 1950s railway magazines. It’s interesting to note that if Mikhail Kalashnikov pursued his dream to design locomotives for the State Railways, than rather going forthwith with his second idea of building the legendary AK-47 Assault Rifle whilst recovering from wounds sustained on the Eastern Front as a Tank Commander, imagine what he could’ve built if he had the chance to put his brilliant engineering mind to work. I’m sure the legendary gunsmith would’ve made an awesome Freight locomotive for his vast countries railways. Great video once again, my friend. I do absolutely love these videos especially the one you did on the Whyte arrangements, that was so interesting by far considering the ones about the Berkshire of which the South Australian Railways had the only Berky design in the country, the formidable 720 Class locomotive. But we also had the Pacific type locos such as the Class 600 and Class 620 Heavy & Light Pacifics, we had Mountains later modified to a Northern (aka 500 Class), we had another Northern Type, the 520 Class that took inspiration from the T1s of the Pennsy in your neck of the woods, we had almost 50 Mikado type locomotives of the 700, 710, 740 and later the ex. N Class of the Victorian Railways aka the 750 Class 2-8-2s. Thankfully, a few of these behemoths have been preserved with one of the 520s undergoing restoration to operation at SteamRanger in the Adelaide Hills of Mount Barker. Perhaps you could do a video about how the strong American influence dominated in the designs of the big power South Australian engines from the 1920s to the 1940s? If you need source material, photos and video just hit me up 🤙. Anyhoo, I’ve probably bored you enough now, I apologise. Have a wonderful and safe Christmas with your family. Regards, Caleb from South Australia. Peace brother ✌️
but in the end the Soviets understood instead of building big steam trains to pull in more cargo. it is easier to replace them with electric trains which can have more power than steam trains and diesel trains. 1990 50% Soviet rail way is electric. and transports 80% of the cargo. compared to the United States which is only 1% in 2022
Can you talk about Railroads using Dark Territory? One notable Railroad that I know of that used Dark Territory was the Rutland Railroad in Northern New York and Vermont State
The 9000s and Hungarian 2-12-4 tank engines (yes that actually did exist) were probably the limit of non articulated locomotives as the 9000s were actually quite successful
What type was the Hungarian 2-12-4? Because as far as I know the largest proposed (but not built) Hungarian tank engine was supposed to be a 4-8-4 tank engine based on the MÁV class 424. The other tank engines that were built were usually on the smaller side (2-6-2s, 2-4-2s, 2-8-2s)
@@kovacsabelkristof3566 sorry I was incorrect in my original comment, the engine was the Bulgarian railway class 46, not as I said Hungarian, that’s a slight error on my part
@@nathancorcoran5347 There where never built any steam locomotives with 16 Driving wheels on a rigid frame, because the locomotive factories around the world already know That building locomotives with more than 12 Driving wheels on a rigid frame isn’t gong to work. Andrey Andreyev was considered the biggest wheel arrangement on steam locomotive.
"Why lay more track when you could just haul one giant train?" Good to see the modern railroad industry takes cues from the notoriously successful soviet union
but in the end the Soviets understood instead of building big steam trains to pull in more cargo. it is easier to replace them with electric trains which can have more power than steam trains and diesel trains. 1990 50% Soviet rail way is electric. and transports 80% of the cargo. compared to the United States which is only 1% in 2022
Sometimes those last couple feet make all the difference… Truth is even the 9000 class had some issues. But not nearly to the same degree as the AA20. Also the 9000s were pretty much stuck in the gentle rolling plains of Nebraska and areas around that region. Curves weren’t as severe around those parts.
@@matthewpastrikos7383 Also true. To be clear, I love the 9000 class I’d happily give them an A+ as locomotives.But they still had limitations. The AA20 just made said limitations worse to the point of impracticality. Whereas UP was able to adapt and work with the limitations of the 9000, the Soviets couldn’t do the same with the AA20.
but in the end the Soviets understood instead of building big steam trains to pull in more cargo. it is easier to replace them with electric trains which can have more power than steam trains and diesel trains. 1990 50% Soviet rail way is electric. and transports 80% of the cargo. compared to the United States which is only 1% in 2022
So, instead of making their engines better at burning low grade coal, they decided to make an engine that was even worse at burning low grade coal.....
Russian engineers: “Woah look how many drivers that thing has! This is the one we’ve been looking for!” Little did they know that there was something bigger…
Why am I getting a feeling after its failure that Andrey was sent to gulag by Stalin. Great video Jared! Where did you find the footage of it under operation?
Oh, no. Quite the opposite. Andreyev was one of the guys _sending_ people to gulags, after his tenure as the Routes of Communication Commissar. From Khrushchov's memoirs: "Andrey Andreevich (note: that's his first name and the patronymic; Andreyev is the surname) did a lot of bad things during the 1937 repressions. Perhaps, due to his past he was afraid of being suspected of a soft attitude towards former Trotskyists. Wherever he went, many people died."
