A PRR E6 4-4-2 undergoing dyno testing at the Altoona facilities. I bet that that was a sight and sound to behold.
A PRR E6 4-4-2 undergoing dyno testing at the Altoona facilities. I bet that that was a sight and sound to behold.
Side-by-side PRR K4s at work
NickD said:
A PRR E6 4-4-2 undergoing dyno testing at the Altoona facilities. I bet that that was a sight and sound to behold.
Indeed. There has to be footage somewhere of this. Never knew this was a thing!
Gearheadotaku said:NickD said:
A PRR E6 4-4-2 undergoing dyno testing at the Altoona facilities. I bet that that was a sight and sound to behold.
Indeed. There has to be footage somewhere of this. Never knew this was a thing!
They wouldn't dyno test every locomotive built, but they would test the first of a class or any prototypes of a class to make sure it was going to perform how they wanted. There were also dynamometer cars that they would tow behind an engine and it would generate a load and then measure how hard it was pulling on the drawbar.
In reply to kazoospec :
Oof, I'm sure that comes with some nasty environmental fines.
leave it to the biritish to have film
No sound.. I guess in honor of all the men who lost their hearing standing next to such a thing without ear plugs...
In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :
How many HP and how many torques? Looks like an early model Dynojet. 
Well, taking Kazookid #2 for a quick 30 minute Amtrak trip from our town to the neighboring town. No real reason other than he's kind of a "railfan", and he's a great kid. Will report back.
A C&O H-8 2-6-6-6 "Allegheny" at work. While the Union Pacific Big Boy is the longest and heaviest steam locomotive, the Allegheny was supposedly a full 1300hp more powerful, at 7500 drawbar horsepower to the Big Boy's 6200dbhp. How true is that? Who knows? Their weren't exactly dyno sheets being posted on Facebook back then, nor were third parties dynoing locomotives. And horsepower, as a measurement doesn't really apply properly to steam locomotives, they were usually measured by tractive effort (both starting and continuous). It could be a case of C&O and Lima (the builder) wanting to show up UP and Alco's Big Boy and just tossing out a number. But they were undeniably powerful, and surprisingly fast, with C&O even considering them for passenger usage.
In reply to Fueled by Caffeine :
There's a news reel with some sound: https://www.facebook.com/BBCArchive/videos/1948-newsreel-new-locomotive-testing-station-at-rugby/2111009969227615/
An Allegheny under construction at Lima's Lima, Ohio plant.
The most frustrating part of the Allegheny is that the C&O developed arguably the best fast freight locomotive, but then stuck them in drag freight service, plodding along at low speeds through the mountains. Virginian Railroad also had some, although they called them a "Blue Ridge" instead, and did the same thing.
Look at all those coal cars. They were the H-8s reason for existence. A latecomer to the party in '47, diesels were starting to take hold. But C&O made their big money off coal and had a cheap supply of it, plus it seemed wrong for them to be making money off coal and not using steam locomotives. And Lima, like Baldwin, thought that diesel locomotives were a novelty and steam was still the answer. So they partnered up to build the H8. Virginian, who was also a coal-hauler, would buy H8s. And similarly, Norfolk & Western would stick with steam engines, as they had their own locomotive shops and were primarily a coal-hauling line
In reply to Donebrokeit :
Milwaukee Road or Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee interurban cars? Seems like most of the railroads in that area loved electric equipment and that shade of orange.
In reply to kazoospec :
We had a really good time. Got to see a couple other trains come and go while waiting for our train. Just a few observations: when those suckers get cranked up, they really haul butt. It's too bad transportation centers seem to be located in the shady parts of town. Amtrak cars have a particular funky smell to them that's sort of hard to describe.
In reply to kazoospec :
The passenger trains also stop pretty dang quick for the size of them. When I was at Utica, I was amazed at how they would approach the platform at a pretty good clip, then stand on the brakes and stop it perfectly in front of the platform. They'd make great racecar drivers, because they have that late-braking technique nailed
Sounds like I better get out to Durango & Silverton this year, because they are facing a $52 million lawsuit after starting a wildfire back in '18.
I don't know if that'll put them out of business (I'm sure they have insurance for such things) but I'm sure it'll affect operations somehow. They have already purchased two diesel locomotives, as well as restored another steam locomotive to operation and converting it to oil burning (less cinders), for dry season use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVxByLO_6cA
110hp case steam tractor pull. Locomotive without rails. Rollin coal!
Gearheadotaku said:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVxByLO_6cA
110hp case steam tractor pull. Locomotive without rails. Rollin coal!
I've actually driven a steam tractor before. And it was the last one of its manufacturer remaining. That was a strange experience. The steering ratio was about 400 turns lock to lock. But getting to blow the whistle was the best
Don't talk to me and my son ever again.
Southern Pacific standard-gauge 2-8-2 #3203 next to Southern Pacific narrow-gauge 4-6-0 #18.
#18 still exists and is operational, recently being leased to Durango & Silverton. #3203 was scrapped.
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