EPIC Steam Locomotive Wheel Slip

On May 7th, 2022, Southern Railway 2-8-2 no. 4501 was assigned to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's Missionary Ridge Local. While backing around the wye, the locomotive started to slip due to wet rail conditions from the injector. Slowly but surely, the skilled crew was able to negotiate the wye at Grand Junction.

Subscribers: help support us by crowdfunding through Patreon, PayPal, or CashApp. With your support, we can continue to produce high-quality railroad media for you to enjoy. Even just $1 per month is a huge help. Plus, contributing patrons receive exclusive content and early access to Delay In Block™ videos.

Thanks for watching! Please comment, rate, and subscribe!

Copyright 2022 Delay In Block Productions™. Any illegal reproduction of this video and its content is strictly prohibited. Full legal action will take place if necessary if reproduced or published without expressed written permission from Delay In Block Productions.

Delay In Block™ is a Trademark of Delay In Block Productions

[VinnyMartello]

A steam locomotive is nothing more than a piece of industrial equipment, an oversized pressure cooker. And yet… it’s one of the most beautiful and fascinating things we have ever seen.

[ernshaw]

When you see gorgeous moving pieces of machinery like this, you can't help but feel we have let our standards fall in terms of beauty. What a skill it was to crew and man these and what beautiful technology they still are.

[thomasmackowiak]

Those wheels were really slipping as the engine started around the wye. The crew did a great job of controlling the wheel slippage to keep the train moving. Thank you for documenting this!

[juans]

I am 77 years old and remember these beautiful Iron beasts while growing up in the 1950s. My beloved late father worked 38 years for Southern Pacific on the Bridge and Carpenter Gang. I have fond memories and pictures of him. One in particular catching Hot rivets. R.I.P. Beloved Dad.

[crazyights]

The scene in which the #4501 rounds the bend before the tunnel with the whistle blowing is incredible. Feels like this is how it would have been 80 years ago. Thank you and stay safe!

[VERTEXXX.]

4:48 best moment and feeling of the whole video! what a beautiful moment and reminder. excellent machine

[VlatyleUSMC]

Great talent at the throttle, he didn't even let them slip a full revolution.

[alexhaplau-colan]

They can talk, when I was a kid I was fascinated by them.
Is almost human the way they talk, you can feel the effort on them.
Wonderful machine!

[ICUNA]

It's amazing to see this locomotive still operating!! My wife and I chased it from Manassas to Front Royal, Va., back in 1974 when the Southern had its steam program!!! It was in the Crescent Green Southern paint at that time, even though that was never what it wore when in regular service. I like it in both paint versions - it looks really great here!

[nigelterry]

Driver knows his stuff. Also the throttle design is excellent, allowing fingertip control.

[cmphighpower]

Love the sound of the steam whistle in the mountains ghostly

[louGriggs]

I love this video. When I was about 8 or 9 we lived about 2 blocks from the DeButts yard in Chattanooga and the sound of steamers slipping their drivers trying to get heavy loads under way was just a common thing, night and day. Those wheel slips trigger pleasant memories for me. Thanks.

[bertmeinders]

Fifteen or twenty years ago, I was on a run from Wairoa to Napier. Our excursion organiser had put on one car too many, and the line had a ruling gradient of 2^%. The driver, as in this video, skilfully walked the train up to 3 successive crests on the throttle.

[kam]

fantastic job on the engine crew keeping that slipping to a minimum

[SignalLightProductions]

It's worth noting that 4501 is a very "slippery" engine to begin with. As one of the earlier Mikados built, Baldwin was still experimenting with design elements such as driver diameter. 4501 has larger drivers than most 2-8-2s and slips her wheels very easily even in dry conditions.

[AP-jd]

Great picture. The whistle sound when she was approaching the tunnel was perfect. Nice work.

[charliedew]

Engine 70 at dollywood was slipping a bit Saturday when we rode it for 1st run of the day. Good times it's a 1938 Baldwin narrow gage 2-8-2 from the Yukon and white pass rr Alaska. Now in Tn. They also have a sister Engine #192

[bigalspitzer]

That was awesome being here for the premiere awesome video of 4501 thanks 😊

[lawrencemahalak]

4501 was one of the first steam locos I remember seeing as a kid. Glad to see her still strutting her stuff, although nothing can take the place of that Southern green and gold she used to wear so magnificently.

[kevp]

This is Why, I am Still in Love with the Railways