PRR Steam Audio Recording: I1sa starts a heavy Coal Drag out of Denholm, PA (1949)

*LISTEN WITH VOLUME PUMPED UP*

Info later...

[travelingman]

When he finally gets it going I imagine at some point the throttle is wide open. Because when the wheels slip it's a violent long slip. These guys were truly hero's of the rails. Remember no dynamic brakes folks for those down hill stretches, very scary.

[Patrick_]

In addition to the amazing sounds from the locomotive, the little details make it all the more amazing. The passing freight with helpers, the cars driving by on the road, the feint shouts from the locomotive's crew, and the airplane flying overhead all really help put the scene together!

[TimMillerTmillz]

It's hard to imagine people were brave enough to drive those massive machines...  I love PRR steam trains, its like they are actual living breathing things :) It's amazing.

[ThunderTrain]

The speed, duration, and volume of the wheelslip is absolutely incredible. I also like how a separate train can be heard running by

[gonebamboo]

My favorite engine and one of my favorite recordings. Thanks

[wurlitzer]

I’ve never heard such violent wheelslip. Awesome!

[prydonian]

This is when trains really were trains instead of these bland boxes that pose as locomotives today.

[dcoursey]

@derail14 Actually, you are right that near the end of PRR steam operations, all I1s had stokers. But, when initially built (1916 I believe), stokers were not installed. So for at least 10 years, those massive engines had to be fired by just ONE fireman. In the book "Set Up Running", which tells the story of PRR engineer Oscar Orr, there are parts where he discusses the difficulty crews had with firing those locos by hand.

[peytonharris]

YouTube recommending this was great... Never see anything from that area of the PRR, but it’s just a few miles from my hometown :)

[davidwojtkowiak]

Nothing better than Pennsy decapods! Great audio!

[organbuilder]

At about 5:40 - Perhaps the most beautiful sound in this whole posting. Listen to that beast work. That is beautiful, magnificent, How the imagination see this incredible machine walking away with this train. OOpps @ 7:03. Interesting - the Crank arms are not 90* apart. 1, 2-1, 2, 1, 2-1, 2- I think I can I think I can I think I can - and you hear the wheel of that HEAVY train rolling along, ever faster.

[leslie]

this is heaven love it nice stack tak and slips

[brewfamily]

Love it!
Thanks for posting!
diesels just cant compare

[strucksoon]

Great soundtrack, nice selection of pictures.

[PRR]

It's hard to imagine the Pennsy cuttiing up 597 of these magnificent machines.

[victoriacyunczyk]

Decapods tend to be rough riding. I was in the cab of Frisco 1630 not long ago, and when we pulled out of the station, I almost dropped my coffee.

[BamaRailfan]

Awesome! I love it! That was when controlling wheel slip wasn't at all automated, but just part of the job.

[adamhinkle]

Whoa listen to the stoker working chucking large amounts of coal into that massive fire box and at 2:35 the fireman turns it off.

[kevatcrewe]

Thats a serious amount of horsepower being applied there - if only it was on video aswell :(

[buntik]

Takes a lot of power to get such a heavy train up to speed.