DAMN the Sanders...but what'd we do without 'em. Either we'd stall the Train or save the running gear...your call.

Grab that throttle

Awesome! Hopefully she will do excursions again

wow would you do N&W 611 Music video Music : Wellington's Victory Symphony of Triumph.

Really interesting stuff! One, maybe silly, question: what happens to all of that exhaust when the hood is closed? Does it just back up into the system until it can all be released (and does that potentially cause a problem if the hood is left closed for too long?) Or is the smoke/gas just redirected by the hood, still exiting, just not straight up?

Not to discount the effort of the crew. However, they are beating this engine up pretty good. The tires, the wrist pins, rod bearings, and not to mention the boiler…. I sure hope their finances can afford this historic representation of climbing a good grade

RESPECT to the engineer, fireman and narrator!!! Subbed!

Question about running a steam locomotive, can you apply a slight bit of independent brake to keep the wheels from slipping? I’ve used the independent on diesels ever slow slightly to help control slippage while dropping sand.

There's N&W 611 and now running Excursions on the N&W and the C&O.

Some good audio !!! Thanks for sharing it !!!! Rated 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

What a great video!

Love that whistle it’s the Custom Bob Swanson Nathan whistle made for Bill Howes Jr for the Chessie Steam Special 2101 !

Yes

Amazing video! So cool to see them work a big 4-8-4 so hard, and I love your commentary. Love from Norway

Looks like it would direct the exhaust towards the cab?

Great recording! No wind noise..no vibrated sound on whistle...perfect....did you ever record any other trips that year or following g to current year?

It was neat watching Shane pump the throttle to keep her moving. That's a technique I was taught running a 4-4-0 on a steep, curvy branchline. Obviously it works on the smallest and largest of engines, and the resulting arm soreness is all the same!

Its not the largest ever built. There were larger lcoomotives. it is the largest still in existence and operating.

And suddenly the Cab forwards SP ran, just made sense.

Oh that’s pretty interesting, never knew that’s how it worked!

That's probably the best up-close video of the stack hood in action besides the one in Last of the Giants. What's interesting is the same design of stack hood wasn't only used on the Big Boys and Jabelmann Challengers, but was also applied to some of the UP's 2-8-2s, 4-8-2s, and 2-10-2s. The UP also used a different type of stack hood similar to one used by the Santa Fe, which folded up and down from the front of the stack.

Very cool. Never knew much about the stack hoods. Awesome video!

425’s been my favorite since I was 4. She’s got sound that almost no other steamer today can match.

Nice recording! Sure do miss the old gal. Hope the rest of the work won't take too long. She's still my favorite.

Awesome stuff!

We love seeing steam roll thru rural retreat va

Why do they over-fire at Cass? Or, is it just a characteristic of a Shay?

Great video, Zac. My wife and I were at Cass just this last weekend on the Whittaker train.

I can't wait for this Video Big Boy 4014 I Loved The Reading 2102 cab ride

I love 2102 cab rides! Don't forget to pan back towards the tender every now and then.

Great video and explanation for all the action needed to keep her going in slippery conditions!

I was on that train with several of my family members. It looks like my father in the window wearing a red shirt at 2:08. I think I can see myself in the photo line at 6:18.

Support the acquisition of the Shamokin Valley RR by the Reading and Northern.

And they said that driving steam trains are just pushing the throttle then hitting the brakes at a station

This is fabulous. I was riding open window with Wes Camp former CMO and fireman of 2102. He was describing the cab. His description was spot on.

Just discovered. New subscriber. Very well done, few understand the difficulty of keeping control on slippery rails. And no power assist on the threottle! Armstrong Cruise Control! Would love to see the interiors of the coaches, diners and the dome car. Thanks!

Супер💯💯💯💥💥💥💥

Wonder how long of grade you guys were batting

Very impressed that you kept the girl going very good video

I was chasing this excursion and it was an incredible day. Incredible day

Excellent, Zac and James! Three cheers.

Reminds me of the 4501 documentary when its mentioned that on its 2nd life after Southern, it would go up steep grades so slow that "you almost thought he wouldn't make it to the next piston stroke, it was that slow." Incredible to see the crew actually handle such a situation.

Great commentary; really neat to see the finer details of locomotive operation in such demanding conditions as this. The booster operation definitely is the highlight of the video for me.

Outstanding job!! I’m so glad to have seen these guys operate first hand.

Not gonna lie I didn't think the throttle lever could come as far back as it was at one point. I mean he had it just about in his chest. 13:32 looks closely and you can see the fire brighten up every time exhaust blasts up and out her stack due to the draft.

1. There have been heavier and longer consists pulled by a steam locomotive. 2. Theres nothing wrong with the regular coaches, plus they're cheaper to ride on, and have more windows and are closer to the locomotive so you can hear it work. 3. You can still slip on wet sand.

A hog in the wild!

I'M 2102 AND I'M COMIN TO GET YA!

Live 2102 reaction:

Nice video, well presented. Question: What was the load on the drawbar?(I think I counted 16 cars.) Also, what is the gradient on the steeper stretch?