CONRAIL. Monster Test Train on Horse Shoe Curve 1982

After videoing the last train from engine to caboose I decided to just catch the engines and pushers on this train coming up the hill. I watched the engines go out of site at the West top of the Curve and heard what I thought was another train coming up beside it. What I didn't know was this was one of the Test Monster Trains. This train was in sight on the curve for over twelve minutes .

[@Cnightz]

That was a fantastic catch with Conrail. I can still remember their derailment back in the 80's in updtate NY. Driving by and seeing them torch up the wreckage.

[@goalhorn2012]

Nothing beats the sound of those EMD prime movers!

[@danielshaw8865]

miss the conrail years. they sure had a very distintive sound

[@ray_road]

2:50 will probaly never see that again at Horseshoe Curve

[@Conraildan]

Great to see when sd45 and 45-2's ruled conrail, thanks

[@moonspots01]

Excellent time capsule of early 1980s railroading. Thanks for posting!

[@kingdoughnut7244]

This video has it all! The old steam engine still on the hill. SD40s, SD40-2s, GP40, SD45s, SD45-2s, open roof tri level auto racks, Tanker with hotbox wheels, CR and NW auto parts box cars, thrall door box cars and a bay window caboose!!! No graffiti! SD45s and 45-2s did the helper job that SD50s did and SD60s do today!! Great video for railroad history!

[@scpiedmontvideoproductions878]

AAHHHH! NOTHING LIKE THE SOUND OF SIX EX EL SD45-2S AND 2 SD45S IN THIS MASSIVE FREIGHT TRAIN! OH HOW I MISS THOSE 4 CYCLE EMD 645 V20S LUGGING THERE CYLINDERS OUT CLIMING UP AND AROUND HORSESHOE CURVE!! GREAT VIDEO!

[@WMfan69]

That is one massive train! It doesn't seem to end! 5 stars and a fav! Nice catch!

[@JonkoTheSane]

I love the video! Brings back childhood memories, listening to the sound of BN locomotives and that distinctive "chug" echoing across miles of plains to my grandparents house. To say nothing of the singing of the wheels. :) Good stuff; many thanks for posting!

[@WideWorldofTrains]

Nice train video

[@tomok8283]

WOW! 26,000,400 Horsepower! 3 SD40-2s 1 GP40-2. 2 SD45s mid train helpers! AND 2 EX EL SD45-2s SHOVING UP against the bay window caboose! That indeed was 1 MONSTER FREIGHT! Sigh. I miss those day's of Conrail when EMDs ruled!

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing.👍

[@artkemberling7764]

No better sound than notch 8 on the curve!

[@ericunderwood1186]

Great video, I was 3 years old when this was filmed.

[@firefighter1811]

That was amazing just how much has changed since then!

[@millzym3381]

Even for how old this footage is that sound is amazing.

[@leonuug]

A Con-Rail monster with SD-60's and open auto-racks. GREAT video!!

[@Boxcarphilly]

Interesting. They even had a caboose attached, even though they had two locomotives at the rear of the train. I've never seen that before.

[@jeffbarnhill9995]

Thanks for the awesome video!!! Lots of locomotives with their hair raising sounds. Thanks for not getting the video at a crossing as the horns take away from the badass engine sound !!!!

[@Lightwolf333]

Awesome video. Grate fetch on the train shedding it's helpers.

[@donmoore7785]

Awesome! Amazing sight.

[@Cornelu]

Super video!

[@Goetterdaemmerung86]

Pure blood and guts right there

[@MrZeldalove]

Everything about this film is great, IMHO. The scenery is breath taking - camera really caught those colors well, and I always loved "Big Blue's" paint scheme. This looks like a big automobile train and I have lately developed a good interest in the SD45 locomotive. They're awesome and handsome engines. Didn't they put out 3500 horses? That'd be more than my favorite freight locomotive - the SD40-2.

[@Silver_Turtle]

Tommy -- your basic SD45/45-2 put out 3600 hp; there was a modification [and only a few were done] that produced 4200hp. When EMD introduced the 38/40/45 series, ther ONLY difference was 38-12 cyl; 40-16 cyl; 45-20-cyl.

[@chatanugadotorg]

Awesome video! Favorite place of mine to railfan outside of Ohio.

[@brentcovert1531]

Awesome.. and NS can't seem to keep theirs on the track.. damn I miss Conrail.

[@cpufreak101]

apparently CSX is doing a similar test again in my area (western NY) one of the first of the DPU Trains was caught by a Virtual Railfan livestream down the mainline in North East PA

[@alexander1485]

I like how the caboose isn't at the end of the train lol

[@Landaux]

You literately have to make SIGN LANGUAGES at each-other in the cab when trains like that are in 'TRAIN STRAIN' mode! :-O

[@meccaturbo]

former EL SD45-2's on the rear

[@supplysarge]

Nice!

[@gardnersmith3580]

It's like the 38 clowns getting out of the taxi.

[@tankerboy1374]

looks like they took every car had put together then added locos wow

[@meccaturbo]

This was late in the SD45 era....SD45-2's, though, were used up through the end of Conrail. This train has both types on it, and I think some of the SD45's are ex PRR.

[@Joeyardmaster40155]

Did you happen to get a count on how many cars were on that train?? The sound of hard working SD40-2s' on the pull would make a great ring tone on my cell phone.

[@leonuug]

@notalott It had 8-10 DP's so maybe not as high as you would think. Of course there are alot of hills around there, so maybe it was close to the melting point, lol.

[@BNSFandSP]

@meccaturbo What about in the middle?

[@rgmrails]

This is so old!

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

Back then trains this big was seen as an abnormal experiment that wouldn't fly. Thanks to piss schedule railroading it's the norm now to save the CEOs extra bucks at the expense of everyone below them

[@augiesipes]

is it all one train??????????????????????????????????????????????

[@MrHenreee]

How many wagons?!

[@TheMaus9]

Good video,but next time please video the ENTIRE train, some people (including me) actually like to watch the entire train

[@donmoore7785]

He said in the description that he intentionally didn't film all of this train and didn't realize how long it would be. Did you READ the description? Maybe you should get out and do some filming, the way YOU like it.

[@Scrapmanluke1]

What are those cars at 4:24?

[@bigdick7793]

Luke Roman uncovered autoracks

[@jonglass]

auto racks without roofs... almost forgot about those ;-) (edit:) goodness, nor sides! I know why they added them, though. I knew kids in school who delighted in throwing rocks at the autos, trying to smash windows. :-(

[@b3j8]

Yeah those vehicles would be vandalized and sprayed w/graffitti today.

[@gillart]

Freight trains are scary.

[@Steelers2841]

there was 215 cars

[@billgoldberg5935]

E-FKN MD

[@WaffleDragon]

Just your average length for a train in 2021.