Milwaukee Road 261 Pulls a Loaded Coal Train

[@ddkoda7412]

That is one powerful locomotive, pulling a 70+ car consist without breaking too much of a sweat. It's a shame that the opportunities to run steam on mainline track are becoming increasingly limited.

[@ivangenov6782]

Let's not forget the articulated ones, UP challenger 5500 HP (once pulled an intermodal of 143 loaded cars without assist) UP Big Boy with over 6000 HP (no examples of boss videos i know of) DM&IR yellowstone 7000 HP (once pulled 190 fully loaded ore cars without assist) C&O Allegheny 7500 HP (no example of it's power at work i know of) I would mention PRR Q2 but it's not articulated, so this is it

[@ddkoda7412]

@@ivangenov6782 Thanks for the examples of steam locomotives with horsepower greater than the Big Boy. I never realized there was such a substantial difference between Big Boy and the Allegheny. It would really be something to see the Allegheny in action probably not even breaking a sweat with whatever consist she was pulling.

[@ivangenov6782]

@@ddkoda7412 no problem, it's normal that people think that when something is large, it is more powerful, and believe for a short time i believed the same thing lol

[@RailPreserver2K]

Nw 1218 pulled 100 hoppers with no assistance

[@SOU6900]

"Crank it up, and enjoy" but my phone won't go any higher 😅😢

[@sorshiaemms5959]

NICE TO SEE HOW MUCH ONE OF THESE OLD STEAMERS COULD REALLY PULL AND WATCH IT WORK THEY DIDN T GET RID OF STEAM BECAUSE IT DIDN T HAVE ENOUGH POWER THIS WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE GREAT VIDEO THANKS

[@jay600katana]

Great Video, love seeing steam working hard. Class 1's take notice, freight can't sue and steam can pull it.

[@ryanlewis6386]

The thing with trains nowadays having to have positive train control that will not likely happen unless they find a way to put positive train control on steam locomotives

[@mattdotsonrailfanproductio266]

That stack talk is awesome!

[@billmorris2613]

Good morning to all from SE Louisiana 28 Jan 22.

[@SD457500]

This is AMAZING

[@6484373]

Thanks man! Cant take credit for it but since so few people even know this happed thought I'd share. Big fan of your channel

[@SD457500]

@@6484373 I appreciate the kind words! I have another 261 video dropping soon!

[@Bob.W.]

Nice. Probably wouldn't have happened on a Class 1 road, other than maybe UP, which has allowed their steamers to pull freight

[@6484373]

You're probably right. Canadian Pacific doesn't even allow 261 to run on their line anymore.

[@sauljapuntich]

Why is that?

[@MachRacer4]

Saul Japuntich no clue. But with the whole thing with Amtrak not partnering with groups like the “Friends of the 261” or “Friends of the 4449” to run mainline steam excursions, and the whole PTC thing, they can’t really run on Class 1 railroads any more. The 261 is still allowed run on the Twin Cities and Western though.

[@thatconservativetrainguy3864]

@@MachRacer4 the ptc being required in older engines is the dumbest thing they’ve done it ruins those pieces of history

[@MachRacer4]

@@thatconservativetrainguy3864 I agree. Union Pacific has figured out how to fit PTC to a steam engine by way of having a PTC control box in the cab for monitoring the PTC system but the PTC unit itself is in the helper diesel behind the steam engine. It may be stupid, but unless the NTSB and FRA decides that steam engines are exempt from requiring PTC when running on a class one due to a steam engine’s controls being analog, this is going to be how it has to be.

[@HollyCranfan]

I got to go inside of it with my son. It’s a beauty. Huge train.

[@mattdotsonrailfanproductio266]

Man that is awesome. 261 is doing what she was built to do!

[@razgrizaceblaze259]

This is beautiful footage, and it's awesome getting to see #261 show what she can still do. That being said, there is 1 error I thought needs to be pointed out. At 2:18, the narrator states #261 is running on 72" drivers, but that is incorrect. #261, and the rest of the S3 class 4-8-4s for the Milwaukee Road, ran on 74" drivers.

[@6484373]

Thanks for pointing that out, honestly kinda wish I would've just muted the narrator when I uploaded this to YT and let 261 do the talking. Oh well

[@MB_Videos1]

Depends on how the measurements were taken!

[@railpicsandvids]

Noticed that too lol

[@justahillbilly7777]

In my opinion, 261 is definitely a fantastic restoration effort and locomotive with an equally fantastic crew past and present, but she definitely missed out on the headay of mainline steam locomotive excursions.

[@thetrainshop]

Not really. You seem to forget the massive east coast tour it made while donning various disguises.

[@justahillbilly7777]

@@thetrainshop Well yeah I'll give ya those, but those were certainly a last hurrah for big mainline steam outings here in the East, along with 614's runs in '96, '97, and '98. We haven't had anything on that level here in America since TrainFests '09 and '11.

[@thetrainshop]

@@justahillbilly7777 absolutely correct. Liability and PSR really have killed the mainline steam scene.

[@markwilliams2620]

Ah....the good old days...when a shutter and power winder were real things.

[@brianfalzon6739]

That looks epic

[@rogerlollar4325]

These steamers are strong! idk why they were scrapped

[@bov634]

Operating costs. I agree tho, diesels still can't match the pulling power of large modern steam

[@KK_on_KK]

Letting the old girl stretch her legs again. Love it

[@wwtf7180]

WOW 😯

[@thatoneguy611]

What a beast! It sounds like gunshots being fired.

[@Petemonster62]

Was the power plant at Granite Falls, MN? With the coal hoppers & passenger cars, wasn't 261 pulling a mixed train?

[@6484373]

I'm not 100% sure where the power plant was, but it was likely Granite Falls. According to the DVD, the excursion was pulling into Montevideo when they discovered the coal train there waiting for the excursion to pass, and they made a spur of the moment decision to have the diesels and 261 swap trains. However 261 was not able to get the coal train started since it was parked on a hill, so they cut the diesels and passenger cars back in to help get the train started. So that is why the passenger cars are there.

[@K-Effect]

Awesome!

[@solyeii]

Milwaukee road 261 and the diesel train: 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪

[@jacobmoss6830]

Steam loco's are fantastic but let us not forget why they where retired. Labour intensiveness.

[@infaredxkingz8786]

Okay, so why is a damn diesel latched into it? Is dynamic braking that big of a problem to steam?

[@6484373]

In the full DVD they explain that 261 was sitting in a siding waiting for the coal train to pass and they literally decided on a whim to let 261 pull it all. That's why you see the passenger cars and diesels at the end.

[@lineshaftrestorations7903]

A much as I appreciate a good steam video, why do so many have cheesey and oft times unnecessary commentary?

[@6484373]

This clip is from a DvD that I have had for a while. There was a way to mute the commentary but I though I'd leave it in just in case anyone cared for the info. You're right though it is pretty cheesey.

[@DillonTrinhProductions]

@@6484373 At least Pentex keeps it neutral.

[@tommyhunter1817]

When was this?

[@6484373]

I don't remember for sure but I think it was the late 90's to early 2000's.

[@Eli_Santin]

@@6484373 For the particular event in this video, 1994.

[@6484373]

@@Eli_Santin Thanks for the clarification. I'm sure it said before this particular clip, or you could work it out when he said 261 was 50 years old. Its pretty hard to find any information on this event, this dvd is the only time I've ever seen any pictures or even heard anyone talk about it.

[@davidstrawn9272]

3:06 A Deer!

[@mikadothefox4014]

When was this?

[@markwilliams2620]

90's