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

[@travelingman484]

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.

[@davidstarkweather7764]

You mean in the still photos?

[@Patrick_3751]

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!

[@ThunderTrain2930]

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

[@TimMillerTmillz1361]

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.

[@Romans--bo7br]

Tmillz316..... just so you know.... you (meaning - Anyone) do Not "drive trains".... a locomotive engineer, Operates a locomotive. You Cannot "steer" a locomotive to go wherever you want to go.... you OPERATE it on the confines of its rail system.

[@jrcrawford4]

@@Romans--bo7br In Britain the engineers are called drivers. "Cause they drive. They don't operate.

[@Romans--bo7br]

@@jrcrawford4..... Thanks for your reply, Rob. Yes... I understand that pretty well everywhere in Europe and elsewhere in the world they locomotive engineers - "drivers... or, train drivers", however that still does not make the application of the word "driver"... correct in this context. As I said in the reply above, to which.. you replied, a locomotive engineer is not a "driver"... a driver, has the ability to "Steer" the vehicle (in whatever form it is) to wherever the driver wants it to go.... a locomotive engineer, does Not have that ability... they only have the ability to operate it (like any Machine) within, and on, a construct of a predetermined system of operation and (in this case) destination. I worked for a major Class 1 railroad for four years back in the 1970's as a head end brakeman, then as an engineer.... but, I digress. There are MANY applications of the word "drive".... so, in the end... if another country chooses to utilize the word "driver or drives" in the context of a locomotive engineer, then "so be it".... it's certainly not worth getting into verbal or written debates over. As far as Steam locomotives are concerned and all their attendant valves, levers, gauges, etc, etc, etc.... a steam locomotive engineer and his "fireman" are definitely Operating it as they would, any other piece of equipment or machine.... as it moves down the tracks, in this case.

[@Train115]

@@Romans--bo7br calm down on your term correction. It's practically the same thing.

[@kleenexbox974]

@@Romans--bo7br who gives a shit i will now say I sail a train and drive a boat just to spite you

[@gonebamboo4116]

My favorite engine and one of my favorite recordings. Thanks

[@prydonian460]

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

[@kilomike4380]

I agree sir born after the era,but I enjoy the museums that display them and I model them 👍

[@jrcrawford4]

We had a great culture once.

[@wurlitzer1538]

I’ve never heard such violent wheelslip. Awesome!

[@PhilipMulligan]

Denholm was the site of a Main Line coal wharf where trains could pull off the Main Line and load coal to complete their trip. Denholm is on the PRR Middle Division between Altoona and Harrisburg/Enola, and about 10 miles East of Lewistown.

[@peytonharris616]

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

[@davidwojtkowiak4977]

Nothing better than Pennsy decapods! Great audio!

[@7974brewfamily]

Love it! Thanks for posting! diesels just cant compare

[@dcoursey82]

@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.

[@victoriacyunczyk]

I'll be reading that book.

[@victoriacyunczyk]

He also discusses troubles hand-firing the L1 2-8-2s.

[@gonebamboo4116]

I read that book written by his son. Absolutely fascinating. It is one of my all time faves.

[@leslie0965]

this is heaven love it nice stack tak and slips

[@struck2soon]

Great soundtrack, nice selection of pictures.

[@kevatcrewe]

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

[@adamhinkle7982]

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.

[@PRR5406]

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

[@ThunderTrain2930]

It’s ok, one still remains in Hamburg NY

[@tprdfh51]

All you need is sand! :-)

[@BamaRailfan]

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

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

Absolutely stunning! :-) Gives me goose bumps! :-)

[@organbuilder272]

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.

[@sirmartinfrobisher]

robert shaw: excuse me for adding “I know I can, I know I can”!

[@renegadeoflife87]

Crank arms are 90 apart, if they moved the axle is cracked and about to come undone. But the valves being off time will make an off-beat effect in the exhaust like this engine has. Happens as the link rods wear usually.

[@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.

[@buntik1687]

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

[@leslie0965]

im in the wrong era big time

[@TimMillerTmillz1361]

Best era for me :)

[@waverider6kj32]

Just caught the end in SE London railway 150 yds from my house,pulling out the station

[@victoriacyunczyk]

Leslie Cantor Me too.

[@b3j8]

Just thought I'd throw in if you listen around the 4:40-55 mark, in the background is a Lockheed Super Constellation airplane flying overhead. One one of John's cd's he comments about this saying it always "annoyed" him when a plane would fly over spoiling the recording in his view. Today of course, not so much.

[@customwindowdecor9800]

Do you know where this audio came from? I grew up in Denholm and wondered if it really is from our coal wharf.

[@b3j8]

The audio was recorded by the late John Prophet. I'm not sure about the coal wharf, but the location of Denholm, PA is correct.

[@andrewboyd8073]

If only we could time travel and bring back with us the trains, cars, morals, patriotism, and (especially) prices from a better time, while retaining our computers, Nintendo, etc.

[@cats0182]

Do you also want to bring back the wages, and the then-incurable diseases, among other things? You can't pick and choose the past for the future.

[@blondeguy08]

#Steampunk

[@blondeguy08]

Cats01 wages were significantly better than compared to today. Our generation is facing unprecedented stagflation where wages are significantly diverging and have become flat stale compared to the gains in productivity and the runaway inflation of the dollar. So yes please bring bags the wages.

[@charlesdell2864]

Great old time locomotive pictures. Just wish it could of been a video.

[@choirboyfromhell1]

Add to all this is the radial-engined airplane in the distance...wow.

[@mudkow5092]

Cool video. I have read two things. 1. The Decapods were not well riding beasts. 2. PRR did not put an abundant amount of power on their drags. They loaded the motive power to the limit, and slogged along at slow speeds. Sounds tough on the engineers and fireman. Any thoughts?

[@armagonarmagon3980]

Because of the I1sa's terrible riding experience, the crews quickly named it the Holy Terror of the Standard Railroad of the World. Quite fitting, since the ride in-cab was terrible since there was no rear trailing truck to support the firebox. If the I1sa wheel-slipped, you would feel it a bit more than usual since the cab rode atop the rear set of drivers!

[@mudkow5092]

Cool. Thanks!

[@victoriacyunczyk]

PRR didn't put an abundant amount of power on anything except for locals.

[@trainknut]

@@victoriacyunczyk Just another way PRR differed from their western counterparts, spare engines were thrown around onto just about any slightly heavy train on SP or UP, meanwhile Pennsy was reluctant to put another 2-10-0 on a coal drag going up a steep grade. They also never washed their locomotives, while they do have this in common with SP... they don't really with virtually every other railroad of a similar size, even UP was known to give their Challengers the occasional bath... Pennsy units would be lucky if they were washed for a re-fit. It's funny too, because Pennsy had a vast abundance of locomotives... other railroads were content with about a hundred, maybe two in a class... some of the smaller ones would even have just over ten locomotives per class... pennsy? no they made nearly 600 of just the I1s alone, and well over 400 of the K4s.

[@trainknut]

@John McCardell I doubt all were active at any given time, but it's absolutely within the realms of possibility they made several thousand consolidations - although, by WW2 it seems clear they were only using them for yard work, locals, or the occasional helper job.

[@mudkow5092]

Great video! I thought I liked the sounds when I started the turbines for my helicopter... seems like child's play compared to this!

[@tprdfh51]

Right on the limit of tonnage and hear the DC-3 overhead at 4:45?

[@bhomas_real]

Jeez the throttle must be open wiiiiide.

[@b3j8]

If it was by John Prophet who made many of the PRR recordings, he did use a wire recorder.

[@buijs1967]

What a great collection of pictures, was it out of one particular book? I love the I1sa, but managed only find some books with a very limited number of pictures of this locomotive.

[@pennsylvaniaproductions3047]

(Me being a Philadelphian)”OH LETS GOOOOO!!!!!!!!”

[@ThePete352]

Save 2-10-0 #4483! She needs to team up with #1361 on a freight run so every railfan has an opportunity to see the big Decapod in action

[@jimdavis581]

If I ever become a king I will melt down all diesel locos and use the metal to make garbage cans.

[@davidwojtkowiak4977]

I will help you melt em down

[@organbuilder272]

It mught be more helpfull if you turned them in to steamers.

[@leslie0965]

love it!!

[@brian45auto]

1949, the same year O.P. retired from the railroad.

[@boilerbob7]

I wonder if that was recorded on a wire recorder. My first recording device was a wire recorder LOL.

[@09JDCTrainMan]

The wheel slip at 0:53 scared me.

[@wrakca6049]

i could watch it over and over and over!!!!!! 4483 will never run they dont have no money or rails to run it on ! .. id hate to say it because i live close to it it should go to penn where they would fix her.

[@derail14]

2 firemen on a i1? No way,, all the prr i1,s had automatic stokers!

[@josephmueller335]

So true

[@davidstarkweather7764]

Am I losing my mind? All I see is a collage of still photos, what are you guys talking about prolonged wheel slip, plane passing by, etc?

[@ericemmons3040]

This is just a sound recording; you have to listen for all the wheel slip, planes overhead, and so on. The pictures represent the type of locomotive that is in the recording: a Pennsylvania Railroad 2-10-0.

[@matthewpastrikos7383]

8:18 N&W Class A cameo

[@italianirish10]

belive me steam engine got pure power than diesel engine

[@kevinbrooks6265]

just decapods?

[@paullangford8179]

Slideshow, not video.

[@TheDankEngineer]

hehe booba

[@FenderFoamer]

you realize neither engine will run again right!?!

[@ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Fix the misleading title

[@samaikens4816]

I gave it a thumbs down because I could hear but not see wheels slip even still pic's been ok to go with sound of same train....disappointing not to see the video

[@bhomas_real]

sam aikens Better nothing plus this can go into my train sounds mixtape

[@trainknut]

It's an audio recording, a very rare one at that, sound recording equipment was expensive and rare in that day, so usually you only see video with no sound, or sometimes sound with no video. Only in extremely rare circumstances is there original sound with the video.

[@Patrick_3751]

I mean, the title of the video said that it was audio only so I don't see why anyone would think there would be video.

[@ericgriswold1268]

For Christ's sake, be thankful there was even audio , dude!! Especially audio that clear !!

[@AdmiralColdhead]

There’s a reason it’s “audio” and not “footage.”