Slim Pickens: Rare GE U18B Locomotives on the Pickens Railway

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The Pickens Railway is a 28-mile-long shortline in Southern Carolina known for its unique roster of U18Bs. In this video, we follow the Belton Job all the way to the end of the line in Honea Path.
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[@DelayInBlockProductions]

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[@tomroise9426]

Which why I can sub a decoder

[@timothyandelmo541]

That lil pup was happy as all hell to see them ol baby u boats😊😂😂❤

[@Buick_GSX]

21:19 small correction as a local. The Z line runs only as far as West Union, as the tracks between West Union and Walhalla were removed some time in the 1980s. The yard itself in West Union is not used and the furthest north customer is battery manufacturer Clarios, formerly Johnson Controls Power Solutions, which is about 2.5 miles southeast of West Union proper. I say this is a minor correction because the distance between the West Union yard and the site of the former Walhalla yard is only about one mile. The Z line is what remains of the Blue Ridge Railroad of South Carolina. It was chartered in 1852 and planned to run between Anderson and Knoxville TN via as many as 13 tunnels through the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains, however the abandonment of the highly ambitious and unfinished Stumphouse Tunnel in the mountains directly above Walhalla dashed all chances of that happening. Only 1600 feet of the planned 1.1 mile long tunnel were excavated before the state halted all funding in 1859, killing off the tunnel and hopes of a connection to Knoxville for good.

[@herbcraven7146]

Great to see a thriving short line using some rare motive power! Wonderful job documenting the line!

[@cjuice9039]

We used to have some U-boats down here on the Georgia Central. But I haven't seen them ever since the GC caught the orange plague.

[@bluegrassman3040]

G&W??

[@anb7408]

All but one of those were scrapped. The sole survivor went into preservation in Tennessee.

[@thomasnewton9818]

I live in Anderson South Carolina. I see the Pickens train a couple of times a week. It's interesting to get the history and a overview of the line. It was also interesting to learn of Greenville Western. I've lived in Anderson about four years. I moved to South Carolina about ten years ago from Minnesota.

[@warrenmaker798]

Bravo, great video guys. More of these short lines please

[@jimthannum7151]

Excellent, fun video. I really enjoy the shoreline switching videos. Great dialogue and history of Pickens RR. 👍

[@kennethmcclure29]

Sir my all time locomotive has been the u boat by ge! Cannot get enough! Thanx Ken from gpt ms.

[@GenX-Gamore]

been watching a lot of different railfan videos, in each one the one constant I notice is the condition of the rail system in many parts of the US, the neglect of the rail system (from the ties to the actual rail and ballasted track bed is really in need of repair / Maintenace. While I have been an railfan from afar, I have lately been more and more observant of the rail system from many places around the world. But the US really needs to get back on track pun intended, not to mention the derailments that have made into the news in the past few months, Not a Good sign. But the Pickens line I have not heard of, nor seen but then again being in the northeast US and so close to NYC, Pickens would not be in this area, Thank you for posting this video and giving a fair amount of history.

[@aldarby893]

Pickens recently upgraded its rail, and put in all new ties and ballast for most of its length. Some older sections still remain around downtown Anderson, I believe, but all of the line in the Belton area was upgraded.

[@gregginter5867]

I agree about lack of rail quality esp in/around a line’s home base…gd gravy, those trains end up doing a twist…crazy n short-sighted pathetic management!

[@hemihead68]

Amazing First class videography, audio editing and narration !! Love your work folks !!

[@hemihead68]

LMAO !! Bite Me Weinerz !! I Love It LMMAO !!! I gotta get me a t-shirt !!

[@ChainsawNW1218]

I've heard of both of those lines,have a couple of Trains magazines were I read about them,nice vintage locomotives, Leslie air horn on the Pickens 9502,have an Uncle in Anderson!🚂🛤👍

[@mybadluckcharm]

That S-1 on the deadline is interesting. The front is opened up. Did they change the radiator to have it like an S-5, and just leave the old shutters, i wonder. The RS-1 is also in pretty nice shape, it seems (exterior, at least). Several potential museum pieces, maybe?

[@Cybersynthetica]

Nice to see yall covering trains in my hometown of Anderson!

[@stevesmedleyphotography3838]

Another ''Killer'' job by Drayton! Including an actual monster ankle biter at 1:02:28. Thank God a fence is here!

[@johnsalomone5101]

Great video,, nice job I like the scoop , on them pickens,, power real good , video thanks much,

[@AJMic-sp2rx]

I watched this overlooking the Wabtec yard ( former GE plant ) Gotta keep up with the rebuilds , we have 4 NS stacked on the spur think they are the 1st of the 1 billion modernization contract .

[@adamhafiddin9564]

7FDL-8 are majority engine in my country. Hearing those roars make this vid feels like home

[@cagorrie]

Great video, nicely shot and edited.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Thanks for watching!

[@patricknoveski6409]

I was shocked to see these clean engines on both Railroads. The fact that something like this exists in 2023 is too cool. Thanks DIB.

[@Ethan_the_Railfan]

Hey Delay in Block. I love your videos!! Keep up the amazing work!!

[@arnoldhilberink]

Man... cant explain it... but i so love my u-boats

[@williambilly7758]

Most excellent production. The videography and narration are great. I wish you had included a few smaller maps showing where the yards and interchanges were. As a lifelong Floridian, I sure do miss those "baby boats". Awesome job. Thank you.

[@jwernhol]

9:15. Beautiful 😊

[@John-wd5om]

This video is absolutely excellent, the u18b locomotives are cool 😊

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Thank you!

[@John-wd5om]

@@DelayInBlockProductions I am catching up with your videos slowly 👍

[@anthonyhunt701]

Do the engineers & conductors,like here on the Pickens watch the finished product you guys film? Hope so!

[@dorinda4ever]

Beautiful..thank you for posting absolutely amazing to see. God bless!

[@danielmiller1477]

Such an exceptionally well-made video!! Love seeing the short line railroads in operation

[@tedjackson7274]

After many interruptions, I finally got to finish viewing. I really enjoyed it.

[@scubajoe3321]

Hotdogs 🔥

[@Tomthetruckguy]

Love seeing old U-Boats still out working miss seeing them here on the GC(Georgia Central) in GA grew up seeing these old trains like this

[@bradfordthompson8326]

Wonderful show......It be fun if this Shortline teams with The "*611* Steam Locomotive and strasberg Railway etc run tourist trains in summer That be a fun Show too..Congratulations many God Prayers 😀😅😮😢🎉😂❤

[@aldiyanodwikynurcahyo7464]

7FDL-8 This engine is the backbone in Indonesia, starting from the U18A1A U18C U20C C20EMP to CM20EMP series.

[@gregginter5867]

Cool beans! Nice to hear. 11:34

[@JohnnyCarroll-wi6tx]

wow!very groovey man.

[@RandomRailfan828]

Great video man! I’ll have to go find the Pickens Railway, i navel really know much about them other then that they existed!

[@anjuarunderwood6869]

Great video brother

[@northernutahlivesteam3566]

Fun video 👍

[@Michiganrailfan1]

love ya vids

[@RaptorF22Titanium]

08 cylinder small engine wonderful

[@TheTonystearns]

9508 looks like it had emd trucks

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Cool

[@EntertainmentWorldz]

nice video bro

[@NickThatRailfan]

Do you ever plan on coming up to Hillsdale or catch the Indiana Northeastern at some point again? I live about a few miles from the headquarters of Indiaana Northeastern so I see them pretty often

[@brianwilson7314]

Is it me, or do those baby U boats sound like Alco 244's

[@mikes7639]

Its you they sound like u boats

[@minnesotarailfan11]

I just noticed why does the crew on the G&W have NS vests?

[@andrewbrown2956]

Ge locomotives with emd truck

[@terrywallace8922]

I'll TAKE THEM ALL ANY DAY.

[@kennyspry5189]

You can take one EMD GP40-2 and do the work of two of those GE-18. Sorry BUT the EMD Engine's are a much better Engine than those GE Engine's. Awesome Video...

[@bluegrassman3040]

They must have gotten those old GEs on the cheap?

[@NoahDoane]

They're about even when it comes to tractive effort. These GEs are just cheaper and better on fuel.

[@mr.sir.]

It's also a GE prime mover. So it's a toaster, and just by looking on the roof they've blown out more than once

[@runninrailz]

I agree If those GE engines had a turbo they would be junk and in the scrapyard by now this is one of my favorite videos

[@RonStanek]

Say Baby Boat...fast 10 times!😆

[@nicholasmedovich6729]

How many baby boats are left surviving??

[@jimmyxtc69]

Do they arrest taggers?

[@mackfisher4487]

I hope you at least got a fee lunch from Bite Me

[@adnanabdillahghifari720]

They sound just like GE U18C CC 201 in Indonesia

[@jessicaburdell7779]

If I'm not mistaken, didn't they also use Baldwins as well, at one point?

[@Buick_GSX]

yes, up until the nineties they operated a VO-660 and a DS44-750. The VO-660 was abandoned next to the engine shed in pickens in the mid 2000s, and after the abandoment of their original trackage in 2013 it was left there for good. At some point the Pickens passenger depot was restored and as part of that, VO-660 #2 and one original Pickens boxcar were moved in front as a static display, alongside the conversion of the rail line into the Doodle Trail. The DS44-750 was apparently sold in the 1990s but stood abandoned as well by 2004, I imagine it got scrapped.

[@cmdoc8789]

They got a different narrator?

[@mshum538]

I guess this little short line is budgeted for the extra engine running all the time when this video clearly show 2 engines running isn’t necessary…. I bet an alco S-2 could have done the same job and I’m sure theirs even an SW-15 out there available….ms~~~ retired from the rr industry~~~

[@Buick_GSX]

This fleet of U18s replaced their aging and decrepit fleet of S2s, EMD SW and SC, and two Baldwins, so clearly that's not the case.

[@Txloganc]

is it voice ai like fr sounds like it

[@johnsalomone5101]

Stupid name for hot dog stand,, but know I see the owner, & that answered it all,,

[@mr.sir.]

People have little to no care these days for food.

[@rottenroads1982]

GE’s Universal Series, Alco’s Century Series, EMD’s early GP & SD series. They are all Very cool. Also, the Group of Local Children who Put Spikes on the Rails *ARE SOO STUPID*

[@Ethan_the_Railfan]

I don’t want to offend you, and this question is probably stupid but, what happened to your voice?

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

It’s not “my” voice anymore. The new narrator is Dave Dawson from Family Life Radio. Thanks for watching. -Drayton

[@Ethan_the_Railfan]

@@DelayInBlockProductions You are very welcome.

[@Ethan_the_Railfan]

@@DelayInBlockProductions I liked your voice Way better.

[@Ethan_the_Railfan]

May I ask why you’re not voicing anymore?

[@tarheelpatch3386]

Boiled hot dogs yuck.We deep fry them down south😊

[@douglaswsmith3433]

Im born and raised in the south and I deep fry a lot of foods but you won't catch me deep frying a hot dog or putting mayo on it either. I have eaten Weiner's right out the pack. Ziegler's , Bryan bologna, souse meat to name a few that I grew up on.

[@FreihEitner]

Well the buns are split on the top instead of the side-- that seems to be mostly a southern thing.

[@douglaswsmith3433]

@@FreihEitner if your referring to the white part then yes it is.

[@Ethan_the_Railfan]

May I ask why you stopped voicing? I liked your voice better. Dave’s voice is ok, but I like your’s better.

[@thomasabramson100]

busy yard