Stalled ELZ Train on Porcupine Hill 2

[@JLScott3178]

To the engineer: excellent finessing sir!!!! Your skills are apparent here. You MADE IT WORK. God job, brother!

[@AUSSIETRAINDRIVER]

One of the best locomotive hill climb videos on youtube.

[@emd645e3c]

The trouble is, AC is a lot more expensive, and adds a fair bit more weight as well.

[@redbarnz]

It was the Little engine that Could... and DID!!!

[@BrianW._1313]

No A/C traction or advanced adhesion software here !!! Just good ole "man & machine" railroadin'. that was cool.

[@mrgoodwrench8181]

What a battle.

[@flyingscrapyard]

Go you good things. A hard day's work for sure!

[@frankeaston6832]

Traction motor and Generator windings must have been smoking load meters were definitely in the red!!!!

[@Seazer009]

The train operator knows his business. Seems also the wheel slip circuit was working properly on those Loco's. I didn't see any fire from spinning wheels...

[@chopperking1122]

12 months later , Im watching it again . I think I read somewher AC traction locos cant work this hard at so slow a speed .

[@chopperking1122]

yeah , youre right , I came across a National Rail site , where they discuss the advantages ect. of converting the NRs to AC power , and it said what you said .

[@emd645e3c]

@chopperking1122 They weren't powering them too hard for to long. I seem to recall they were all back out running again the following day.

[@chopperking1122]

most australian loco hill climb videos are the best on youtube , im amazed all the wiring doesnt burn out or something

[@NoBody-ht1oh]

Short time rating adherence. Plus any wheels slip immediately drops amperage right down

[@Muggar62]

Every inch is that little bit closer LOL.

[@steamingeagle7552]

now thats a struggle

[@Granrock578]

Amazing!!!!

[@sparton00678]

is that near chewton.love it

[@collinblack_60103-]

Either there was a speed restriction at the bottom of the grade or no sand in the sanders or the guards pencil was heavy?

[@emd645e3c]

It's actually the other way around...DC doesn't like low speed. Starts burning out traction motors. AC is ok with low speeds.

[@jamesbarnes7228]

No sand?? Old timers could get a train up a grade and down a grade. Who remembers the feed valve?

[@michaeld53]

this is like watching a star trek show when the captain says dead ahead slow.!!! roll down the windows and turn the a/c off the little engine that could, I think I can, I think I can , I KNOW I COULD!! well no wonder it struggled, those last two engines weren't cooperating

[@Muggar62]

Is this frustrating/challenging for loco drivers or all part of a days work?

[@S311]

That driver should be given a knighthood!

[@rearspeaker6364]

notch 5 or 6??

[@robbieberry9700]

I was waiting for something to bang

[@BUNCHofxs]

You can see it stop, then lunge forward. over and over, thats cool

[@thomasmatthewharris1980]

Should a G or a N class locomotive to help

[@Jer0tube]

What exactly is meant by "stalled"? Unable to pull the train any further?

[@emd645e3c]

Yea. Railway term for unable to lift the load.

[@Jer0tube]

So what would happen from there? Sorry, just an inquisitive newby to rail.

[@emd645e3c]

In this case, they persisted and finally made it. But usually it's considered a total failure and has to wait until a relief loco/loco's can be sent out to either push from the rear, or attach to the front. This can take a lot of time depending on where the nearest loco is and being able to get a crew to man it. In this case, it was holding up a busy passenger line, so they kept going. The problem with persisting is, if they are DC loco's ( as in this case ), it can damage the traction motors by overheating them.

[@Jer0tube]

Cool, yeah I figured they were straining quite hard! There must be so much torque being applied there! Thanks for the info!

[@markryan5493]

Are they still there?

[@bigman4225]

hi steve. was this late december 09? i may have been on this one if t378 was offline

[@emd645e3c]

It was Wed 23/12/09. IIRC this might have been 378's first run on a freight on hire, and I seem to recall it had overheating issues for a little while when it first went out on hire.

[@bigman4225]

@@emd645e3c hi steve. yes and it didnt help that we had no choice but to keep running her into the ground. im not a gunzel as such, i just have respect for the old girls as they were what i drove most of my career

[@NoBody-ht1oh]

A G or 81 would have marched that right up there

[@skidmark7119]

all u can smell is burnt wire,s,look,s look,s like they need 2 up grade loco,s!