Strange & Extreme TRAINS and Locomotives - PART 1 - Strange & Extreme Machines

[@BrassLock]

After the AA-20 was "quietly scrapped", no doubt the Engineering Design Team were quietly given a one-way rail ticket to a Siberian Gulag.

[@levroadkiller433]

Haha, a funny joke (no). The author forgot by stupidity to mention that the AA20 is an experienced steam engine, in which much was used for the first time, so it should not have been a flight just like an airplane.

[@rexluminus9867]

That AA20 was left in the Gulag with them too.

[@NERRP2017]

Basically a Russian 2-10-2 it was but a 2-10-2 on steroids

[@sockshandle]

@@NERRP2017 so long it straightened curves so to speak lol

[@NERRP2017]

fred white YEAH LOL

[@jppicur]

Notes:-The Fontaine locomotive demonstrated extensively on Canada Southern, one of the few lines in the Detroit area with enough straight, fast stretches to determine the locomotive's speed potential.-The Holman stacked-driver locomotive was known as "Holman's Absurdity."-Contrary to the narrative, the Erie L-1 0-8+8-0 did not burn "low grade coal." It burned anthracite, a very hot burning coal that also burns very slowly. It must be spread thinly to burn efficiently, hence the large grate surface of the Graham-Colburn (not Wootten) firebox. [Wootten stole the idea, patented it, but could not defend the patent against Graham & Colburn. Nevertheless, the Wootten name stuck, historically.] This locomotive is not a Camelback, which properly describes only a locomotive with the entire cab structure mounted above the boiler. The proper term for this style of two-cab locomotive is "Mother Hubbard."

[@jacquesblaque7728]

I've seen it written that these super-wide fire-grates were also an adaptation to enable burning what they called "culm"- the fines from breaking up and handling anthracite. Economics kicked in.

[@priceman141]

Thank you for pointing that out

[@martinsims1273]

Thank you for this information. It's good to know the real facts. It's a bit like "Stephenson" valve gear, which is really "Howe" valve gear. Mr Howe invented and perfected it. He was an engineer who worked for George Stephenson, and it was a Stephenson locomotive which first used this type of valve gear. George Stephenson publicly acknowledged and acclaimed Mr Howe as the inventor of this valve gear, and put this in writing, as well as giving Mr Howe a sum of money in recognition of his contribution to the development of the steam locomotive, but (I believe partly due to the reporting in the press at the time, and partly due to the fact that Mr Howe was an emoyee of Mr Stephenson, as well as that it was first used on a Stephenson locomotive), the name "Stephenson" stuck with this valve gear.

[@peterperigoe9231]

@@jacquesblaque7728 Where I live, there used to be anthracite very near the surface, it was powdered and mixed with yellow clay, to form Collum (perhaps "culm") balls, which could be burnt in an open fire place.

[@jacquesblaque7728]

@@peterperigoe9231 It is my (outsider's) understanding that the fines resulting from handling anthracite were known as culm, which was burned on the huge grates of "mother hubbard" locomotives. Gotta guess that the price was right.

[@chuckfink7419]

Camelbacks, also called Mother Hubbards for obvious reasons, were built to handle anthracite coal; not a lower quality coal. Being harder than bituminous, anthracite needed a larger firebox to burn efficiently but it gave more heat per pound than bituminous. Anthracite also had the distinct advantage of being more readily available in the areas served by railroads that used Camelbacks.Since fireboxes were already about as deep as a fireman could throw a shovel full of coal (no powered stokers yet), fireboxes for anthracite had to be wider...so much wider that there was no room left for the engineer.

[@Saviliana]

No, they also used in war time with low quality/ other low heat rate fuel whatever the firemen could find, most of them used in middle east/pacific colonies during war that had been convert into using charcoal wood or even wooden furnishing form their own coachs (in one extreme case of a train seized by the japenese in burma, in the late stage of the war the train and other locomotive had to retreat towards to vietnam but allied air raids had cut off fuel source, so the firemen on that train put everything into the firebox to try escape, but eventually they ran out of good tracks and had to set up explodsive to destory their trains, in the middle of the jungle.) instead of standard coal.

[@cliffleigh7450]

Garratt locos are neither strange nor extreme. There were hundreds built and run successfully.

[@martinsims1273]

Beyer-Garratt's are a brilliant, and very successful design of steam locomotive.

[@LDaniel_BDuce]

Strange as in looked different than what you normally see.

[@UP4014]

I’m pretty sure there are some that are running today

[@cliffleigh7450]

@@UP4014 Sure are - here's two different ones on one day: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4eUp51rYsqVnLM

[@Flyingscotsman19_23]

UnionPacific4014 Productions hmm are you sure about that since I am the most famous steam locomotive in the world

[@jayski9410]

I never knew how much experimentation went on with steam locomotives. This is the first time I'd heard of the electric and turbine versions. Thanks for the education.

[@AF.281OldChannel]

Electric steam locomotives? That sounds amazing.

[@martinsims1273]

Strange, but true! I wonder how many cups of tea they managed with each filling of this electric kettle!

[@Marco_Diamanti]

To be honest this kind of stuff would really be cool to see in a lot of countries, zero CO2 emission and you can enjoy the marvelous wiew and trip in an old fashioned steam locomotive

[@cavejohnson4306]

An electric steam locomotive would run entirely on water and overhead power, as long as the electricity is renewable it is a zero emission locomotive.

[@cbmech2563]

@@Marco_Diamanti and zero co2 emissions are needed because.......? Co2 is currently in the neighborhood of 400ppm, 150ppm is an extinction level event. Nasa satellite pictures show that the planet has gotten greener as co2 levels have gone up. Data suggests that instead of temperature following co2 that co2 follows temperature. The predominant element in the atmosphere that effects temperature is water vapor. Co2 is less than 2% of the atmosphere. Greenhouses typically add co2 up to 1200ppm to encourage growth. The upper limit on a nuclear sub is 8000ppm. In the 70s they talked about the coming ice age, in the 90s they screamed about the end of the world in 10 years from global warming (don't think anything happened) now it's climate change because that covers everything, hot or cold. This is all about control of the people's lives and the enrichment of the elite.

[@j.t.harrison3203]

If you like this locomotive idea I have a Russian 14 drive wheeled engine to sell you.

[@CrampedGrampy]

With one exception, I had not viewed these locomotives, not ever. Thankee for the fascinating, interesting information

[@jeffjordan3806]

Fascinating and informative. Thanks.

[@mike-rayner-videos]

very interesting video :) thanks for sharing.

[@absurdist5134]

Seconded.

[@prrsd4046]

Thirds

[@lightningstar6465]

Forth

[@priceman141]

I am working on a video called "Strange facts about trains"! Stay tuned!

[@warlordsquerk5338]

An interesting video, I wonders what an electric steam locomotive might be like but I NEVER imagined people actually built them! Also interesting the strengths and weaknesses of the steam turbine engine

[@graemedurie9094]

When i was growing up in the '50s Garratt locomotives were introduced on the NSW Govt Railways. They were a great sight drawing a goods train over the Blue Mountains, or heavy coal train in the Hunter region of the State. There's at least 1 preserved and it seems to get regular outings.

[@bluengine1258]

I love how the S2 has comically huge side-rods.

[@martinsims1273]

The coupling rods (side rods) had to be that big to take the power, also, the huge size around the crank pins is there to house roller bearings, instead of plain bearings.

[@the_autism_express]

And how the L-1s look like camelbacks on steroids

[@Vinyl_guy]

there on “special coal”

[@saltbombcreations8336]

@@Vinyl_guyHenry is jealous and trying to snort all of his welsh coal

[@TweetsieRailroader]

0:15 The Rail Zepplin was the basis for Hugo, a character in Thomas the Tank Engine.

[@EasyLife956]

I think one of them is kyaku

[@alainvanderpoorten1335]

And mighty mac

[@zoombini1831]

Alain van der Poorten might mac is narrow gauge and completely different

[@zoombini1831]

Didier Yu but it’s the same engine

[@microbusss]

the inventor should of put a cowling around the propeller with grates

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Very nicely put together video and very entertaining as well. Thanks for posting this.

[@raypeters4525]

GREAT ! PICTURES WITH PRINTED INFO ON ALL LOCOMOTIVES ! ENJOYED AND LEARNED ! THANK YOU !

[@flopsyrailwayproductions1434]

In the Thomas episode "Engine Of The Future" Hugo, a rail zeppelin, says that he's careful with his propeller when he comes into a station.

[@thetransportationguy7930]

Propellers are here to stopped very quickly Also even if they do now They didn’t have that technology back then

[@the_autism_express]

Whoever made the electric steam engines and fontaines: God speed

[@davesstuff1599]

Awesome video. I have always wanted to visit West Virginia to see a screw drive type train, used because of the steep mountain passes. In India the trains that climb the steep hills have a place for a man to stand at each front corner of the engine and throw sand on the rails for traction.

[@martinsims1273]

Yes, it's the "Darjeeling - Himalaya Railway, and all the steam loco's were 0-4-0's only, to get maximum weight on the driving wheels for traction. It's a world heritage site now, although sadly these days they also use diesel locomotives, and some of the steam loco's have been retired.

[@NonNoobber]

BrUh when a train goes up a steep mountain the driver pulls a cord to empty sand out of the sandbox and sand will spill out

[@kevinmacomber5067]

Excellent piece of work you put together here.

[@dozer1642]

Good stuff and very informative. 👍

[@markcarey8426]

I like the way people try all sorts of supposedly crazy ideas. In hindsight some of us scoff at them but they tried.

[@frankludwig314]

interesting and informative.. great that engineers were being creative, even if it didn't always work out

[@serpentstudios7768]

Garratts are a good type of an engine for me

[@adamchmielewski6162]

They are quite efficient

[@martinsims1273]

Garratt's are a good type of locomotive ANYWAY!

[@966Mako]

I'm not what you'd call a train nut, but some of the locomotives were absolute beast of things. At the time, it must've been something else to see something so big, that wasn't a building or a ship.

[@peters1127]

I learned something new today, never new about an Electric Steam Locomotive. Thank you, and an excellent vide0, love the choice of background music.

[@jdubbjazzbass]

that was cool and informative!

[@klbird]

Enjoyed the historical tour, the well researched source material, and the music.

[@hollyweaver4315]

i like trains of all kinds

[@noname-ug7ki]

So Iam i

[@michaelramsey82]

I want to know more about the electric steam engines! Always wondered if that was possible.

[@martinsims1273]

The Germans, at one time, built a diesel "steam" locomotive. Strange but true! It had a diesel engine driving an air compressor, which then powered a "normal" steam locomotive engine/chassis. What the advantage was, or the reason for building it, I do not know, or how successful it was.

[@evanclarke5561]

In Queensland, Australia, there used to be a sugar mill called the Moreton Central Mill in Nambour. When all steam trains at the mill were either preserved, sold or scrapped in 1967 a locomotive called Moreton was fitted with a diesel engine in its tender and was or is giving rides at a factory.

[@rameshdhavre794]

I would like say thanks for sharing 🙏

[@mityace]

The Erie L-1s like all Camelbacks burned Anthracite coal which is NOT a low quality coal. It is very high quality and the last stage before a diamond is produced. These locomotives needed the larger firebox because the anthracite is much denser than bituminous coal and is harder to burn, so you need a larger firebox to get enough burning at once. The large firebox was the reason for the Camelbacks. The engineer was put over the boiler to be out of the way of the fireman.

[@foxymetroid]

The steam-electric sounds like they'd be more efficient if they replaced the pistons and boilers with motors and use the available electricity directly.

[@100dampf]

But that would require materials to build new electric engines, which Switzerland didn't really have during the war. But there were plenty of steam shunting engines around and it was thought it would be easier to convert those. But beside the two prototypes it never went anywhere

[@dilliprasadsharma6254]

evolution of steam locomotive, a good educational materials.

[@SweetSunrising]

I thought naming the double ended farlie locomotive 'JANUS' was pretty cool, it actually does look like a locomotive version of the double faced Roman god

[@johnperkins8884]

Great video! Thanks for your efforts!

[@man4machine740]

Nice job. It would be nice to see any of those still in existence.

[@RobertPlattBell]

I've seen slideshows of these pictures before, but without text explaining them. Well done.

[@linkszwo]

interesting video - never seen some of these before

[@SimpleTruthThree]

Excellent presentation and very informative

[@TainoHans]

Very nice video!!!

[@SurelyYewJest]

Such amazing pieces of machinery that no kid ever sees even in rail museums. You also start to realize just how advanced heavy equipment manufacturing was so much further back in history than we think. These and many other examples have intricacies of manufacturing I didn't even know was possible over 100 years ago. Such marvels of engineering even though the overall science behind the powerplant was obsolete or nearly so even for the time.

[@Andreschannel_SA]

I like. And thank you for adding the metric system's figures into the applicable pieces of information.

[@HasioSznup]

great, rally great work

[@jaytrain06]

I've been on a garrett!😁

[@welshtrainspottingchannel]

Me 2 on the WHR

[@egutzlaff]

excellent work!!!!

[@isaiahwilliams2642]

The Electric Steam needs to make a comeback!

[@camelback5924]

L-1 is my favorite

[@onwheels2564]

Great, thanks

[@ralfgreen9585]

This is amazing!

[@euanwaugh4051]

2

[@euanwaugh4051]

2

[@roterakaten636]

Garrett's and the L-1 camel backs are my favorite. Would love to see someone. Build a camel back locomotive

[@donwright3427]

Got Garrets on Welsh Highland Railway

[@bobw222]

The Holman locomotives might have been seen as a way to easily use narrow gauge engines on tracks of larger gauges during the conversion to standard gauge. Three layers of wheels would be needed to keep the driving wheels turning in the correct direction.

[@the4tierbridge]

At 3:10, the official name is a Double Farlie, after its inventor, Robert Fairlie.

[@westharti8132]

Sehr informatives Video.

[@tracynation239]

A superb video. ♡ T.E.N.

[@DoubleMrE]

I wonder if the double-ended steam locomotives were oil-fired? 'Cause where would you store the coal and feed the firebox from?

[@algrayson8965]

DoubleMrE, the coal was over the rear engine unit and the water over the front. As water was used much faster than coal, the front engine would lose traction faster than the rear. On condensing Garratts there was very little water loss so that the rear engine would lose traction as the coal was consumed. Condensing locomotives were used in areas where the water was scarce and bad.

[@GottenPaprika]

There are still double fairlies being run on the ffestiniog railway in north wales and also they are still being built on site at the railway, plus it is were the rights to the design are.

[@mechamax7919]

for the fontain locos, REPLACE THE POWER WHEELS WITH GEARS! then it would have WORKED!

[@hexxoid9263]

That's what I was going to say!

[@neildahlgaard-sigsworth3819]

Jackierascal44 provided the gear teetch could take the load placed on them. The hammer blows from the cylinders working at high power settings with little or no cut off can be emense, especially from a 2-cylinder design. This is made worse if the engine slips. The teeth would have to stand up to the normal rotational forces plus any impact forces - not a good combination.

[@algrayson8965]

Shay, Climax, Heisler and other logging locomotives used bevel gears. While most were not large compared to rod locomotives on main line railroads a few were quite large.

[@kevinjwigner3038]

Wow, that was cool !!!

[@carlthornton3076]

Very Good!.

[@KenR208]

Never had seen many of these amazing machines before - remarkable! It's a pity we never had enough large museums to preserve these extreme failures and interesting attempts at "improvements"

[@billcobbett9259]

It didn't seem important at the time- nobody gave a thought to letting future engineers study these things. But with a set of drawings, a group of rich people can build replicas!

[@jjsmith7707]

I would kill to live in a world with electric steam trains. At least then they would still be in use.

[@jerielsolis5255]

3:44 I don’t know why but when I was younger I watch this video and this train kept appearing in my nightmares

[@welshtrainspottingchannel]

Maybe it is bc the engine is enourmous

[@aoilpe]

2:00 2 electrified locomotives I wouldn’t called „multiple“…8521 & 8522 With vapor generators, not boiler… The Fairlie patent belongs to the Ffestiniog Railway as a heritage from the Fairlie-Family. As I know was there just one Fontaine-Prototype …

[@zoombini1831]

The S2 is absolutely enourmous

[@robertglas5854]

Fascinating!

[@DavidTheNickjrFan2003]

I never heard or seen an electric steam locomotive

[@ikar0us]

About the Holman thing: From the image it looks as if it were rollbocks, for running the locomotive on a different rail gauge? Still a crazy idea, but with some basic sense.

[@billcobbett9259]

It occurs to me that the locomotive only rested on these smaller wheelsets, there was no attachment to the loco frames.

[@rudigerschmidt410]

Sehr Gut Grueße aus Berlin , Germany

[@HugeWolf1]

Kudos for giving source credit!

[@daviddavid5880]

Neato. Thanks.

[@genovon]

Great video. Thanks

[@alaneitzen6349]

Very interesting

[@cleon_1254]

Very Unique

[@sukoonmantra8436]

very nice ......👍👍👍👌👌

[@Packless1]

0:15 ...the shape and aerodynamics looks a lot like the later Shinkansen, ICE and TGVs to me...!

[@jimjardine4705]

Yes, these are of a particular interest. More info on them please!!

[@robertgift]

Interesting, well done video! Thank you, Priceman. Why was the 2-10-10-2 shipped in several pieces? Would the many wheels not distribute the weight well enough?

[@billcobbett9259]

It could not run in one piece over other railroads as it was too heavy. Therefore it was shipped in pieces and reassembled before going into service on the railroad that ordered it

[@equinociodeverao8155]

A lot of information!

[@aestheticcruise8807]

The rail zeppelin could have been successful if the following had been met.. 1. If the propeller had folding blades after it entered a station and using a seperate drive system, it would allow it to "crawl" into stations without needing the propeller. 2. More powerful diesel engine to achieve higher speeds and to climb steep inclines. 3. Larger fuel tank for longer range. 4. Variable pitch four blade propeller to fix the vibration and noise issues in the cabin.

[@ps7372]

7:00 I think the Big Boy loco got some competition now.

[@florjanbrudar692]

This locomotive doesn't exist anymore, if you read.

[@Thedarkness-10210]

Had

[@billcobbett9259]

Very informative. It's nice to be able to turn the music off and let the pictures and the captions tell the story.

[@jaredkennedy6576]

There were also the Cab Forwards, designed to handle long tunnels in the western US without asphyxiating the crew

[@arielfilmsinc1926]

Only Lionel was successful with the Turbine Steam

[@lysander.o.c.3580]

I bet mattel saw this video and was just like "yes"

[@twistedaxles9126]

They should have kept the electric heaters on the steam engines

[@DatKnuxz]

There some very uncanny vibe to these locomotives that I can’t describe..

[@daylightbigboy]

My favorite is the Swiss electric steam locomotive!

[@daylightbigboy]

The steam locomotive became a fixture in America and around the world. They made the world around them shake at their might. When you stood by one and felt the warmth of its fire and boiler and heard its gentle sounds, you would swear it was alive. 

[@algrayson8965]

@@daylightbigboy- The Iron Horse breathed! The “huff-huff-huff” sound of their exhaust. They had “legs” as well: the connecting rods, which some diesel-electrics and electrics had as well, gave the look of running legs. And the pounding of the track seemed like the “horse’s” “hooves” pounding the ground.

[@daylightbigboy]

@@algrayson8965 Reminds me of the time I asked

[@Taladar2003]

The George Benny Rail Plane would have been worth mentioning along with the rail zeppelin.

[@kenytha5]

3:12 my son thinks that they look like mighty and mac from thomas and friends

[@speedtowelmusic6944]

True

[@LOTUS-ARTS001]

thats the basis for em

[@the4tierbridge]

Erich Fonseca, a double Farlie, the mechanical term for this locomotive type, is his basis. You can find his specific type on the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales.

[@jaxixteen]

@@LOTUS-ARTS001 but slightly different

[@rsobr2game242]

A potential fix for the Fontaine engines is to connect the driving wheels with the wheels on top of them by adding gears of equal diameter to the wheels and connecting them with a chain.

[@WildBillCox13]

Grammar Police Approved! (Appropriate use of the apostrophe) Also, nice stuff. I'm happy to have watched.

[@mallet2882]

what are the locomotives at 0:10 ; and where is the location ? thx

[@RedMephis]

I was hoping the Union Pacific Big Boy would be on here, as it is truly an Extreme-Steam Locomotive.

[@jamesthornton9399]

Virgininians Wow.

[@jamesthornton9399]

The Garratt Locos are the seam version of the diesel Drive Set that is now almost univsersal around the world.

[@SteamKing2160]

this video is a reason why America does not give a crap about being crazy. its in our nature.

[@eolgrillo]

I really like AA-20, and i find it really sad that it didn't work :(

[@mariocar0727]

very kewl

[@id104335409]

That first picture makes me feel impotent.. :)

[@1chitlinwolfe]

The Jawn Henry should have made this list, but good video nonetheless.