Steam & Excursion > Here Comes UP 3985 Memories #6 with Driver Wheel slips!

7-16-1992 Jungo,Nevada Departure, after photo runby  I posted afew days ago. King Of The Hill.
This one is a re-post for sure.
But one of many fine memories!
You can really hear the after-echo of her whistle here!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/20 09:47 by RailRat.

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What a difference it makes in the exhaust when actual effort is being expended by the steam. I wish I had seen 3985 during her second career.

I remembered the front driver slipping .thanks for sharing and letting me relive it again and for everyone here.

Chris

Definitely worth the re-post!
Very cool!

Glad you folks enjoyed!
Makes all the work I've done of converting from VHS to Digital really worth it! (It took a few years to get my system working to produce Good Quality VHS conversions)

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

Just curious!  Was it typical in days of steam with the articulated engines that the front engine might be prone to slippage due to possibly lesser boiler weight at the front or am I in error thinking such?  I've never seen a diagram sheet for either the UP Challengers or the UP Big Boys that might show the weight on each engine with their set of drivers, but that might explain somewhat.

rrman6 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just curious!  Was it typical in days of steam
> with the articulated engines that the front engine
> might be prone to slippage due to possibly lesser
> boiler weight at the front or am I in error
> thinking such?  I've never seen a diagram sheet
> for either the UP Challengers or the UP Big
> Boys that might show the weight on each engine
> with their set of drivers, but that might explain
> somewhat.

Regarding this particular video segment, it's on the old WP which I do believe was restricted to 1% grades during original construction of the line.
This stretch of trackage went from all out flat from Winnemucca, heading west, to graduated to sharp steep grade pretty soon at Jungo.

Most modern freights approachin this grade, heading west, wind up the trains momentum to attack this grade all the way up to Antelope.

Most trains Do Not Stop here then start up again with a full load, but this was a special occasion, and the UP steam crew knew that it would be a task to attack this hill both during the runby (with passenger weight unloaded) and then upon departuure (with added weight of passengers)

I almost banked on the front drivers slipping upon departure, but wasn't sure it would happen, but it did.

Steve and Crew did a fine job of getting her moving forward again, I think the front engine is more prone to slip than the rear ones.

This was a perfect place to test and re-live the tractive and adhesion effort of the 3985, as well as the WP 401 class Challengers.

Don't think I answered your question, but thanks for viewing!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

rrman6 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just curious!  Was it typical in days of steam
> with the articulated engines that the front engine
> might be prone to slippage due to possibly lesser
> boiler weight at the front or am I in error
> thinking such?

Remember that the front engine sees the dirtiest rail condition, thus might tend to be a bit more prone to slip. 

 I've never seen a diagram sheet
> for either the UP Challengers or the UP Big
> Boys that might show the weight on each engine
> with their set of drivers, but that might explain
> somewhat.