Idea for a video: the whole "cleaning up" process after huge wars. Ie collecting the bodies, cleaning up the streets, filling the trenches back in, exploding bombs and mines, transporting all the equipment home. Sounds boring but I reckon it'd be mega interesting finding out what it takes to do and how much it costs

@isaackolman2861

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a great suggestion for "into the shadows"

@SephirothRyu

2 жыл бұрын

@@isaackolman2861 Eh, not really, aside from the "collecting the bodies" part. Into the Shadows usually goes for stuff that is, comparatively speaking, a bit harder to listen to for some people.

@isaackolman2861

2 жыл бұрын

@@SephirothRyu I can imagine there's a lot of death stuff in cleaning up battlefields, unexploded ordinance, blown off limbs and fingers, etc.

@SephirothRyu

2 жыл бұрын

@@isaackolman2861 Ah, fair point. If you include that, its definitely potentially a topic for that channel. But it could be done for other channels if they merely mention "this many people died in the line of duty cleaning up after the mess" instead of actually describing those deaths in detail. I mean, this is the channel that talking about particularly nasty diseases is relegated to. Yet, the Ryugyong Hotel of North Korea was a Geographics channel video. And they certainly didn't pull punches when talking about people "merely" dying or how building that thing basically did very bad things to all of North Korea.

@otacon5648

2 жыл бұрын

Upvote this idea pronto!

I'd be interest in a video on the Union Pacific EMD DDA40X. The largest and most powerful diesel-electric locomotive ever built.

@AmpcatProductions

2 жыл бұрын

I agree, that's GOTTA be a video-worthy megaproject

@randalhuffman8827

2 жыл бұрын

largest. but not the most powerful.

@BattleshipOrion

2 жыл бұрын

There was a DD35 too, cant leave it out.

@madmick3794

2 жыл бұрын

Never heard of it

@BattleshipOrion

2 жыл бұрын

@@madmick3794 Now you have?

The idea that 'catastrophic boiler explosions' were a factor in the replacement of steam locomotives by diesels is frankly ridiculous; boiler explosions were extremely rare in the 20th Century (usually firebox crown failures caused by low water). Diesels have the advantages of thermal efficiency and - perhaps more important - availability: i.e. a steam loco requires 5 hours of preparation; a diesel is ready when you push the start button.

@SirLANsalot

2 жыл бұрын

The other downfall of steam was with Diesels being able to be Multi-Unit with one crew. You could put 4 or 5 or more Diesels and have them all ran from a single cab, where as with a steamer you would need a crew for each locomotive. So all you needed to do was pay just 1 pair of guys to run a train, vs 3 guys per a locomotive on a train.

@tinkertaylor6965

2 жыл бұрын

@@SirLANsalot Good point. And this, of course, was also a factor in the demise of ultra-powerful single unit locos such as the GTELs and the EMD DDA40X.

@SirLANsalot

2 жыл бұрын

@@tinkertaylor6965 The reason the GTEL's died off was, as even stated by the vid, fuel costs due to its unique Bunker C oil. As for the DD40AX, it was a great locomotive, however IF it broke down somewhere while pulling a train, it took THREE SD40's or more locomotives to go rescue it and pull it back to the shop. This is where UP finally caught up to the other railroads by not putting all their "eggs in one basket". By that point in time other railroads like BN where already having 3 or 4 SD60's or the like in a train. If one died or broke, the others could still limp the train to the destination or nearby yard and swap out power. A practice that is still in use today.

@pohldriver

2 жыл бұрын

Also the federal regulations for boilers. Every so many months they had to be stripped down and inspected which took weeks. The cost of new tubes, stay bolts, all the coal that needed a fireman to tend while the locomotive sat. All on top of the hours it took to warm up a cold engine before you were even ready to start a fire in the firebox. Its basically an all day affair to safely start a steam engine.

@allangibson8494

10 ай бұрын

@@SirLANsalotBunker C isn’t “unique” - its the standard fuel for marine diesel engines used in ships.

I'm surprised you didn't mention the noise they produced. They were so loud that their use was restricted to mostly routes in the middle of nowhere to avoid complaints.

@Greatdome99

2 жыл бұрын

Ever heard one? I have. Not that bad. Noise was directed upward, not outward.

@madgavin7568

2 жыл бұрын

The engines produced significant amounts of heat as well. Reportedly if the locomotives were idling underneath a bridge the sheer heat from the engine would actually cause the asphalt road to melt.

@normvandenhandel4462

Жыл бұрын

They were called “big blows” due to their noise.

@JAMESMANHUNT9

10 ай бұрын

​@@madgavin7568if a bird flew too close the crew got a free lunch

@mrvwbug4423

10 ай бұрын

@@Greatdome99 Most people alive today would never have had the opportunity. The last GTELs were phased out before 1970, and UPRR hasn't committed to restoring any to operational status for their historic fleet, they have a gen 3 sitting at the historic shop in Cheyenne along with a few tenders for it but UP has yet to green light the restoration, with the Big Boy project completed maybe they might opt to restore the GTEL that is parked in Cheyenne as I don't see them restoring any more big steamers, and they've restored a bunch of E9s already.

Yes please do more freight trains. Or road trains in Australia.

@professormetal4411

2 жыл бұрын

Would love to see a video on traction engines, but not strictly Australian ones... Honestly, Case is probably the best candidate for a manufacturer to do a video on traction engines. Edit: matter of fact, I've actually got quite a bit of footage he could use in a video if he decided to make one, which I recorded in November this year. Some of it is on my channel, if you'd like to take a look.

@shaneeslick

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, Simon's take on our Road Trains would be really cool 😁

@craigquann

2 жыл бұрын

I'd love to drive a road train. But their not that much more powerful than Most north American trucks. In Canada we run 2 53' trailers between Ontario and the east coast. Out in Alberta there was a pilot project to run 3 53' trailers. But that was a narrow corridor. Granted you Aussies probably get away with alot more weight overall in the end.

@joshelliott-batt1267

2 жыл бұрын

@@craigquann On closed roads in mine sites (still very big distances) its not uncommon to run 6 or more trailers along with aux power units half way down the length of the truck in Aus. 3 and sometimes 4 is common on the Roads in the outback.

@miff227

2 жыл бұрын

Sea Trains!

I was hoping that you might mention the humorous nickname of the GTEL's, which was "bird burner" since the hot exhaust gas from the turbine was expelled from the top of the locomotive at about a 45-degree angle, scorching any unsuspecting bird on a signal bridge or other perch.

@Oldjohn52

2 жыл бұрын

I was hoping he'd mention the unbelievable, screaming noise. Those things could be heard MILES away.

@jacquesblaque7728

2 жыл бұрын

I've heard they were commonly called "Big Blows," because of the loud exhaust noise. Easily tracked passively.

@plisskenationbackfromthede3657

2 жыл бұрын

Ive also heard "asphalt melter" since it would buckle the asphalt if left running under a bridge

@thejudgmentalcat

2 жыл бұрын

They had it coming Jk, I love birds. They're delicious

@caileanshields4545

2 жыл бұрын

I believe that nickname was most commonly applied to the 3rd-gen GTELs, though in hindsight it could equally apply to all 3 generations lol

2:10 - Chapter 1 - A brief history of the locomotive 4:00 - Chapter 2 - Enter the diesels 5:10 - Chapter 3 - Development 8:00 - Chapter 4 - Specs 9:40 - Chapter 5 - 1st generation 11:35 - Chapter 6 - 2nd generation 12:10 - Chapter 7 - 3r generation 14:10 - Chapter 8 - Experimental coal burner 15:05 - Chapter 9 - The end of the GTELS

@murfelpurf5556

2 жыл бұрын

I would recommend university and private research reactor history in the US. Explore the birth of General Atomics brand of packaged TRIGA units.

@32Benjy32

2 жыл бұрын

Not all hero's where capes!

Bunker C was a residual of the cracking process in refineries and was one step above road tar. The refineries had no use for it and would practically pay you to take it off there hands. Since it was cheap it became the preferred fuel for steam locomotives and steam ships. My dad worked as a locomotive fireman after high school to earn money for college for a line that burned Bunker C and said one of his first duties on boarding a locomotive was to open the valve that sent steam into heating coils in the fuel bunker to warm the fuel enough that it would flow. Second, in the early Sixties, refineries discovered they could make products from Bunker C that could be sold for higher prices than selling it as fuel, so supplies dwindled and prices rose relative to things like fuel oil and diesel fuel. This was one of the nails in the GTEL's coffin. By the way, the GTEL's (especially the 8500 hp models) were nicknamed "Big Blows" and the exhaust was LOUD . Also, there were three reasons for the electric transmission 1) no mechanical transmission of the time could withstand the power 2) DC traction motors give their most power at starting (there is a maxim that any locomotive can keep in motion any train it can start) which is what the railroads wanted 3) DC traction motors and control circuits were established technology, having been used since the teens in heavy electric locomotives

@doubleq1223

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this

@TucsonBillD

10 ай бұрын

Actually, your “maxim” isn’t quite right… it really is that a steam locomotive could pull a train it couldn’t start, while a diesel could start a train it couldn’t pull. The reason for this is that steam and diesel power curves are opposite. Even today on most mainlines here in the US you will see trains with 10 or more diesel locomotives.

@ReggieArford

10 ай бұрын

@@TucsonBillD And the occasional "rescue" of such a train by ONE steam engine on tourist duty.

@frederickmfarias3109

9 ай бұрын

They used Bunker B a one-step up higher grade.

@ROBERTNABORNEY-jx5il

Ай бұрын

@@TucsonBillD TOTALLY wrong. Try again

Now you need to do a follow up video on the Union Pacific (UP) double diesels of the 1960s. UP decided that they wanted diesels that could produce the horse power of the GTELs but do it more efficiently with a more advanced diesel locomotive. They purchased EMD’s DD35 & DD35A (5000 hp) and DDA40X (6600 hp) GE U50s (5000 hp) and ALCO C855A & B (5500 hp) which used recycled 1st Gen GTEL running gear and the U50C (5000 hp) which used recycled big blow trucks. They lasted in service about as long as the GTELs. In the 1990s UP was still looking for high horsepower single locomotives and ended up buying the EMD SD90MAC-H (6000 hp) and GE AC6000ACWs (6000 hp) but they lasted about as long as the GTELs & double diesels.

As someone who has actually seen one of these GTELs (Ogden Union Station has UP X-26 on display) they are really quite amazing to see, even as a static display.

@kevinboothe9991

2 жыл бұрын

I live in Ogden, Utah and pass it every day. They got the nickname of the Big Blow.

@russetwolf13

2 жыл бұрын

I work there, did ya see her before or after the paint job?

@W12CO1

2 жыл бұрын

Saw #18 at Illinois Railway Museum, there are truly amazing. Massive is an understatement.

@kevinboothe9991

2 жыл бұрын

@@russetwolf13 yes, several times, she looks good now

@aelitadelarobia

2 жыл бұрын

@@W12CO1 same here, I have pictures of her cab floating around somewhere

Random fun memory for train enthusiasts: My dad grew up in Colorado (50's), and went to school near the peak of a hill with rail line running within sight of said school. He has recounted many times about watching diesel locomotives help steam engines pull loads up the hill.

@usiak13

2 жыл бұрын

I do this all the time. I push our heavy electric trains over the hills between Slovakia and Czech republic with diesel engine

@MrStark-up6fi

2 жыл бұрын

Epic

@MrMikado282

2 жыл бұрын

Depending on the route it can be impractical to have multiple locomotives pulling a train if it only needs the extra power on a small section of that route. Helper or pusher engines have been stationed at the start of grades on many railroads for this purpose. Prior to diesel adoption by railroads this duty would be performed by steam locomotives, normally older or not as powerful models would be used unless the grade and loads were especially heavy. With diesels taking up the jobs of these less powerful and scheduled for retirement steam locomotives by the 30-40s most pusher services would have been diesels. Even though steam locomotives still hadn't been truly beaten in terms of power economics replaced them with diesels everywhere possible.

@pohldriver

2 жыл бұрын

That was likely because they were tall wheeled long distance engines. The Horseshoe Curve always had helper locomotives to get them to the other side of Galitzen tunnel. To do otherwise risks snapping or bending a drive rod. Even Nickel Plate Road 765 used the heritage units to get through the Curve for a passenger excursion. The Reading 2100s were designed to run coal in the mountains and didn't need helpers.

Standard track gauge is 4 ft 8.5 inches (1.435 m) in North America. The Big Boy steam locomotives also peaked at 6,300 hp.

@104thDIVTimberwolf

10 ай бұрын

Standard Guage is a worldwide standard, except in Russia, which changed to a different guage, so no European country (we're looking at you, Germany) could simply roll into Russia to invade after the Second World War.

There is however a running Big Boy locomotive that was recently restored. It is a sight to behold.

@justanotherasian4395

2 жыл бұрын

4014 stopped in college station a few years ago. You really don't understand how big they are until you are standing next to one

@Merescat

2 жыл бұрын

I saw it in Ft Worth a few months back. "It was huge" is such an understatement!

@Zankaroo

2 жыл бұрын

It stopped in a neighboring town on its way home after being restored. Here is it coming in, kzread.info/dash/bejne/aZqY27eoZtXffLA.html

@TheSlamburger

2 жыл бұрын

I had the pleasure of see 4014 steam past in my home town. There’s really nothing quite like it.

The Big Boy No. 4014 was returned to service in May of 2019. What a beast! A fantastic sight!

@TucsonBillD

10 ай бұрын

No, it’s not. BigBoy delivered about 6500 hp. Other US steam locomotives that surpassed that included the C&O Alleghenny which developed around 7930 hp, and the PRR Q2 which developed 7952 HP at the drawbar.@@sigmcarthy4246

@mrvwbug4423

10 ай бұрын

@@sigmcarthy4246 there is some debate as to whether the Big Boy or the 3rd gen GTEL has more tractive effort. The GTEL may actually have been able to put more torque to the wheels, but due to lighter weight and smaller wheels may not have been able to maintain traction at that torque level. The Big Boy due to its sheer weight can put more torque to its wheels without slipping.

@yambo59

10 ай бұрын

The Alleghanys were very powerful steam engines as well, never see anything about em

I worked for GE's International Department GETSCO in the 70's and early 80's. I ran into these ''Locomotive'' gas turbines still operating driving refinery compressors and generator sets. They were known as Frame 3 Five bearing turbines. The Bapco Refinery in Bahrain had one and it self destructed while I was standing next to it. I heard a strange sound that got louder by the second. I jumped over a railing and hit the kill button in mid air. Normal coast down time from 7100 operating rpm to stop is 20 minutes. This stopped in 25 seconds and I hid behind a shaking concrete column waiting to die. It shook like a wet dog and spalled concrete chips fell on me. During the process of trying to make a running gas turbine out of a few spare units, we found that the existing 1st stage turbine wheels were cracked. GE found a UP locomotive in a museum somewhere and had the turbine wheel removed and inspected to send to Bahrain by chartered jet to get the Platformer Hydrogen Compressor up and running again. They agreed to reassemble the museum engine in the deal. It ran for a few more years. There were 2 other locomotive units that I really enjoyed. They ran generators in an Ecopetrol Oil Camp in the mountains South of Barrancabermeja, Colombia. These units were inside a power house and were very clean with the generators, gear boxes, and intakes painted in different bright colors. This was about 1979. The new Frame 3 gas turbine built to replace the locomotive engine design was a shorter much improved 4 bearing unit mostly used for driving refinery compressors, but Chevron had 5 oil tankers powered by a single regenerating Frame 3 each. They drove a generator which turned a huge 100rpm constant speed synchronous motor driving the propeller shaft. They had a variable pitch propeller to provide forward, neutral, and astern. I got to be there for the engine overhauls for all 5 tankers. I wish I had the opportunity to see a UP Big Blow operate.

I got to ride in a few of those GTELS in the mid-late 60's when I was a kid. it was awesome.

@Syclone0044

2 жыл бұрын

How loud was it inside? Did operators need hearing protection? Did it sound like an airliner?

@FFred-us9tw

2 жыл бұрын

@@Syclone0044 The generation of GTEL's running in the 60's had the Turbine in the second unit so the lead unit only had a small diesel in the back. So the cab's were quieter then a typical diesel at full RPM.

Very nice! Thank you. I am 67 and I’ve been a train junkie ever since I was five. Had model trains O27 and HO gauge. Still have them although they are in a box, no room to set them up. In high school I did a paper on the transcontinental railroad. In Omaha to this day you will see the occasional business with the words Golden Spike in their name. There was even a Golden Spike drive-in theater. 1991-2001, the AAA baseball team (Farm club of Kansas City royals) was called the Golden Spikes. The series Hell on Wheels Gives a fairly decent portrayal of the building of that railroad.

Since you covered F1 in the past, I think you would be fascinated by Group B WRC. They were the most advanced, powerful, and dangerous rally cars ever. They weren’t nicknamed ‘Formula 1 of the Forrest’ for nothing

@goosenotmaverick1156

2 жыл бұрын

Anything Group B, I'll take it!

@sumdumguy6449

2 жыл бұрын

It's group b anyone would like mostly carguys tho but still QUATTRO S1 STILL THE BEST CAR EVER INVENTED ITSHAL NEVER BE DETHRONED

@benreid3022

2 жыл бұрын

Completely agree, would love to see a group b rally video, some real amazing cars in that era that would make an awesome video 😄

@GithinjiMuruki

2 жыл бұрын

Spot on!!!!

@sberry80

2 жыл бұрын

You should send this to him in a dm so he for sure reads it, because its a great idea

Suggestion: Great Northern's Old & New Cascade Tunnel (also BN and now BNSF) Also Steven's Pass electrification. The construction and operation of the tunnel is fascinating!

@bethnovicki8438

2 жыл бұрын

Yes!!!! This would be amazing! The Iron goat pass and trail in Skykomish. You can view the partially closed tunnels, view and walk the switchbacks, read about how it was built, the "snow tunnel" has collapsed, but the town at the terminus is represented with signs and old photos. The town and building of the train route was very much a "Hell on Wheels" The Shay and Climax(?) I believe where the engines of choice. Also on the trail you can see the modern track and tunnel!

Something he didn’t mention was why they were only used out west in sparsely populated areas. Because the gas turbine engines were deafeningly _LOUD!_ Much more so than diesels..

@littlearsehole75

2 жыл бұрын

Aha!

@mrvwbug4423

10 ай бұрын

Which had to have been something. Big steamers like the Challengers and Big Boys are already incredibly loud compared to more average sized steamers because of the sheer size of their drive cylinders. I've seen 3985 start moving in person without DDA40X helping it and it was as loud as any jet engine. Though steamers tend to quiet down once they get momentum and aren't having to push max steam to the drive cylinders.

I love it when you guys cover trains

@everettthepetractionguy4222

2 жыл бұрын

Yep! Me too! Trains are the Greatest!!! 👍😁

Simon: Says that the GTELs won’t likely ever be restored to operation. Me: looks at UP’s history of restoring outdated and obsolete engines back to active service.

@TomRedlion

2 жыл бұрын

Not to mention #844 was the only steam loco to never be retired.

@oregonrailfan7046

2 жыл бұрын

Dude they will not restore a GTEL it’s impractical they drink fuel like crazy they took one into Los Angeles ones and never did it again because it was so loud so they cant run in cities and their exhaust is so hot it cooks birds the EPA wouldn’t allow that

@packard5682

2 жыл бұрын

@@oregonrailfan7046 A very good friend of mine was a crewman on these GTELs. His run was from North Platte, NE to Cheyenne, WY. He said that when they would run under the Jeffers Street overpass in North Platte, the exhaust would blow all the birds out from under it! He said it was a great way to solve the pigeon problem! He also said that they were almost as noisy at a stop 'idling' as they were going down the track. Most of the UP workers hated them and were glad when they were no more.

@oregonrailfan7046

2 жыл бұрын

@@packard5682 exactly thats why one will never be restored

@volvodoc01

11 ай бұрын

I’d love to hear and see one run some day… but the sheer cost of it, and the fuel would make it most unlikely…. If someone got the parts on the cheap to convert it to diesel fuel maybe…. But besides idling it, fuel cost would be massive.

Bunker "C" is also referred as #6 residual fuel oil in the API specifications, and as mentioned is now used mainly as feedstock for polymers (plastics). While early diesels were in the 1,500 hp range, using MU controls a train dispatcher could assemble multiple units to required horsepower, ie. 4 X 1,500 = 6,000 hp. When I worked as a hostler for Canadian National in the 1960's we were limited to "lashups" of no more than 24 powered axles as any more and the traction effort on starting would pull the drawbars out of the last unit or the first car.

@HauntedXXXPancake

2 жыл бұрын

Now I'm no expert, but the fact that it can be used as a fuel AND to make plastics makes me think this might not exactly be ethanol 🤣

Yes, I requested this alway back on the Big Boy Mega Project. Thank you

Fun facts: the engine was named The Big Blow, they had issues with long tunnels because they would use up all the oxygen in the tunnel and flame out before they go to the other end of the tunnel, a viaduct over the tracks coming out of Ogden, Utah was almost burned down because the engineers stopped one of these engines underneath it and instead of moving it past the bridge or shutting it down (which really wasn't an option).

My father and uncle were toy train hobbyists, and as such I was taken to Illinois Railway Muesum many times as a child since we're from the area. The museum has one of two left in the U.S. I believe. I remember standing next to it since it's a static display. Thing is massive. Anyways great video as always.

@safetymikeengland

10 ай бұрын

I was at IRL yesterday. That is an amazing place.

Next time you get the chance to do a video railroading related, consider the Erie Triplexes as a Megaproject? They were steam locomotives with three sets of drive wheels.

@elsden722

2 жыл бұрын

What started your passion for trains?

@Train_Tok_Man

2 жыл бұрын

@@elsden722 This might not be a surprise, but it was Thomas the Tank Engine. In fact, one of my first toys I was allowed to pick out was a Thomas & Friends train set.

@justanotheryoutubechannel

Жыл бұрын

@@Train_Tok_Man Same here, I grew up in England and saw that show every day, that along with seeing trains go through my town and riding the heritage line at bluebell helped to expand my interest. For a long time I honestly thought US trains like the big diesels and the steam ending Ex with spark arrestees were something made up for old American films because I never saw them on English railways or read about them as all my books were based off railways in Britain.

Some ideas for you Simon: 1) The StG44 - "Grandaddy" of the Modern Assault Rifle 2) Ss Andrea Doria - Large Scale Rescue operation at Sea 3) HMS Hermes - The First Purpose built Aircraft Carrier 4) Battle of Kursk - The largest tank battle in history 5) Operation Barbarossa - The Largest Ground invasion on history

@bent3084

2 жыл бұрын

Aside from #2 they all seem like good SIDEprojects...a tank battle is not a mega project? Nvm, I forget anything that was the first of its kind is a MEGA project here.

@jed-henrywitkowski6470

2 жыл бұрын

There is no such thing as an "assault weapon". The term was propaganda term, coined by the National Socialist German Workers Party.

I'm surprised you didn't mention the insane amount of noise they created. Steve Lee, the guy who was in charge of the UP steam program claimed they made about as much noise as a 747 at takeoff. They were nicknamed "Big Blows" and were banned from entering major cities. They also had a huge exhaust stack that got especially hot. There's a story in which one was idling with the giant exhaust stack underneath a bridge which lead to the asphalt melting due to the immense heat generated by the engine.

How could you neglect to mention that these engines were referred to as "Big Blows" because of the jet exhaust and the tremendous noise they made?

Random fact about the "bird burners". They were banned from running the turbine engines within city limits in some places because of either noise, or because the exhaust melted asphalt on brides they passed under or were left idling under.

@cadespencer6320

2 жыл бұрын

brides?

@madgavin7568

2 жыл бұрын

@@cadespencer6320 Bridges.

Simon, I must say with me being deployed right now...your videos help a lot with the melancholy, being away from family friends and America. So I thank you so much

I'd kind of like to see a Mega Projects on the Norfolk and Western's big three(The A-class, J-class, and Y6-class) which were considered the pinnacle of steam technology.

Don't say slim to none for a restoration. They said the same thing about the UP 4014 Big Boy. It would cost too much to restore a Big Boy. But, we now have one roaming the rails again. Very nice thorough video again though. Love your channel.

Can you cover the history of The Thunderbirds? It's an ever evolving story, pushing the limits of the modern military fighters, sometimes ending in tragedy.....

US GTELs may be dead, but across the pond and in the cold area of Siberia you can find its distant Russian Cousin... It is the GT1 that is currently flying around with their petroleum products, running a modern gas turbine engine.

The 8500 series are cool, but nothing is like seeing a Big Boy. Got to see 4014 on her first tour.

@jimmyhook4852

2 жыл бұрын

Heh.... thoughts on the two other tours 4014 did for the remainder of 2019 as well as the one he did last year from August to September of 2021? :)

@michaelosgood9876

Жыл бұрын

As a neutral, from New Zealand, I'd travel all the way to USA to witness either 18 or 26 cranking, if possible. I doubt if I'd travel so far for a Big Boy. With respect.

That really was interesting. I drive crews that work for, mostly UP, to in from their trains and the depot. And seeing this older style of train is fascinating, since they now climb in through the nose.

one of the variants used propane.......... * Hank Hill's eyes emits a bright glow * 🚋👓🔥🔥

I had the great fortune of being in the right place at the right time on numerous occasions. A couple of these involved these locomotives. My best friends grandfather had worked for Union Pacific and told of the coal, gas turbine locomotive. He said “It sounded like a huge jet engine at full throttle punctuated by a clanging sound from the periodic failure of a turbine blade”. Years later I was living in Kansas City Kansas and just across the river was a company called Intercontinental. They had a string of these sitting on the tracks out back. I asked for and was granted permission to climb on them and take photos. Unfortunately my camera failed that day but I enjoyed the experience. Two years later they were cut up for scrap. I looked them over in the summer of 1987.

Considering you've now done the most powerful steam locomotive and the most powerful turbine, have you considered touching on the "Horsepower War" between Electro-Motive General Motors & General Electric which bought 5000 and 6000 Horsepower locomotives out of the specialized market and into the regular catalogs?

The GTEL idea was revived for the "rail jet" passenger locomotive..a prototype was tested. But suffered from the same issues as the GE freight locos.

"The Neverending Quest for Horsepower" would be a great name for a video all about advancements in propulsion. I would watch the heck out of that.

@ashipnerdoffical4260

2 жыл бұрын

Hey, it might actually make a great series actually. 🤔

The Cascade tunnel (7.8 miles) would be a great one. I traverse it often, but seeing the construction/history would be cool. Or even the wellington Avalanche.

A few rail-related ideas for you Simon: 1. DD40AX (already been mentioned) and DD35AX 2. ALCO's C-855 (A&B units) 3. GE's U50 4. N&W's Y-class series of steam locomotives 5. Erie RR's Triplexes (already been mentioned) as well as Virginian RR's Triplexes 6. Virginian RR's AE86 7. Virginian RR's EL-2B 8. Milwaukee Road's "Little Joe" electric locomotives (could go well with a video about Milwaukee Road's 1100+ mile long Pacific Extension) It's a lot to chose to look at, but I think that some of these locomotives would make great videos either here or on one of your other channels.

@Duececoupe

2 жыл бұрын

Milwaukee Road's Class A 4-4-2?

@andrewkruszka1674

2 жыл бұрын

@@Duececoupe That's another good one, could go well with the F7 4-6-4s.

@Duececoupe

2 жыл бұрын

@@andrewkruszka1674 Love those as well, beautiful engines!

Unfortunately, Union Pacific made a critically poor design decision: they asked GE for power turbines that were optimized for the same cheap fuel as their oil burning steam engines: Bunker-C fuel. In the mid 1960's, plastic production skyrocketed, and the most popular form of plastic, polystyrene, was most efficient to produce with the heavy grades of oil that the UP used for the turbines. This made the formerly cheaper grades of heavy fuel oil too expensive to use in the turbine engines, and made the engines uneconomical to operate into the 1970's, and it would have required a completely new turbine to use a cheaper grade of fuel. That's what spelled the end of the line for these beasts 🙁

@justanotheryoutubechannel

Жыл бұрын

In a way, it was both the best and wort decision they made. These gas turbines ran on Bunker C which at the time was very cheap since it was waste oil, there weren’t many more grades of combustible oil cheaper than C, if any at all, plus there was already lots of infrastructure for using Bunker C and it was easily available on rail lines because of its steam heritage. The inefficiency of the turbines meant that fuel costs would be huge for anything higher grade than Bunker C, they were only kept in use for so long because they cheap fuel made them comparable or cheaper than diesel locomotives. Unfortunately, plastic made the fuel a lot more expensive, but switching to another grade of fuel probably wouldn’t have helped much because the other fuels were still expensive and no matter what you fuelled them with it wasn’t cheap enough to make it worth it.

At last, I've been working at the museum where X26 resides since 2016 (the image for "the end of GTELS" is the place), it's absolutely gargantuan, it dwarfed even the Big Boy when she showed up for the 150 year anniversary.

Labor costs were the primary driving force behind the steam to diesel changeover. Each steam engine required an engineer and fireman at a minimum, while three or four diesel units could be hooked up and run by one crew. The lack of water use was a bonus, especially in dry western areas.

I have seen one of these in person. What monsters these are. You should cover the English Electric GT3, the British GTEL

I will never say no to a eailroad video from you Simon. Great vid!

There's also an advantage with what is basically a jet engine is that it would happily munch on anything that's flammable (part of reasons why US Army loves Abrams tanks, they don't care if you feed them automotive diesel or gasoline, they all run off of those), so that meant train companies can keep using the same locomotive diesel fuel for both regular screaming oil bangers and turbine trains. It saved them money in term of logistics.

@FFred-us9tw

2 ай бұрын

These locomotives did not burn normal diesel fuel. They burned heavy bunker oil. They were not fuel efficient at all so it was imperative that they were able to burn cheap fuel.

Bunker C fuel hampered the GTELs service life as the cost went up and the demand to be used in other stuff like fuel for ships, plastics and the making of rubber. The exhaust angle caused wearing of locomotive’s shell to be covered in places with large black stains including the tops of the fuel tenders. It gained the nicknames of “big blow” and “bird burner” due to the of the hot exhaust being expelled from the top of locomotive at a 45 degree angle which would kill birds and complaints from trackside residents about the GTELs loud exhaust which got them banned from the greater LA area respectively.

I still want to see this channel do a video on the development, and history of the Colt M1911. Maybe some day. Also, I really enjoyed this video. Trains aren't typically a topic I find really interesting, but this video held my attention.

@andersjjensen

2 жыл бұрын

"One day John Moses Browning had one of his usual strokes of genius and today we call that the M1911. It's the only pistol to have seen over a hundred years of military service and is still the preferred side arm in armed forces who cannot afford the modern day polymer variants, from Glock and the like, who all still use the same locked breech tilting barrel mechanism. Because the mechanism is that good. It will probably be used for another 100 years to come. The end." :P

Great episode, Still my favorite set of engines! I don't believe UP ended up powering any of the tankers though. Just wanted to try doing it. Shame the 3rd Gen GTEL's nickname wasn't mentioned! They was called the Big Blows! Or bird cookers, Because any bird flying over the exhaust of the B unit would instantly be cooked in mid air and drop. Also one thing to note, The turbines was loud as you might expect. A low rumble and would shake or break windows in homes. So UP wouldn't start the turbines until they was out of town, At least the 3rd Gen.

Simon, you are just hitting it out of the park with great videos! The GTELS remain fairly popular with model railroaders, as do the Big Boys. Speaking of which, a Big Boy has been restored to running condition. Number 4014 returned to service in 2019.

I really enjoyed this video. Love trains. And I think it would be great to see more train content. You do such a great job!

I would love to see him do The Flying Scotsman and/or A1 & A3

Suggestion: Aircraft used in military precision flying teams, such as those flown in Navy's Blue Angels,The Blue Angels, F-14's I believe.

@havokvladimirovichstalinov

2 жыл бұрын

Angels are F-18s. Thunterbirds are F-16s

@MK-1010

2 жыл бұрын

And the Blue Angels used the F-4 before that.

@steveluke2395

2 жыл бұрын

With their variable swept wings, the F14 would have been too dangerous for the close flying performed by the Blue Angels, or Thunderbirds (which are AF, of course).

@AtheistOrphan

2 жыл бұрын

@@steveluke2395 - The F-14 is one of my favourite aircraft, and is justifiably still the pride of the Iranian Air Force. (The only export customer).

Great info. Thank you

Choo choo! Another great piece of American railroad history, and one I didn't know of before this. Great video, as always!

A lot of gas turbine technology came about in the Cheap-Fuel Art-Deco area. Take the Ford BigRed as another example.

With current technology, it's possible to build a safe nuclear reactor small enough to fit in a railroad car. Perhaps that will be the next evolution of locomotive engines.

@capndave9152

2 жыл бұрын

US railroads looked at nuclear powered trains in the 1950’s as part of the government’s Project Plowshare (which would make a good Megaproject. Safety concerns and public opposition to having a rolling nuclear reactor running through the neighborhood shut down that idea.

@christophergruenwald5054

2 жыл бұрын

It would be much more efficient and clean means of transporting masses goods. Given the correct nuclear technology is chosen. Public opinion would definitely have to make a massive swing for it to actually happen though.

@itsapittie

2 жыл бұрын

@@christophergruenwald5054 public opinion (i.e., ignorance) is what stands between us and affordable carbon-free energy. Technology like molten salt reactors makes nuclear energy extremely safe. I wouldn't hesitate to have a MSR literally in my back yard. I think what we're going to see is countries where the desire for energy outweighs public fears will make huge leaps forward in nuclear power generation while the US spends decades trying to figure out how to get sufficient from inefficient tech like wind and solar. Eventually we'll have to come around to nuclear by which time we'll have crashed both our economy and our ecology.

@Syclone0044

2 жыл бұрын

@@itsapittie sad but true

@Greatdome99

2 жыл бұрын

The deal-killer is cooling. Nuclear plants need huge amounts of water to keep things under control. It would take a whole freight train of water to do that.

When I think of big powerful trains, its the GTEL’s that come to mind. What monsters.

i want so much to comment on the beardy advert at the start but i've been a bit of a git in comments a few times and i do appreciate all these videos on all these channels. Happy new year and thanks to all the people who keep Fact Boy on our screens, and Happy new year and thanks to you too Simon

One of the things you forgot, is that the raging power plant noise was disliked by many along the railway. This helped in it's demise.

The Big Boy could only do 70mph, Mallard did 126mph with 7 coaches (that’s the real pinnacle of steam). At that speed it had flames and burning coals coming out of the chimney, and it broke all the windows at Little Bytham Station (because of the noise). Have those apples! 👍

@steveyorgason4199

2 жыл бұрын

Using two different measuring sticks here, speed vs power. Big Boy was engineered for, and measured by, tonnage over mountain passes. Tractive effort of the Mallard was only 157kN, Big Boy was 602kN. I grant that Mallard was the fastest, but that's not what this is about

@dannyfa7x

2 жыл бұрын

@@steveyorgason4199 I was about to say the same. It’s apples and oranges. The Mallard is one cool train no doubt but the Big Boy weighed nearly triple and was far more capable of pulling great loads. Maybe Simon can make a video about the Mallard for us train nerds.

@NextEevolution

2 жыл бұрын

I'd actually love the idea of Simon covering british steam locomotives, starting with the development of the steam locomotive and culminating to ever faster locomotives until Malllard.

@delurkor

2 жыл бұрын

@@dannyfa7x Damn, Geek Button pushed! A better comparison would be to ATSF 4-6-4, 3450-3460 classes. Drivers at 84" (2134mm). Probably run a good race with Mallard. And Simon; it's Standard Gauge, 4'8-1/2" (1,435mm for civilized countries).😁

@davefrompa5334

2 жыл бұрын

How much horsepower was it? (Mallard) The New York Central Niagara 4-8-4's produced 6000 horsepower on test, ran at 100mph on level track with 1000-ton passenger trains (about 15 heavy weight Pullman cars) when allowed to, They also ran 15,000 to 25,000 miles a month, a world record for steam locomotives. The Central rigorously tested them against two- and three-unit Diesels after the war. They were just as fast and powerful as the Diesels, and had better acceleration, The Diesels came off a little better on economy There were plenty of other good 4-8-4's The Santa Fe Northerns hauled thousand ton or more passenger trains the whole run between Kansas City and Los Angeles, including over several mountain ranges, often hitting 90-100mph speeds when making up time. Then they were sent back to complete the run in the other direction after just a few hours turn- around time Like most 4-8-4's, they also handled fast freight trains. As far as I'm concerned, America had the best all round steam power.

my dad hired out with Southern Pacific then Union Pacific bought out Southern, he retired with Union pacific.and he would always say the officers of the railroad were more concerned with getting a man suspended or layed off than making the company run better

I was such a model train buff as a kid, loved my UP engines. Great video good sir!

Couple things: 1) power is not tied to horses, it's simply "power" regardless of the chosen units. 2) one reason for the low efficiency of the UP GTELs is that GE religiously avoided any attempt to optimize their efficiency, something that went on with all their other gas turbines; still ongoing. 3) cooling air was of little interest with these units. 4) finding other uses for heavy oils (like plastics) made those oils too valuable to dispose of through these turbine locos, so the GTELs were disposed of.

@owenshebbeare2999

2 жыл бұрын

That's why most of the world uses Watts as they are the correct SI unit. Nothing equestrians required! The use of hp (be it bhp, shp, PS or whatever cave-man unit is preferred) is atavistic, and curiously American.

@sadwingsraging3044

2 жыл бұрын

@@owenshebbeare2999 cry more. Freedom units forever!

@andersjjensen

2 жыл бұрын

@@owenshebbeare2999 I live in a through-and-through metric country, but we still talk about power output of cars in horsepower because that's the point of reference everyone has. It's not a problem to whip out the pocket calculator and do the conversion should the need ever arise.... but I think it's ultimately got something to do with the fact that horsepower rating is a higher number than kW rating... and car guys like big numbers :P

@sadwingsraging3044

2 жыл бұрын

Cold air has a higher density. More oxygen per cubic _yard_ of air through the engine means more efficiency in fuel burn giving more power.

@jacquesblaque7728

2 жыл бұрын

@@owenshebbeare2999 Not really "American" any more than "British." Rather ignorant/un-educated.

Diesel locomotives didn't come about in general use until after WWII. Steam engines were generally phased out by the mid 1950's. I've been studying trains for 50 years.

Finally you cover the most powerful locomotive in the US The glorious bird burning road melting child waking earth shaking air baking Lung Caking power making GTEL If you have anything else that goes in that line feel free to comment an add and I put it in if it fits it

In a documentary series about railroads back in the 90s, the then head of the UP steam program, Steve Lee, said one time a GTEL was stopped under a road bridge, and the exhaust was so hot from the engine it melted the road service. Mega Projects suggestion: Horseshoe Curve near Altoona, Pennsylvania. A railroad landmark so critical to the US rail system, the Nazis targeted it during WW2.

3:54 This is simply an inaccurate statement. Boiler explosions were nearly unheard of. Out of around 200,000 steam locomotives built, there were around 50 boiler explosions. When you're making silly statements like that, how am I supposed to know if the rest of the video is factual? Do better.

@johnreynolds4974

2 жыл бұрын

There were well over 50 boiler explosions on steam locomotives.... But they were as rare as airliners crashing... It happens but it happens exceedingly rarely.

The inventiveness of White people never ceases to amaze me. It's no wonder other people act so jealousy.

These GTELs were extremely loud and flames would occasionally shoot up upon startup. They were often called "big blows" and also "bird burners"

It should be noted that though the early diesels had low horse power, from quite early it was trivial to hook them together and control them from one unit; multiple unit control never worked well for steam locomotives. So the low HP wasn't such a big deal.

Please use metric, the colonial units confuse civilized people...🙃

@owenshebbeare2999

2 жыл бұрын

Not "colonial", American.

@zacharyholgate7968

2 жыл бұрын

Bullshit just learn how to convert the two forms of units.

@johnreynolds4974

2 жыл бұрын

@@owenshebbeare2999 They were common European units before they were American units....

OOHH another train! Fabulous! Love it! Chugga chugga chugga! 😁😁👍👍 This 1 is available to play on the simulator game - Train Sims World 2 It was briefly featured in the1948 film called - A white Christmas - A Broadway musical

A fun fact I read an old engineering paper excerpt, the 1st gen GTEL had 8500hp at the turbine output shaft but compressor pumping losses amounted to a staggering 6000hp resulting 2500hp for traction. This illustrates the problem with turbines, since all that power loss has to be paid for in fuel (and air in the correct ratio). Of coarse they improved upon that with the later turbines as tech improved but this is still the problem with turbines. They work in jets because at 35000ft you pick up all this free airspeed (allowing the time to destination therefore the fuel burn to be far less) and this allows them to be marginal profit makers but get below 20000ft for too long and there's marginal profit gone in fuel. Turbines work well in very specific applications but as UP found out if just 1 factor changes there goes the benefit and therefore profit.

@kimmer6

2 жыл бұрын

The rated horsepower was at the output shaft of the turbine. So it took fuel enough to turn the compressor section which would be added to the output shaft power. So 8500 + 6000 = 14,500 horsepower worth of fuel burned. The rest of the power went up the exhaust stack as massive amounts of 1000 degree air. Gas turbines are limited in output by exhaust temperature. A jet engine at 35,000 feet is sucking in minus 60F degree air. They love cold air. I once added about 2000 horsepower to a GE Frame 5 gas turbine generator set at the Anchorage Airport with a small plastic screwdriver by turning the exhaust limit to its correct setting. I worked for GE in the 70's and 80's.

Extremely technical but extremely interesting to a fellow with an engineering degree and a law degree. Thank you. I was fortunate enough to do the patents on the Garrett Gas turbine drive train for current top of the line Abrams Battle Tank (military) and the Mack Truck (commercial) application. Extremely intriguing technology for their day. Your broadcast is complimentary and preliminary to the work I did. Thank you once again. Happy New Year.

You know what I love about this guy,(Simon)? He has zero pretence when hocking products! So much better than people who act like that's not what they're doing. They can't pull it off and look foolish trying. Oh, and by the way you produce great content.lol.

That was really cool Simon. I love trains, they are just so big and tough.

Thank you for a nice video. Very interesting.

Wow. Watched your vid on the A-10 warthog, and now this. You got a new subscription. Nice video.

Love this kind of vidoes, about big mchines

I would love to see them re-visit the basic idea, with a combined cycle powerplant and updated materials, turbine designs and electrical generator/motor designs!

Hi Simon just want to say love your channel this one and bio graphics I learn so much you should think about doing a podcast

Terrific and informative video…especially for a model train enthusiast like myself that HAS a UP Gas Turbine in my collection.

@Syclone0044

2 жыл бұрын

Can you tell me, do the Big Blow GTELs have a clearly visible jet engine exhaust in the upper rear of the B unit? I’ve walked alongside X-18 at the Illinois Railroad Museum and I could see what looked like half a jet engine exhaust but out of all the photos I’ve ever seen, even photos of models, nobody has ever captured a top down view to answer this mystery for me!

Would love to see a video on huge Pacific trucks like the P16

I should say, since I work there, turns out X-26 still has a bunch of diesel in her tanks. Back when they sandblasted her a fuel line ruptured and she started pissing diesel. Turns out UP didn't pump any of the fuel or oil out of them. Turns out our Loco collection is a massive oil spill waiting to happen.

Would have been nice to have a clip of one running to hear the noise

Very interesting video, as always. How about doing a video on the driverless, automated trains, that carry iron ore in the Pilbara of Western Australia?

G'day Simon, Hope You, The Writing & Production Staff of all the Channels & your Families had a Wonderful Christmas & Best Wishes for A Happy, Healthy & Safe 2022. Some Australian Megaprojects that have helped Span our Country I'm sure would be interesting are Australia's Road Train Trucks, The Gahn & Adelaide to Darwin Railway, or even the Zig-Zag Railway between Clarence & Lithgow in the Blue Mountains N.S.W. as it was a Major part of getting Supplies from Sydney to the West of the State beyond the Great Dividing Range.

This video is full of information. Two thumbs up.

The Big Boys were also teamed up with the turbine units. This was considered by many in the business as the best way to get maximum traction effort from both kinds of units. Made for great photos and videos also!

Nice video, Megaprojects! The GTEL 8500hp “Big Blow” Turbine locomotives certainly were legendary. -Drayton

Simon: *talks about colorful american diesel loco's* Editor: *shows a picture of some diesel loco's that look distinctly british*

Thanks for this! I suggested it somewhen... thanks!

As a kid in the 60s, and the child of a railroad depot agent, I used to watch trains go by a lot and every so often a turbine locomotive would go screaming down the tracks. It had a very distinctive, whining sound, quite unlike a regular diesel.

Great presentation and fantastic history of the UP GTELs. If I may update the chronology. You mention the Renault gas turbine loco built in 1952, this was a mechanical drive rather than electric drive. Prior to this the Swiss manufacturer Brown Boveri in 1942 produced the AM4/6, the world's first gas turbine electric with an output of 2100 hp. Subsequently a 2500 hp GTEL locomotive was delivered the newly formed British Railways in 1949 for use on it's Western Region. Keep up the good work, I love the content, entertaining and educational.