The Steam Explosion of Pennsylvania Railroad 520 🚂 History in the Dark

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  • Опубликовано: 10 май 2022
  • PRR 520 is the sole survivor of the L1s class of Mikado steam locomotives. However, on November 14th, 1942, she would be involved in a boiler failure that threatened to end her career early.
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    #train #railfan #explosion

Комментарии • 86

  • @lian3101
    @lian3101 2 года назад +60

    you should cover the boiler explosion of the virginian railway AE class 2-10-10-2, probably the most powerful locomotive to ever explode

    • @paulmishler402
      @paulmishler402 2 года назад +5

      I think your forgetting about that C&O Allegheny that exploded

    • @lian3101
      @lian3101 2 года назад +1

      @@paulmishler402 the virginian AEs had more tractive effort than the alleghenys

    • @rayhankazianga6817
      @rayhankazianga6817 2 года назад +1

      @@lian3101 he's talking about horsepower, not tractive effort. Going by horsepower, the H8 Allegheny was likely the second most powerful locomotive ever built.

  • @KPen3750
    @KPen3750 2 года назад +19

    For those curious, 520 is on deck for conservation. Her tender was disconnected and is hovering near the RRMPA restoration shop. This is about 2 year old info (I used to volunteer there, but due to college and covid, haven't gotten back) but conservation is under way, don't worry. There are also the roundhouse plans, but that project is on hiatus for political reasons (I'm unclear as to why, but thats the reasons I found from the members of staff at the museum) So 520 should hopefully not be an outdoor display in the not too distant future

    • @NW2174Fan
      @NW2174Fan 2 года назад +3

      I went there almost two months ago, I saw it had a tender in front of it, and it looked similar to the one in the images in the video

    • @tm_14_44
      @tm_14_44 Год назад +3

      Good news, it started!

    • @MMID303
      @MMID303 11 месяцев назад +3

      I hope she gets a good cosmetic restoration. Obviously, my dream would be to have her mechanically restored as well, and operate on the Strasburg Railroad.

    • @williamclarke4510
      @williamclarke4510 4 месяца назад

      Around three decades ago, someone said that the Pennsylvania museum commission " short changes" the Railroad Museum.

  • @nrbudgen
    @nrbudgen 2 года назад +23

    Great channel! There was a boiler explosion near Crary ND on January 9 1947. It was a Great Northern S2 class 4-8-4. The boiler was found over 700 feet from the locomotive and the crew did not survive. Maybe you could cover this one. Until the late 70s I lived in the UK and had to use the trains often. Commuting from the south coast to London very day was torture but since most of us were regulars we had a pot of cash every day with the winner being the one who correctly predicted the reason BR gave for the train being late or cancelled. Two that still stick in my mind were "wet leaves on the line" and "driver couldn't find the train"! Your criticisms of BR are entirely justified.

    • @rivertownproductions
      @rivertownproductions 2 года назад +1

      Did you ever get to use any of the other railways in Britain before they were nationalized? Just wondering if you knew whether they were better or not.

    • @nrbudgen
      @nrbudgen 2 года назад +2

      @@rivertownproductions No. British Rail was all that was available in those days. The only exceptions were heritage railways, but they don't really count. I've been mostly on the Bluebell. Family tells me that since the new companies took over after BR the service was worse and MUCH more expensive.

    • @rivertownproductions
      @rivertownproductions 2 года назад +1

      @@nrbudgen by new companies, are you referring to post-BR? And the new companies are worse? Sorry just asking for clarification

    • @nrbudgen
      @nrbudgen 2 года назад +2

      @@rivertownproductions I only have first hand experience of BR up to 1979. I have travelled on the new franchises twice - Great Western and Southern, but only when I'm on vacation in the UK. Most of my information comes from family who still live there. I believe that some companies have lost their franchises because of poor performance.

  • @tiernanflynn
    @tiernanflynn Год назад +2

    Fun fact for those interested: the L1s shares a large number of components with the famous K4s class of locomotive, such as the boiler, which may explain another reason why it was easy to return to service. From my understanding, the L1s was derived from the K4s as a quick to produce stopgap locomotive until the I1s(later, I1sa) was finished being finalized and entered production. With the outbreak of WWI, and a lack of modern, powerful locomotives, this is what drove the Pennsy to create it.

  • @godzillahomer
    @godzillahomer 2 года назад +12

    I found another candidate for worse ever locomotives last night.
    Remember the Holman Horror and how screwed up those wheels were? I found a locomotive that has a pair of driving wheels... That are not round. The wheels of this 4-2-2 are 118 sided polygons. The locomotive version of the Mythbusters truck with square wheels.
    Built by the Hinkley Locomotive Works in Boston for the Swinerton Locomotive Driving Wheel Company and given the name Onward. Onward was supposed to prove that 118 sided wheels were better for adhesion, a belief C. E. Swinerton had. Said belief turned out to be false and the polygon wheels were replaced with round ones before the loco was sold off.
    On wikipedia as Onward (Locomotive)

  • @brandonoswald2392
    @brandonoswald2392 2 года назад +1

    Eagerly awaiting. Absolutely love your videos!

  • @KoolKonland
    @KoolKonland 2 года назад

    Thank you so much for making the soham rail disaster video!

  • @ViperZero523
    @ViperZero523 2 года назад

    Congrats on 10k, HITD

  • @matthewcosta780
    @matthewcosta780 5 месяцев назад +1

    I live near Cresson, never heard of this. I live the railroad history here. Think I heard about it, but know I heard of the type in the book Set up Running about PRR Mainline engineer O.P. Orr, very hard to fire and keep water in these. Fascinating book. You really should read that book.

  • @Ray-os2wv
    @Ray-os2wv 2 года назад

    A man of your word and a man of the people! Thank you for listening to my request! Subbed.

  • @winniethepooh795
    @winniethepooh795 2 года назад

    Hey man, I love your videos. They are very professional. I would like to ask you, if you could do the video covering sunken locomotives of Shrekston Quarry. For now keep on making awesome content and have a good day !

  • @Legomastr365
    @Legomastr365 2 года назад

    I frequent the Strasburg Railroad a lot and always go to the museum across the street. Never knew this engine suffered a boiler explosion! I'll have to go back and really appreciate her next time! Also, the museum does have an ongoing fundraiser to build a roundhouse at the turntable for all their outdoor display locomotives, so hopefully one day she'll be nice and safe under cover!

  • @TomRedlion
    @TomRedlion 2 года назад +1

    Some years ago, I read a book about the Southern Pacific's 3 cylinder (Gresley, I think) Southern Pacific type 4-10-2 locomotives.
    One of them blew a crown sheet (Naturally) and Launched the boiler down the track. Not only was the crew killed instantly, so to was the crew of the switcher coupled to the front of the SP type as a helper. The ground at the impact site and the back of the firebox put dents in each other on impact.

  • @scuorge57
    @scuorge57 2 года назад +3

    Thank you and great work for making such an interesting video, I look forward to seeing more of your content in the future as well as your past videos.

  • @metalgear6531
    @metalgear6531 2 года назад +1

    The Pennsy Railroad Museum *is* working on some more indoor space in the form of a roundhouse, I hear

  • @Godzilla-rg5rh
    @Godzilla-rg5rh 2 года назад +2

    I went to Strasburg and saw the real thing on display. And damn it was incredible. Can’t wait for it’s back story because I didn’t know it exploded

  • @ArnavKhode
    @ArnavKhode 2 года назад +2

    I never knew this happened. Since it’s on display next to the Strasburg RR, my only hope is that it gets cosmetically restored and put inside somewhere, free from the elements.

  • @northpennvalleysteamrailroad
    @northpennvalleysteamrailroad 2 года назад

    Well done on the history of 520 and her boiler explosion. I have seen 520 several times and I do agree that she and the rest of the outdoor displays look in bad condition. They are building a roundhouse for 5 of the locomotives including L1 520, M1b 6755, B6 1670, H10 7688, and K4 3750. But they need A LOT of money.

  • @jenniferanderson4654
    @jenniferanderson4654 Год назад

    Strasburg locos:WOW Pennsylvania 520: good job for saying hi 👋

  • @joshjones3408
    @joshjones3408 Год назад

    Great video tho thanks

  • @martinadams7949
    @martinadams7949 2 года назад

    Cool you used "my" photo of Santa Maria Valley #21 Crown sheet, which we replaced. I to have seen the 520, the cool passenger car behind her is from the broadway Limited. A car I wish they would restore

  • @AtlasTheDude
    @AtlasTheDude 2 года назад +1

    She must have been a god
    I really love your videos because it helgs me pass the time and make me feel relax

  • @OceanViewLocomotiveMachineCo
    @OceanViewLocomotiveMachineCo 2 года назад +1

    Another survivor in preservation that had a boiler explosion would be Southern Pacific (Texas & New Orleans) 2-10-2 #982 on display in Houston Texas, although its explosion was early in its career in Texas after transfer from the Pacific Lines, early or mid twenties.

  • @MilesModelWorks
    @MilesModelWorks 2 года назад

    I actually saw this locomotive when I went to the railroad museum of Pennsylvania last year.

  • @koiyujo1543
    @koiyujo1543 Год назад +1

    It would be cool if PRR 520 were to be restored to operation but that might not happen for a long time.

  • @strasburgrailfan90
    @strasburgrailfan90 2 года назад

    Huh I didn’t know 520 was there definitely have to give her a visit next time I’m in Strasburg

  • @johnbell3962
    @johnbell3962 Год назад

    Boilers explode when water is allowed to get below the crown sheet creating temperatures high enough to rupture and tear a large hole in the crown sheet. The sudden loss of steam pressure is enough to turn all the remaining water into steam instantly creating an explosion. Remember water boils at a lower temperature as pressure is reduced.

  • @FreedomLovingLoyalistOfficial
    @FreedomLovingLoyalistOfficial 2 года назад

    Are there any photos of her boiler explosion and if not what did the engine look like in its aftermath?

  • @IndieBloke1927
    @IndieBloke1927 2 года назад

    I actually was at the railroad museum about a month ago and saw it. Immediately thought it was a K4 until I saw it was a mikado.

  • @kiwiwarrior3012
    @kiwiwarrior3012 2 года назад

    I got an interesting one for ya, not exploded trains but lost and found locos. Two Ab class Pacifics were being sent down to NZ from Glasgow, however the ship, TSS Wiltshire, ran aground and broke apart, making it one of the worst shipwrecks in NZ, the locomotives it was transporting were still in the ship, and I believe they might still be there.

  • @justanoob6510
    @justanoob6510 2 года назад

    man . i only knew 1 incident about PRR . and didn't know about 520 incident

  • @PowerTrain611
    @PowerTrain611 2 года назад

    I live not far from Strasburg and the RRM of PA, and can say that as of last year, 520 was separated from her tender and may have been preparing for some cosmetic restoration work. I know nothing more.

  • @ParkersTrains
    @ParkersTrains Год назад

    At the time of watching this it’s 2 days before the 80th anniversary of the explosion

  • @davidstrainsandlego
    @davidstrainsandlego 2 года назад

    6:28 Completely agree

  • @williamnichols467
    @williamnichols467 Год назад

    If I remember correctly: recently an online post by the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania announced that they plan to build a roundhouse to store a number of their PRR locomotives, and doing a cosmetic restoration of all the locos they plan to put into it, and 520 is one of the locomotives they plan to do it to

  • @callumnichols7652
    @callumnichols7652 2 года назад

    I saw 520 in Strasburg six days ago.

  • @lucasstemba
    @lucasstemba 2 года назад

    Hey, I've met that choo choo. She was very nice and polite.

  • @arongyorffy3070
    @arongyorffy3070 2 года назад

    "on the 14th of November", it seems that every tragedy happens on my birthday.

  • @jackchatfield5464
    @jackchatfield5464 4 месяца назад

    PRR L1 520 needs to be restored to running order

  • @Dr.Memer42069
    @Dr.Memer42069 2 года назад

    There is a decapod up in Wisconsin.

  • @Slipperyquits
    @Slipperyquits Год назад

    PRR #520 somehow was preserved despite the fact it suffered a steam explosion.

  • @Sleeper____1472
    @Sleeper____1472 2 года назад

    I have also been to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. I have seen 520 myself once, though I don't think she was outside actually last time I went. Its only 4-5 hour trip from where I live in New York, so its not the hardest thing to get to RRMPA. I mostly go for Strasburg right across the street, 3 times infact, but the museum is cool too. I still dislike 460, those driving wheels are huge, and it only has 4 of them!

  • @mityace
    @mityace 2 года назад

    The Penn Central RAILROAD disappeared in 1976 with the advent of Conrail except maybe on paper. The Penn Central Corporation without the RR assets continued on for many years. So, was it actaully Conrail that donated the locomotives of the mostly non-railroad remnant of Penn Central Corporation?

  • @railmastergaming
    @railmastergaming 2 года назад

    4:00 im gonna guess crown sheet
    4:02 "it was the crown sheet"
    you know why dont people reinforce the crown sheet by adding steel beams connecting from the inside walls of the firebox to the top of the crown sheet?

  • @ThunderboltSirenStudios
    @ThunderboltSirenStudios Год назад

    Strange. I never saw 520 at strasburg and I went just a couple of days before writing this commentm

  • @dannygayler3164
    @dannygayler3164 2 года назад

    Low water and I bet ,Fusible plugs had no been thought of ?

  • @zangryomani1257
    @zangryomani1257 2 года назад

    Kinda expected it to be a case of too much steam and not enough exits

  • @graphtonix6607
    @graphtonix6607 2 года назад

    Will the GE P30CH locomotives ever come back???

  • @09JDCTrainMan
    @09JDCTrainMan 2 года назад

    Here's another accident to cover, The Michigan Train Wreck, North Dakota's and the Great Northern's worst train wreck. And a locomotive involved, 4-8-4 2584, survives today.

    • @NW2174Fan
      @NW2174Fan 2 года назад

      Great Northern's 2584 & 2588

    • @09JDCTrainMan
      @09JDCTrainMan 2 года назад

      @@NW2174Fan Yeah, but I said survivor, 2588 doesn't survive, sadly. 2588 was the one that rammed into the rear of 2584's train tho. It was repaired and 2584 had her hotbox resolved.

  • @tylergreen4843
    @tylergreen4843 2 года назад +1

    say whaaaaaat?? *I didn't know 520 was in an accident*

    • @NW2174Fan
      @NW2174Fan 2 года назад

      Neither did I, and I saw her almost two months ago (late March)

  • @Thetrainchannel14
    @Thetrainchannel14 Год назад

    November 14 Is my birthday

  • @monsterdemolitionman1235
    @monsterdemolitionman1235 10 месяцев назад

    will she be restored to operation again

    • @HistoryintheDark
      @HistoryintheDark  10 месяцев назад

      Unlikely. No plans for that as far as I know but she is listed on the National Register of Historic Places so she will be protected, at the very least.

    • @monsterdemolitionman1235
      @monsterdemolitionman1235 10 месяцев назад

      @@HistoryintheDark i would really love for her to return to suvivs and maybe do a triple header with prr 5550 and 1361

  • @railsaroundsouthjersey
    @railsaroundsouthjersey 6 месяцев назад

    The L1s were the GP38s of there time..

  • @alexthesouthernpacificmt4879
    @alexthesouthernpacificmt4879 2 года назад

    Dang that's sas

  • @easternwoyer3876
    @easternwoyer3876 2 года назад

    4:13 well when the engine was what exploded anyway

  • @wwtf7180
    @wwtf7180 2 года назад

    Less caffeine for you.

  • @JackCarsonsRailroadVideos
    @JackCarsonsRailroadVideos 2 года назад +2

    Not surprising a PRR steam engine exploded

    • @oregonrailfan7046
      @oregonrailfan7046 2 года назад

      Why is that not surprising you got some beef with PRR?

    • @JackCarsonsRailroadVideos
      @JackCarsonsRailroadVideos 2 года назад

      @@oregonrailfan7046 well Have you heard about PRR's Cocaine train the executives had. There was a lot of corruptions at PRR iirc

    • @lian3101
      @lian3101 2 года назад

      @@oregonrailfan7046 he probably means because the PRR had some wacky experimental locomotives

  • @davidty2006
    @davidty2006 2 года назад

    Another?
    seriously?
    Oh jeez.....

  • @slagarcrue85
    @slagarcrue85 Год назад

    What else could off caused the explosion. Gremlins. Lol the folk lore war times brought two the world is fascinating.

  • @Not_Available_Now
    @Not_Available_Now 2 года назад

    ….

  • @joshjones3408
    @joshjones3408 Год назад

    It's eather British rail or the crown sheet pawpaw 😆😆