Locomotive slip track.

A steam locomotive "slip track" had nothing to do with a dynamometer. The "slip track" was only used to break-in the running gear, without going out on the road. 

Jack, were those slip tracks just around the major railroad overhaul facilities?  L&N was the only big major engine works in our community. K&I did major service to their little switch engines, but no slip track near the roundhouse facility.......Brandy

Does the slip track have an official name? I am not able to find any reference to that term in a Google search.

"Hot Water", said that they were used for the break in of new running gear maintenance. I showed this picture that I received to an old C&O engineer friend of mine, and he said that Russel yard, nor Huntington shops didn't have one that he knew of, but he said, that he had heard of some railroads using this "Slip Track". So I guess that was the terminology used..........................................Brandy

The L&N was the only "slip track" operation I ever read about. I am not aware any other railroads did that, although I'm sure it was possible.

I think that there was one at American Locomotive in Schenectady I remember seeing a video of it on you tube. I checked and if you search you tube American Locomotive company it will bring up a video clip that shows a locomotive on the slip track Al

Here is that video of the slip track at the ALco plant in Schenectady NY. That section starts at the 3:15 mark.

 

 

Thanks Jim I don't know how to post links.

No problem, Al.

 

I'm glad you mentioned it. I had never seen that video before I did a search for it. Neat video. It's sad driving by the former location of the old plant, thinking of what had gone on there everyday.

 

Jim

 

Jim, thanks for finding that clip and sharing it with us on the forum. I wished I knew how to post things here, as I found some old railroad photos that my step father had taken years ago, of equipment he was around. I can't help it, all this stuff is interesting as &ell. I know some of the others must like it too, or they wouldn't post to the questions that are asked on all subjects. To prove my point, the post on the condition of the UP 844 got so heated! I was wondering who was going to sell tickets, to get a couple of tour bus loads of us, to travel out to Cheyenne, and administer a "Country @ss Whupin" on the feller in charge out there!............R.D. Mercer!.....................Thanks again Jim.....................................Brandy   

Brandy,

To add a photo click "post reply". The reply box will open up. Below the text section you will see a link that says "add attachments" click that and then another box will open up. Click on "select file(s)" this will open up a window that will allow you to select image files from your computer.  Select the file you want to attach and then click open.  This will bring you back to the last window where you selected "select file(s)" it should show the file and say success next to it, meaning that the upload was successful. I usually select the check box in this window that says "Insert all photos and videos into post body (large size)" Click the button that says "finished" and your pictures should automatically be inserted into your reply. Hope this helps. I'm sure we would all enjoy the photos you have to share.

 

We have video of an L&N M1 2-8-4 on the slip track at South Louisville Shops in our video "Reflections of the L&N Vol. 2". The footage was apparently shot by or for the L&N as it was in a reel of 16mm film that included a couple of the M1's at the Lima factory test tracks.

 

I know of two other slip track operations: one at the ACL Uceta Shop in Tampa and I have a photo of an ACL Pacific on the Tampa slip track.

 

I also have a brief movie clip of a Rock Island 4-8-4 on a slip track that was most likely shot in the late 1930's-early 1940's. I'll probably use it in a future video.

 

On the L&N and ACL it was a pretty simple operation. Oil drums were mounted on the locomotive pilot beam with hoses or pipes running down to just above the rail head where the oil was allowed to drain to the top of the rails. 

 

-Jim Herron

IIRC, in Ed King's book on the N&W Y class, they had some valve gear problems and set up a test slip track to watch the valve motion. They found out you couldn't drift a "Y" with the gear in the corner.... as everyone headed for cover when the valve gear came apart..