In many steam videos' when the engine begins to start the train there is "wheel slip" for at least one revolution, sometimes more. Does this represent poor technique on the part of the engineer, or is it a normal unavoidable part of the process of getting a heavy train with a big engine on it's way.
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While it could signify bad technique (if not stopped quickly, for example), most of the time it's just a normal outcome of trying to get the train moving. And it doesn't have to be a "big" engine either--our 0-4-0T will slip when starting, before she "digs in"and starts moving. Train weight, oil, wet leaves or water on the rail, temperature, grade--all these things come into play.
Personally, I think it's pretty neat to see from the gound.
I'm sure that our, "Chief Moderator" would be chomping at the bit on this one.
I personally know of a engineer that received two warnings and terminated less than a year later for the third.
Heres an old I started on the same topic. It seems the experts a wheelslip are "across the pond". Interesting videos, right down to the horrific "Blue Peter Slip."
Here's a nice video of an Alco being used to polish the rails in India. 
I personally know of a engineer that received two warnings and terminated less than a year later for the third.
That sure sounds hard to believe. Small wheel slips when starting certainly aren't unusual, even by experienced engineers. It happens. Now, maybe if he slipped for a few minutes at a time, like on some of those other videos...
Train weight, oil, wet leaves or water on the rail, temperature, grade--all these things come into play.
...or caterpillars...
Read a story years ago about the Union Pacific and they got a Centennial stuck.
The railroad bed had washed out and they were stuck when the ties and rails sunk
in the mud. They brought in another Centennial and there was a rookie engineer behind the controls. They latched onto the stuck Locomotive and instead of easing into it, he punched it and left 16 crescent shaped gouges in the tops of the rails.
Is wheel slip damaging to the locomotive?
Yes, if not controlled quickly, severe damage can be done.
Thanks for the video Nicole. I was surprised that the person filming the wheel-slip was so close to the locomotive. I remember the Alco WDM-2. You could feel it approaching even before you saw it. I remember waiting / taking a nap at hometown train station (rural, non-electrified route) & when any train arrived, the noise & vibration generated by the WDM2 was hard to ignore, sleep-through or forget.
Thanks,
Naveen Rajan
Here's a nice video of an Alco being used to polish the rails in India.
Was there not a CSX AC locomotive which actually slipped, and burn the rail down below the rail's head?
The EMD Super Series controls actually permitted some slip because, believe it or not, it allowed for higher pulling power.
Ah, the old 7% slip formula! I was told that this was the main reason that N&W could get a 190K TE. spike out of a Y6b in testing OTR. I seem to remember GE playing with such a control type circuit back in the late '70's, known as the "chopper".
Yes, if not controlled quickly, severe damage can be done.
Rick, I'd bet that's a remote unit that didn't get the word that the head engine stopped. 
You are correct, John. That well-known image is damage from a remote control unit that just sat there slowly slipping for several minutes. I think this was operator error. These remote systems are designed with a fail-safe mode. If they lose the signal from the transmitter, they go to idle and stop.
That appears to be the marks left by one truck of a 6-axle unit. There are probably six more just out of camera range to the right!
Too bad we didn't get to see what the trucks on the engine looked after that little effort! I wonder how much damage they had, hard to believe they weren't pretty screwed up after doing that.
Here's a nice video of an Alco being used to polish the rails in India.
In my home town of monroe nc.I was at the train station and a train carrying new rail backed into the freightyard.2 ge locomotives pushing for all there worth.Well one wheel was sliping and turn and slip again.Wow and I thought only steam locomotives did that.I mean starting out with a heavy train sometimes.
Poor adhesion can result in three different phenomena, slip, spin, and slide. Spin and slide should be avoided, slip is managed to maximize adhesion.
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