In today’s video, we take a look at the locomotives built by the Climax locomotive works that started as slap-together engines but became some of the best machines to work on logging railroads
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Picture & Information References:
https://climaxlocomotives.com/history/
http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/climax/climax.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climax_locomotive
Barry J Smith Collection
Rich Dunn Collection
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C. T. Stoner Collection
William Long
Putaruru Timber Museum
Robert Chamberlain
Thomas T. Tabor III
Corry Pennsylvania Library
Warren Williard
Mrs. Irene Brown
British Columbia Forest Museum
R. H. Kingdig Collection
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Take the Train of Thought Climaxxing challenge!
Your task is to [Climax] every time you hear the word "Climax" in the video!
Climaxes were known for shaking themselves apart or shaking violently due to the piston orientation, especially at high speeds
Little-known fact: Because of incredibly-tight curves and turnouts, Shays, Climaxes and Heislers were used on dockyard and congested industrial trackwork on the East and West coasts of the US for many years. Shays weren't so good at this switching work because that right-hand-side-mounted driveshaft and couplings Did Not Like tight right-hand curves at all.
The reason this part of locomotive history is little known is because most of that switching work was at night, and in dangerous areas where strangers stumbling around with flashbulb cameras were definitely not wanted. And in wartime, sudden and bright flashes around docks, warehouses and shops in the nightly gloom would get very rapid attention from the dockers, local police and FBI.
But these 'geared' engines – as they were known – were built in many different gauges and exported everywhere. And they're very popular today with modelers of all gauges.
I'm sorry did you say "9-foot broad" as in NINE FOOT GAUGE?! Please explain
There’s a point relatively recently (at least two decades) where a Climax outperformed a logging Mike, even though it wasn’t a crew favorite. The Class C’s and presumably the B’s had some stability issues getting up to higher speeds. I can’t tell if it’s the process of shifting of gears that does it, or the more conventional cylinder placement transmitting a hammer blow effect to the frame and drive instead of on the rails, but 8-12 mph is a rough ride. Check out Rock Trains, it should still be up here
I'm always facinated by these locomotives possibly one of my top 5 favorites but I love all trains though.
I would like to see one of these put on treads to make a steam tank
7:07: What is “(Mic Bump)”?
Great video. I live near the city of Cory PA where the Climax was manufactured, some of the buildings still do exist and Cory has 2 climaxes.
Interesting “climax” in the video, teeheeeeee
I wonder if these geared engines would've been useful on steelworks?
Cool video
I feel like the shay, heisler and climax were all sidegrades to each other, not necessarily upgrades. Shays could handle grades, climaxes could handle curves, and heislers were fast, so many railroads tried some combination of the three to see which one worked best for them.
8:30 Loco 1694, built in 1928 for 2'6" (762mm) gauge. Now owned by Puffing Billy Railway, Belgrave, Victoria, Australia. Westinghouse air brakes have been fitted and is occasionally used on special trains.
Im wondering if you'd be intrested in doing something on the gainesville midland railroad in georgia? They were the last one using steam in the state and nearly there entire roster got saved
Even thought the inventor's name was Scott, (poor guy) the name doesn't seem to pack the same punch as Climax. Still, the thought of saying Scotts and Shays when talking about logging locomotives does sound nice. And we can't deny that Climaxes have certainly made their mark in the industrial side railroad history. Last week, I laid eyes on a G Scale Climax at my railroad museum. I hope to get an HO model of one sometime in the future.
Not mentioned: Climaxes were notorious for being very bouncy, sometimes damagingly so. I have heard it said that the Climax Locomotive Work's second business was selling Climax locomotives…and the first was selling parts. There's a reason so few survive.
(Now go do a video on Heislers, and include the one at Sumpter!)
It still amazes me that it is more efficient to build a big wide logging road than to lay two tracks.
That’s right!
I still cant figure out how and where. Anif theres 3rd cylinder, also would it fit under the boiler? Sorry thats just cause i cant imagen a better example, and thanks tot you hav the most modern steam locos goin. Loves me ah friday😅
Ferdinand: "That's Right!"
Four of the preserved Climax locomotives are in New Zealand. I was lucky enough to see one of them at a museum on the South Island's West Coast back in October, and apparently, another one is under restoration in the North Island.
Like you briefly said, some have been preserved. There is one example at the Puffing Billy railway here in Victoria, Australia which still run up and down the line on occasion.
You should try a game called Railroad online it has a shey, climex, and a hysler.
I would love to eventualy see a video on the Heisler geared locomotives
Oh look! Its Ferdinand!
Climax
Shay
Heisler
don't know which is the oldest of the group
It seems sad that scott is left pennyless after going to court for the right to his patent he would of been better to gone to court and got a some money from the climax locomotive company from every locomotive the made and sold
I saw this than made a climax engine
https://youtube.com/shorts/_RuuZJ2aKEg?si=GicgyOyOOh2Mbtfx
Oh yes, yes, yes, an excellent design
I remember playing with a toy of an engine based on the C, I typically played without the tender, as the tank made him look like a tank engine (In fairness, that was supposed to be where the burning fuel goes, not the water, so I guess I was right.)
Ok, you definitely need to change the title to "The Lovely Locomotives Loggers Loved" — NOW!!!
You should totally do a video of the Russian diesel locomotives that were given all terrain Tyers
Indeed there are very few operational Climax locomotives. You can count them easily on one hand. My personal favorite, that I have ridden aboard on a few occasions, Is former Beebe River Railroad, (then East Branch & Lincoln RR) in New Hampshire. It is still doing its job hauling tourists on the White Mountain Central RR just a mile from where it once worked in the woods.
Fun facts, Corry, Pennsylvania, home of the Climax locomotive works, is only about 35 miles from Erie, PA, where the Heisler logging locomotives were built.
Erie is still cranking out locomotives at the old GE locomotive works, now owned by Wabtec. "Wab" being corporate shorthand for Westinghouse Air Brake.
What a beautiful story Australia 🇦🇺
I was built to climax as well
Hold on this guy just said the climaxes were reliable?
😊
Mount Rainier scenic and Cass, West Virginia would like to have a talk with you about the reliability of climax vs shays
😐… I'm not even going to ask why… Just…. No…. Its w good video but the comments are not the most calm…
I never heard of a 9' gauge climax, where the heck did that run? Any pic of it?
Im proud to say that the first ever standard gauge steam locomotive i saw running was the Climax at clarks trading post, she's also the last one I've seen as of me typing this, back in July of last year, definitely an eye catcher
The Climax was a good locomotive but i alwyas heard engineers alwyas preferred a Shay if they had them.
Yet another foreigner pretending to be something and AI crap…stop insulting Americans we know already..and your commodification is garbage and pathetic…
there were 4 Shay's used in a shale mine in New South Wales as the track was too steep and winding for normal locomotives.