CSX Locomotive’s Wheels Start Slipping

CSX Locomotive’s Wheels Start Slipping | Train Fanatics Videos

Serious wheel slip with this CSX locomotive!

This CSX locomotive taking this curve is trying to get traction while suffering serious wheel slippage!

Wheel slip is a problem in railroading and different locomotives handle it differently depending on how efficiently the power gets to the driving wheels. Wheel slip has been around ever since locomotives where invented.

In this short clip, you can see the wheels grinding away at the rails while trying to get a grip. If the engineer does not get his power ratio right by applying the proper speed in relation to the weight, he could easily start liquefying the steel rails!

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Steel on steel with a heavy weight such as an engine creates what is called tractive effort or adhesion.

Engineers can handle wheel slip by reducing speed to allow the traction to take hold or the can apply sand from special containers mounted in front of the driving wheels to gain traction, especially in bad weather conditions where the track is wet or slippery.

Let us know if you have seen a slip like this or have been on a train that experienced some kind of wheel slippage! We would love to hear your comments!

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