Re: Lobato Design Assumption

Reality is the engines do pull across the bridge. Eastbound the engine is pulling lightly to keep the train stretched, then digs in hard immediately off the end of the bridge. Because the the sharp curve off the end of the bridge, double headers would have the road engine bring the train across and stop with the front coupler right at the end of the bridge, this allowed the helper to couple up much easier. In that case the road engine actually does start the train while on the bridge.

Westbound, it is impossible to drift completely across the bridge. With the retainers still up on the train, the brakes are still dragging coming across the bridge. I managed to get part way across a few times by getting a bit of a run at it (but probably exceeding the speed limit (which is posted as "10" on the signs not "8" shown in the report - 8 was Cascade Creek's speed limit), but the standard practice was to open the throttle slightly starting across the bridge and power your way across.

Helpers on the rear of trains worked pretty hard across the bridge as the portion of the train they were shoving was across the bridge and back into the grade long before they got across the bridge.