Re: Sumpter Valley's Heisler #3

In ballast service I have started six 35 ton hopper cars uphill from our ballast loading site on a +2% grade. Had to stretch them pulling downhill against the train brakes, then release the brakes and start one at a time as the brakes released up the train. Throttle was all the way out and Johnson bar was in the corner. As we picked up speed I could notch up the cutoff to about halfway and then no more. As the grade stiffened more I had to notch back down to only 1/4 cutoff to keep her from complaining too much. We were rocking and rolling the Heisler but never excessively.

Normal operations with the excursion train is usually one or two notches from center and throttle less than 1/4 out and running easy at 6 minutes per mile.