Earl Wrote:
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> There was at least one time Eureka has been put to
> the test. When it ran on the C&TS in 1997, we
> tried to pull an open gon and caboose 0503 up the
> hill out of Chama. She just would not do it. She
> worked down to a stall when we got into the 4%. I
> don't recall much slipping, just worked down and
> said "nope, not gonna do it.."
If I recall, "Eureka" is ordinarily run at something like 110 PSI, which wouldn't help any. Even at the 125 or 130 PSI pressure that locomotives of its class were originally delivered with it'd probably still stall on the 4% with two heavy modern-day cars though. Some locomotives built to the same plans as "Eureka" had 12x18 cylinders (instead of 12x16); the "Jupiter" on display at the Smithsonian is one such engine. A locomotive with that option would be more likely able to make it up the 4% with the load you describe. At least, adhesion would become the limiting factor so if you weren't slipping "Eureka" much, it could do it.
The Rio Grande's class 38 engines (a little lighter than "Eureka", tractive effort about 5660 pounds) could manage two of the lightweight 1870's-era cars up the grade, but apparently not three. There are photographs of an early excursion showing one such locomotive hauling 2 cars out of Chama, with a third attached by Phantom Curve.