Re: Most difficult narrow gauge locomotive to operate?

375, when it was new from the Crystal River, had a huge cab on her, with three full windows on a side. The throttle was against the front wall and the Johnson bar was back near the rear wall. An engineer had to get up and walk forward to adjust the throttle then walk back to adjust the cutoff. They wore out a lot of shoe leather until the Rio Grande finally replumbed the thing, putting the throttle back in the middle where it belonged and shortening up the front of the cab by a full window!

On the RGS, 20, 40 and 41 had pretty good reputations. The others could get you over the road. 74, as pointed out above, was worn out when they got it, so it couldn't expect to be well regarded. Besides, it was a completely different configuration being a Brooks and with C&S style cab and appliances.