Here are Dan Markoff's comments on the operating speed of his 1875 Baldwin
class 8/18C, the Eureka & Palisade 4-4-0 locomotive Eureka.

cheers

-Kyle Wyatt
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Forwarded message:
Subj:    Re: Speed of Eureka
Date:    97-10-06 11:32:07 EDT
From:    TRANSYARD
To:      KyleWyatt

  Hi Kyle:

        The Baldwin catalog says that the top speed of and 8-18C is 40 mph.
 I have seen one testimonial in the catalog , from the E&P of all places,
that states they made it from Palisade to Eureka at some speed that
approximated that, on #35 rail no less!!!      That said, the fastest I have
had Eureka was about 38 mph and that was on the US Gypsum RR with #100 rail.
 Frankly, I did not feel comfortable at all at that speed.  The locomotive
was very well balanced, but the tender sets up a very scarry side sway and a
couple times pitched wood over the side.  I suppose what happends is that
 since the water in the tender is not baffled it gets to sloshing from side
to side.  In addition , we were carrying wood very high in the tender so that
put the center of gravity above where it  would otherwise be.  

         Of course, track has a lot to do with setting up side sway.  The US
Gypsum track was probably the  biggest and best road bed the Eureka has ever
run on.  The D&S and C&TS  roads are good but the nature of their terrain
 affects the stability of the road.  For instance, the D&S uses something
like #85 rail.  The longest stretches of straight track is between Durango
and Hermosa  and the last couple miles into Silverton.  However, due to
ground water, snow and general creeping of the subgrade, you can visibly see
from the cab that the track has wandered enough to set up side sways that
will really get my attention.  You probably remember what it was like when
you were with us.  As a result, we kept the speeds about 20 mph.   

    On the Cumbres line the track is , I think #75.   The only place where we
can get up any real speed is brom Lava to Antonito.  Out there we were doing
something like 25 mph.  Some sway set up in the tender but not as much as at
Durango.  However, you might recall, that from Lava to Antonito the line in
the high desert and the subgrade does not get much water compared to the rest
of the railroad or the D&S.  So, speed , as it pertains to the Eureka is very
much related to the condition of the railroad and the geography through which
it runs, which I am sure you already knew.  But, more importantly, the speed
limits I set are more regulated by my chicken factor, which is usually less
than the speeds posted for a particular railroad segment. 

       Hope this helps.  

                                                       Best regards


                                                            Dan