Breaking Out. Mount Washington Railway Company's Locomotive #4 has just descended out of a thick low cloud deck and into visual conditions on the Jacob's Ladder Trestle, the steepest grade on the line at 37%. The stiff breeze blowing the exhaust steam back across the coach, gives the impression that train is descending at great speed, although she's barely making about 4 1/2 miles per hour. The locomotive and coach are actually descending separately here. The engine is coasting down the hill using cylinder compression for braking. A small amount of steam is released into the cylinders to provide lubrication and cooling. The coach descends using two sets of hand brakes, with the Brakeman attempting to keep it lightly touching the front bumper on the locomotive. The Brakeman can be seen winding the brake wheels in the window facing the locomotive. Visible in front of him is the emergency pull-cord that he would use to signal the engine crew for an emergency stop. It is the only physical connection between engine and coach! And oh yes, we are indeed looking at MWRC #4 here, not #8. The number on the steam dome is the give-away. When #8 was retired a couple of years earlier, the cab and tender were cannibalized and mated with the boiler and frame of #4 to form this deceiving lash-up. The locomotive you see here was essentially retired after the 2009 season and is slated to become a static display in nearby Twin Mountain, NH.
