The 7,012 foot incline plane at Madison opened for business in 1841 when the famous cut was completed. The cut was 1,150 feet long, 40 feet wide, up to 125 feet deep, and required excavation of over 175,000 cubic yards of earth and rock.

At first horses were used to pull the cars up the incline, and simple gravity was used for taking them down. Hand brakes with wood brake shoes were used to slow cars upon descent and had to be frequently doused with water to prevent combustion from friction. Later, the M&I hauled cars up and down the incline plane using a stationary steam engine fastened to a rotating drum that wound or unwound a rope that was fastened to the railroad cars. This was costly and unsafe, so attempts were made to design a steam locomotive that could haul cars up and down the incline plane.

We don’t know if M&I management was aware of a test that occurred on the Belmont incline plane on July 10, 1836. The Belmont incline plane ran from the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia for 2,805 feet, rising 1 foot in 15 for a total of 187 feet, or slightly steeper than the 1 foot in 17 Madison incline plane. On that day the four-and-a-half ton 4-2-0 locomotive George Washington built by William Norris hauled a load of 19,200 pounds up the grade at 15 miles per hour. So remarkable was this that current reports in engineering journals didn’t believe it had happened. A second trial proved the engine’s capabilities. We can only speculate why the knowledge gained in this test was never applied by the M&I.

According to records of the American Society of Civil Engineers, in 1845 M. W. Baldwin, owner of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, designed and built a steam locomotive for use on the Madison incline plane. It had six drivers that were 42 inches in diameter and cylinders with 13 inch diameter bore and 20 inch stroke. However, the engine’s performance on the incline plane was unsatisfactory since it could pull only two cars at a time up the hill. Therefore, horses were once again employed.

William Hoyt of Dupont (13 miles from Madison on the M&I) conceived the idea of a rack and pinion system to be used on the Madison Hill. Hoyt built a rough model of his system and showed it to M&I officials. The design was perfected by Andrew Cathcart, Master Mechanic of the M&I, who paid Hoyt $1,000 for any claims Hoyt might have.

In late 1847 the M&I took delivery from the Baldwin, Vail and Hufty Locomotive Works a locomotive for operation on the Hill that was designed and built under Cathcart’s supervision. The locomotive was named the M. G. Bright, after one of the wealthiest citizens of Madison. Like other locomotives used on the Hill until 1926, it was a saddle tank locomotive, whose water and fuel were carried in tanks and bunkers on the locomotive itself, without the use of a separate tender. The M. G. Bright was one of the largest locomotives built up to that time in the United States. It weighed 40 tons, had eight driving wheels 42 inches in diameter, and was said to develop 300 horsepower. One pair of cylinders with 15½ inch diameter bore and 20 inch stroke was inclined and connected to the driving wheels in the conventional manner. A second pair of cylinders, with 17 inch diameter bore and 18 inch stroke, was placed vertically midway over the boiler. These cylinders were connected to a crankshaft under the boiler that had a small diameter gear at its center. The small gear engaged a second gear about twice its diameter on a second shaft, and this larger pinion gear engaged the rack rail that was placed in the center of the track. The two gears on the locomotive were in a frame that could be raised and lowered by a fifth cylinder to disengage the pinion from the rack when the locomotive was not operating on the incline plane. The locomotive did not have a separate tender, so its water and firewood were carried on the locomotive. The M. G. Bright began operation on the rack and pinion track November 1, 1848.

In May 1850 a similar locomotive named the John Brough was delivered to the M&I by Baldwin. The John Brough was named after the president of the M&I (who was a large man) “on account of its great weight and the great amount of business it is capable of doing.” The John Brough was a rebuild of the Marion, a 4-4-0 1ocomotive originally built by Baldwin for the M&I in 1847.

A locomotive that could operate on the Madison Hill without the use of rack and pinion was badly needed. At times when one of the two locomotives was traveling on the Hill, its pinion would accidentally be raised and become disengaged from the rack. The engineer would quickly attempt to re-engage the pinion, but this wasn’t always successful. Then the locomotive would accelerate downhill out of control. The loud, noisy clattering of the pinion on the rack while the locomotive plunged down the Hill brought the citizens of Madison running to watch the locomotive jump the track as it tried to round the sharp left-hand curve at the bottom. In addition to safety concerns, the cost of maintenance of the system was high because of breakage of pinion gear teeth and the rack rail.

The problem was finally solved in 1868 when Reuben Wells, Master Mechanic of the JM&I, drew up plans and built in the company’s Jeffersonville Shops a locomotive designed to haul cars up the 5.89% grade without the use of rack and pinion. The locomotive depended only upon its weight on the track for adhesion and was named the Reuben Wells. Its principal specifications were as follows:

Principal Specifications of the Reuben Wells Locomotive
Cylinders	20 inches diameter and 24 inches stroke
Driving wheels	5 pair, 44 inches diameter
Boiler	56 inches diameter, 7/16 inch thick shell
Boiler tubes	201 two inch tubes, 12 feet long
Firebox	5 feet 3 inches long, 5 feet 8 inches deep, 4 feet wide at top and 3 feet wide at bottom
Heating surface	116 square feet in firebox, 1,262 square feet in boiler tubes
Water capacity	1,800 gallons in two tanks on either side of locomotive
Weight of locomotive	56 tons in working order

The Reuben Wells had a steam brake that allowed a third of its weight to rest on slides that gripped the rails. The locomotive also had conventional friction brakes consisting of standard brake shoes applied to the wheels, worked by a screw operated by the engineer. The tractive force of the Reuben Wells calculated by the Marks formula was 26,900 pounds. Total cost of the Reuben Wells, including patterns, was $18,345.

The first trip of the Reuben Wells was made in July 1868, and it was a success. The long struggle to find the right type of locomotive for the Madison Hill had finally ended. A steam locomotive had climbed a standard gauge railroad grade of 5.89% without the aid of rack and pinion or ropes or any other assistance except for its own adhesion to the rails.

To augment the Reuben Wells on the Hill, the JM&I in 1869 rebuilt the first M. G. Bright with a wheel arrangement of 0-8-0T without the three cylinders that had powered its rack and pinion system. The second M. G. Bright was rebuilt for $11,214. Between 1860 and 1881, the Jeffersonville Shops of the JM&I also built 26 other locomotives of different types.

The second M. G. Bright entered service on the Hill in December 1869. It had four pairs of drivers 44 inches diameter, cylinders with 20 inch diameter bore and 24 inch stroke, and a total weight of 48 tons (eight tons less than the Reuben Wells). In 1877 when it was approaching the bottom of the Hill, low water in the boiler uncovered the firebox crown sheet, causing the boiler to explode. Engineer Lindley and a Madison citizen named Hassfurder who was hitching a ride were killed. However, the M. G. Bright was repaired and returned to service.

On April 9 and 10, 1875, two tests of the Reuben Wells were made. The first test was on a dry day with atmospheric temperature of 70 degrees, with a train of eight coal cars that weighed a total of 154 tons. With the locomotive, the entire train therefore weighed 210 tons. The speed at the foot of the Hill was 2 mph. The train took 13 minutes to climb to the top, averaging 6 mph. Boiler pressure varied from 130 to 143 pounds per square inch, and 6/10 of a cord of dry beech wood was used. There was no slippage and sand was not used.

The next day on the fourth trip, the Reuben Wells went up the Hill pushing two passenger coaches. Total train weight was 100 tons. The speed at the foot was 6 mph, and 5½ minutes was required for the run at an average speed of 14.5 mph. Boiler steam pressure remained at 132 pounds per square inch and 3/10 of a cord of wood was used.

The road number originally assigned to the Reuben Wells by the JM&I was 35. After the JM&I became part of the PCC&StL Railway on September 30, 1890, the number was changed to 635. The JM&I number of the second M. G. Bright was 34, and the PCC&StL number after 1890 was 634.

The 0-10-0T Reuben Wells was rebuilt with a wheel arrangement of 0-8-0T in 1886 to improve its ability to negotiate the sharp curves on tracks in Madison. One set of driving wheels was removed, and the frame was shortened. The photo of the rebuilt Reuben Wells as number 635 at the end of this section apparently was taken in the 1890s after rebuilding and renumbering.

After 47 years of service on the Hill, first as a rack locomotive and later as an adhesion locomotive, the M. G. Bright was retired in December 1895 and scrapped.

In 1895 the Columbus, Ohio, shops of the PCC&StL Railway rebuilt a PRR class H4 2-8-0 consolidation type into a coal-burning locomotive with a wheel arrangement of 0-8-0T. On January 1, 1896, it replaced the M. G. Bright. The number 634 of the M. G. Bright was assigned to the new locomotive. After 1898 the Reuben Wells was partially retired but still backed up the 634 on occasion. The new 634 was renumbered 434 in 1900 and 8434 about 1903. From 1899 to 1905, the coal-burning 8434 and the wood-burning Reuben Wells sometimes could be seen doubleheading trains on the Madison Hill.

The PRR retired the Reuben Wells in 1905 and gave it to Purdue University for preservation. On October 5, 1940, it was retrieved by the PRR, restored at the Altoona Works to its original 0-10-0T design and appearance, and given back its old JM&I number 35. It was in serviceable condition and performed under steam four times daily in the Chicago Railroad Fair of 1948 and 1949 and the fair of 1950. In 1968 the Reuben Wells was permanently loaned to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis by the Penn Central Railroad. In 1985 it was donated to the museum and can be seen there today.

The new Madison Hill engine 8434 was designated as class C30, the only one of its class. Water was carried in two large side tanks and coal in a bunker behind the cab. It had four sets of 50 inch diameter driving wheels, cylinders with 22 inch bore and 28 inch stroke, Stephenson valve gear with D valves, a Belpaire boiler with working pressure of 145 pounds per square inch, weight of 77 tons, and tractive force of 33,406 pounds. It was rated at 300 tons on the Hill. The 8434 had hand brakes, a “cylinder retardation” brake system, and air brakes.

After the Reuben Wells went to Purdue in 1905, the 8434 was the only locomotive on the Hill for four years. During this time it also handled the switching in Madison. In 1909 another 0-8-0T, the 8542, entered service on the Hill. The 8542 was designated as class C31, the only one of its class. Mostly used as a standby for 8434, it sometimes joined with the 8434 to doublehead a train on the Hill. The 8542 also carried water in two side tanks and coal in a bunker behind the cab. It had four sets of 46 inch diameter driving wheels, cylinders with 20 inch bore and 24 inch stroke, Stephenson valve gear with D valves, a “wagon top” boiler with working pressure of 140 pounds per square inch, weight of 73 tons, and tractive force of 24,834 pounds. It was rated at 200-250 tons on the Hill.

When a backup locomotive was required for the 8434 or 8542, H2 engine 8378 or H3 engine 8117 were sent from Columbus. Both engines were 2-8-0 consolidation types.

The 8434 was retired August 26, 1926, and scrapped. The 8542 probably was retired and scrapped about the same time. The two saddle tank engines were replaced by class H6 2-8-0 consolidation type locomotives equipped with tenders that took over all passenger and freight service between Columbus and Madison.

The PRR owned several sub-classes of H6 2-8-0 locomotives. The H6, H6a, H6s, and H6sa classes all had the older Stephenson valve gear. The H6b and H6sb classes had the more modern Walschaerts valve gear. The H6 and H6s classes had a Belpaire narrow firebox. The H6a, H6sa, H6b, and H6sb classes had a Belpaire wide firebox. The “s” designation indicated the locomotive was equipped with a steam superheater.

At various times from 1926 to 1952, class H6sa engines 8159, 8428, and 8468 equipped with Stephenson valve gear and class H6sb engines 8329, 8565, 8600, 8606, 8609, 8851, 9978 (old 9012), and 9988 (old 9091) equipped with Walschaerts valve gear were assigned to the Madison Hill service.

The H6sb Madison Hill engines had four sets of 56 inch diameter driving wheels, cylinders with 22 inch bore and 28 inch stroke, Walschaerts valve gear with piston valves, Belpaire boiler with working pressure of 205 pounds per square inch, engine weight of 102 tons, and tractive force of 42,168 pounds.

The H6sb Madison Hill engines were equipped with special locomotive cylinder brake equipment that consisted of a two-inch pipe tapped into the front exhaust passage of the right valve chamber and extending upward at the right side of the smoke box. A U-bend was joined to the top of this pipe. A two-inch globe relief valve was connected immediately below the U-bend, and its outlet was a two-inch pipe extending downward and connecting to a two-inch crossover pipe that connected the admission passages of the two valve chambers. The relief valve was operated by an extension rod that extended alongside the boiler into the cab and was operated by the engineer. When the engineer wanted to reduce speed using this equipment, the throttle valve was closed and the valve gear was placed in the opposite position to the direction of movement. The engine’s pistons then acted as a brake, compressing air in the cylinders. If the compression in the cylinders increased to the extent that the driving wheels began to turn too slowly, the engineer manipulated the relief valve to release pressure to the valve chamber exhaust passage and then to the atmosphere.

The H6sb engines were used on the Hill until the summer of 1952. At that time the H6sb engines were replaced by H10s 2-8-0 consolidation type engines. The H10s Madison Hill engines had four sets of 62 inch diameter drivers, cylinders with 26 inch bore and 28 inch stroke, Walschaerts valve gear with piston valves, Belpaire boiler with working pressure of 205 pounds per square inch, engine weight of 124 tons, and tractive force of 53,197 pounds. The tractive force of the H10s was twice that of the Reuben Wells. The H10s Hill engines also had special locomotive cylinder brake equipment. Class H10s engines 8177, 9902 (old 8573), and 9986 were assigned to the Hill during 1952 and 1953.

On November 9, 1953, the H10s steam locomotives used on the Hill were replaced by two 1,500 horsepower, SD7 type diesel electric locomotives numbered 8588 and 8589 that were specially built by EMD for the Hill and classified by the PRR as ERS-15A. The starting tractive force of the SD7 diesel electric locomotive was 2.7 times the tractive force of the Reuben Wells. The SD7 locomotives were not equipped for multiple unit operation and alternated in service on the Madison and Seymour locals. They had 65:12 gear ratios to perform better at low speeds. They were ballasted to 360,000 pounds nominal weight in order to increase tractive force. They were among the first SD7 locomotives built to be equipped with dynamic brakes. Like the steam locomotives, they were equipped with higher-capacity air compressors and braking systems. They also had rail washers to clear fallen leaves from the rail. After the February 1, 1968, merger of PRR and New York Central, the Penn Central Railroad renumbered the SD7s as 6950 and 6951. Later, Penn Central renumbered them a second time as 6998 and 6999. The Madison Railroad did not acquire the SD7s.

The chart below illustrates the trend in tractive force for Madison Hill adhesion locomotives from 1868 for the Reuben Wells until 1954 for the SD7 diesel electric locomotives. Values of tractive force were calculated using the standard formulas for steam and diesel electric locomotives. The table in the Appendix provides the supporting calculations.

This is the original Reuben Wells locomotive with 0-10-0T wheel arrangement built by JM&I in its Jeffersonville shops in 1868, before it was rebuilt as 0-8-0T in 1886.

This often-published photo shows the Reuben Wells after it was rebuilt in 1886 with 0-8-0T wheel arrangement. The locomotive frame and its wood box behind the cab were shortened, and it gained a saddle tank and lost a rear set of drivers. The engine was renumbered from 35, its JM&I original number, to 635, following the September 30, 1890, merger of JM&I into the PCC&StL Railway. Print is from collection of PRR locomotive engineer Charlie Williamson.