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Conrail Cyclopedia EMD SW-8: Prototype Info Tom Wolfgang reports that the Lehigh Valley originally ordered some of their SW-8's with dynamic brakes, then ordered some as normal SW-8's without dynamics, then finally ordered another group of dynamic-equipped units. John Simkovich gave me some additional information on the Lehigh Valley SW-8M's equipped with dynamic brakes. He says that the locomotives had dynamic brakes because of a section on the LV called Weatherly Hill, the steepest grade on the old Valley. John says, "When the LVRR used to run steam, they would bring the new engines up this grade and pull full coal trains up it to test their new purchases of steam power. So when the steam was gone they needed something to bring the trains down this hill, and they had these switchers (SW-8M's) built with dynamics to do just that. I can remember sitting on our front porch and watching the train come down with the dynamics in Notch 8." Copyright (c) 1998-2008 Robert S. Waller. All rights reserved. Photos for personal use only. All rights reserved by original owner of image. Reproduction or redistribution in any form without express written permission is prohibited.