WOW!!!!

You should have been around 15 MPH on a 13% grade!!!!!!!!!

 

I agree with your post, just a small point of order. Shifting on a railroad track is not only a bad idea, it is against the law.

 

Engine retarders are a luxury, not a necessity. You can take a downgrade at 13% with no engine brake. You just have to be in a super low gear. If you brakes were that hot, you were no where near being in the right gear.

 

Wow, someone I agree with. That's the way I did it my whole career and never had any problems. Brakes won't catch fire with steady pressure because oxygen can't get between the shoe/pad and drum. They get hot and smoke a lot, but won't catch fire. I've been called a liar and idiot for using this method, but it's on Google also. I've never had a truck in which the jake worked as it should so had to use the steady pressure method.

 

OP, when your engine brake doesn't work , does your cruise control also not work ? If so, it could be the clutch switch or brake switch

 

He may have hit old al. hy 25 s/e of b/ham that goes to hy. 280 it looks good on map till you make it half way across an it goes up and over a mt. pass