Hostile Highways

Any drivers out there have any stories or opinions about mountainous and/or windy stretches of highway that may be particularly challenging? Post 'em here. Don't have to be national network but should be routes commonly used by trucks. For ex. I-68 here in Maryland has a bad reputation among OTR drivers. One reason is the downgrade of 6% for 13 miles E/B coming off of Mt. Savage into Cumberland. One that is very feared by locals is MD-135 E/B coming off of Backbone mt. into Bloomington, Md. This one is a 9% for about 6 miles with a 10 MPH truck limit, and while it's relatively straight, if you lose your brakes here you have no chance, because there is a dead-end waiting for you at the bottom with a granite wall that has fatally stopped many runaway trucks.

 

I won't run 68 with a full load. All the hills along there, at least from Hancock, MD to Grantsville, MD, are 6%. If I can't descend those in 8th gear( out of 10 ) I take another route. This being an interstate you run the risk of being rear-ended descending one of these at 35 or 40 with no split speed limit. Unfortunately, there are too many "super-truckers" out there who don't know or don't care to know to do this the right way. In my humble opinion, one of the FIRST things a rookie needs to be taught is the RIGHT way to descend steep grades without KILLING himself or somebody else.

Like a roller coaster ride? Try US-40 from the MD line to Uniontown, PA. This is a tough one without an engine brake.

What's also tough without an engine brake, is when those hauling bulk hazmat shipments have to detour around the Allegheny mtn. tunnel of the PA tpke. For some reason, everyone likes to use PA-31 for this.

31 sux. All the hills along there except one are 11% or better. The one that's not is a 9% for 3 miles with a 35 mph truck limit. The problem that presents is this: if you don't have an engine brake and you're fully loaded, you don't do 9% at 35. You'll be doing about 80 when you reach the bottom, probably with the brakes on fire. If you do this in a low enough gear you're liable to be rear-ended.

With a light bulk load I prefer US 219 S to I-68. It is a legel trk route, and while a little snaky, it's not real hilly(if you're going to Baltimore, DC, or elsewhere that requires you to exit the pike at Breezewood).

With a heavy load I prefer PA 281 N to US 30 E. Also a legal trk rte. All the hills there are 9%.Where 30 comes off the mtn. is a 9% for 6 miles but with a 20 mph truck limit. Since this one is a little curvy, but not as heavilly travelled as 31, you can take your time here. I, for one, have no qualms about descending this one at 10 or 15 mph in 4th gear, and anyone who comes up behind me voicing their disapproval with this gets a one finger salute out the window.

Remember, SAFETY FIRST!!!

 

On Fri. P.M. 10/14, I had a set with a 42k load on it to haul back from my relay pt. @ Somerset, PA. The frt. trlr. had bulk class 8 hazmat on it which necessitated bypassing the Allegheny Mtn. tunnel of the PA turnpike.

I descended Allegheny Mtn. on US-30 in 4th gear (out of 10) at 12 MPH all the way to the bottom without the slightest bit of brake fade.

8) ####, I'M GOOD!! 8)

 

Where I work they don't have engine brakes on their day-cabs, hence the challenge and the importance of being taught the right way EARLY to descend a steep grade without KILLING YOURSELF!!