>>> Once you'd brought the speed down to a D/B holding speed?

> You either keep trains speed to track speed or stop.

> Maybe you guys did, with the luxury of sg equipment.

What is "sg equipment"?

> Not so with 325 max amps D/B rated EMD G-12 and 6SL brake;

The maximum continuous TM current rating for an F-3 is 700 amps. Looking up a G-12 on wikipedia, I get the impression that slightly more than 60% of an F-3 in all respects.

> often worn Triples with leaking across the face and thence undesired releasing on that wagon.

I would suspect leakage between ports in either the slide valve and/or the slide valve seat rather than across the faces of the operating piston.

> Only the newer locos(and the Main Trunk Electrics) could hold full loads on grade(which we didn't have there, at the time).

More TE, which is directly related to weight on drivers, and higher continuous DB current ratings.