the railcar was designed to reach speeds of on level track, and while hauling a carriage up a 1 in 40 (2.5%) grade. trials were conducted to see if it could achieve these expectations, and in some ways it exceeded them. a trailer was hauled with ease along the 1 in 35 (2.86%) route between upper hutt railway station and mangaroa railway station, and on the level it could haul two bogie passenger carriages and a brake van at .