With the 5.89 percent grade on Madison Hill in Indiana, the Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis operated the steepest line in the United States that has ever been operated in adhesion mode. After the 1.3-mile line was initially horse-powered and briefly operated as a rack railway, Reuben Wells developed a pusher locomotive for adhesion service.

The five-axle tank locomotive was the most powerful locomotive in the world at the time it was put into service. Sufficient adhesive weight was achieved by the fact that all five axles were driven, which made the “Reuben Wells” the first five-coupled locomotive ever. With a driver diameter of only 44 inches, a starting tractive effort of more than 25.000 pounds could be achieved. A special identifying feature were the cylindrical water tanks, which started directly behind the smoke box and went to the rear end of the locomotive.

A year later, a second, identical locomotive with the name “M.G. Bright” was built. The “Reuben Wells” was rebuilt into an 0-8-0T in 1886, shortening it a bit and reducing the supplies. It served in this form until 1898 and was then initially stored. In 1966 it was acquired by the Children's Museum in Indianapolis and transferred to Indianapolis 100 years after she was commissioned.