What is the realistic playable maximum for the number of polys for a map, including all the nonplayer/ nonweapon objects? The limit at which the game will dl too slow, be unplayble, etc? Right now what I have has 6051 triangles...

As with most quake based egnines that will also depend on how open / how many polys you can actually see at one time.. its a big fidderence between a huge open map, and one with lots of hallways.

Well those 6000 triangles are not seen all the time, also as tChr mentioned if you have hallways and such stuff the map is 'split' into parts the need to be rendered. Stuff thats hidden by a wall does not need to be drawn. So you can make detailed and large maps if just enough stuff is hidden by walls and such things.
That is however a problem with large open maps, the map compiler has a hard time to find hidden stuff so the engine has to draw lots of stuff that might be 'half seen'

Hmmmm— thanks for the info. Ill keep it in mind.

You can use r_speeds 1 in the game console to make the engine show lots of info about currently drawn things so you can investigate your map. Also activate FPS display (in the menu or showfps 1) and you should have all the info you need.

EEK! 8500 polygons (triangles)... and that is after I reduced the poly count by x 80%.
My next step is to export into radiant, and then ill texture and compile and see how fast it runs like esteel said. I think i might have to scrap this idea if it is unplayable.

Well, there are some easy rules to follow too:
-Don't use extremely large brushes (see greatwall_reloaded for a BAD example :F).
-If you have a wall, that you can see from two rooms (so one of the walls are sharing the same brush), simply cut it where the two rooms are connected! When compiling a map, use vis, and the use the prt file to see where the visible portals are.
-CAULK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN! Caulk is a very special texture, it blocks all the vis that is covered with caulk, so they won't get even drawn ingame. I recommend you to always build the brushes with fully cailked, and then only texture the visible parts.
-Keep an eye on detailed brushes! Details can speed up the compiling, as they don't block vis. But be carefull using it! If something hides anything important, let it make structural!
-Clever usage of hint brushes. Hint is a special no-draw vis splitting texture, but it needs some learning and experience how to use them well. Prperely used hint can speed a map much.