Loco Strength
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cascaderailroad
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In Trainz sometimes the physics, tractive effort and dynamic braking can be way off from the prototype.
I have found that oftentimes when pulling a 5280' train (@ 125 cars) you need a rediculous lashup, like 10 big locos head end, and 4 more on the rear shoving.
Likewise, when a mile long train stops on a grade in Trainz, sometimes it skids uncontrolably and will not stop, and continues to slide dowhill.
I have found that oftentimes when pulling a 5280' train (@ 125 cars) you need a rediculous lashup, like 10 big locos head end, and 4 more on the rear shoving.
Likewise, when a mile long train stops on a grade in Trainz, sometimes it skids uncontrolably and will not stop, and continues to slide dowhill.
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This is a subject I have brought up a few times over the years.
Why do American trains need OH so many loco's to pull them?
Why don't they build bigger, more powerful locos?
Why not run more smaller trains with less loco's?
Why build those little shunter like loco's in mass and then run six or eight of them on just one train or even more?
Surely it would be much cheaper to build a more powerful loco and just use one or two of them instead of half a dozen shunters?
Why do American trains need OH so many loco's to pull them?
Why don't they build bigger, more powerful locos?
Why not run more smaller trains with less loco's?
Why build those little shunter like loco's in mass and then run six or eight of them on just one train or even more?
Surely it would be much cheaper to build a more powerful loco and just use one or two of them instead of half a dozen shunters?
In the US a railroad can go from having not enough motive power to having them in storage because of econmic conditions.
Due to wheel to rail loading, to much horsepower to weight can cause wheel slip for a given amount of weight, also rail size, ie 90lb verses 130lb etc limits wheel to weight ratio. Generally the finding is 4500 to 6000 hp per unit mainline depending if it is a drag or fast freight, a lot of other factors also enter into this, ie gradient degree of curvature etc.
Train length depends on the RR Don't know what it's like now but SP would run long heavy drag freights, and Santa Fe 'BNSF' would run smaller faster freights.
UP through Tucson AZ. Usually runs 2 Headend units and 1 or 2 rear units depending. Units will range from 4500 to 6000 on average, most units being in the 4500 catagory.
Having more units at say 4500hp than one unit at lets say 9000hp gives you more options as to power requirments. It also gives you the benefit that if one unit in a power consist does not work it can be replaced.
Due to wheel to rail loading, to much horsepower to weight can cause wheel slip for a given amount of weight, also rail size, ie 90lb verses 130lb etc limits wheel to weight ratio. Generally the finding is 4500 to 6000 hp per unit mainline depending if it is a drag or fast freight, a lot of other factors also enter into this, ie gradient degree of curvature etc.
Train length depends on the RR Don't know what it's like now but SP would run long heavy drag freights, and Santa Fe 'BNSF' would run smaller faster freights.
UP through Tucson AZ. Usually runs 2 Headend units and 1 or 2 rear units depending. Units will range from 4500 to 6000 on average, most units being in the 4500 catagory.
Having more units at say 4500hp than one unit at lets say 9000hp gives you more options as to power requirments. It also gives you the benefit that if one unit in a power consist does not work it can be replaced.
simulatortrain
jointed freaking rails
@Deano5
"This is a subject I have brought up a few times over the years.
Why do American trains need OH so many loco's to pull them? Because the trains are long
Why don't they build bigger, more powerful locos?Doesn't it make more sense, for example, to have three 4000 hp units on a train instead of 2 6000 hp units? If one of the 6000 hp units goes down, there's half your power. If one of the 4000 hp units goes down, you still have 2/3.
Why not run more smaller trains with less loco's? It's much more efficient to run one train than several, plus several ties up more track and causes more congestion.
Why build those little shunter like loco's in mass and then run six or eight of them on just one train or even more?It's called axle loading or track structure. The Lehigh Valley often ran several SW8s on coal trains on one of their lines because the track and bridges weren't strong enough to handle heaver locomotives. Another example, the Western Maryland's line through Blackwater Canyon had too many grades and too tight of curves to run anything larger than a 2-8-0. Each 2-8-0 could handle 10 cars on the grades, so to run a 100 car coal train they would sometimes put as many as 10 consolidations on one train.
Surely it would be much cheaper to build a more powerful loco and just use one or two of them instead of half a dozen shunters?"
"This is a subject I have brought up a few times over the years.
Why do American trains need OH so many loco's to pull them? Because the trains are long
Why don't they build bigger, more powerful locos?Doesn't it make more sense, for example, to have three 4000 hp units on a train instead of 2 6000 hp units? If one of the 6000 hp units goes down, there's half your power. If one of the 4000 hp units goes down, you still have 2/3.
Why not run more smaller trains with less loco's? It's much more efficient to run one train than several, plus several ties up more track and causes more congestion.
Why build those little shunter like loco's in mass and then run six or eight of them on just one train or even more?It's called axle loading or track structure. The Lehigh Valley often ran several SW8s on coal trains on one of their lines because the track and bridges weren't strong enough to handle heaver locomotives. Another example, the Western Maryland's line through Blackwater Canyon had too many grades and too tight of curves to run anything larger than a 2-8-0. Each 2-8-0 could handle 10 cars on the grades, so to run a 100 car coal train they would sometimes put as many as 10 consolidations on one train.
Surely it would be much cheaper to build a more powerful loco and just use one or two of them instead of half a dozen shunters?
"
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simulatortrain
jointed freaking rails
Nice catch.
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