AI operation.

[nicky9499]

A few questions about trains here:
-I've seen in pictures and videos on coal drags and intermodals which can be over a hundred car long. I'm not sure if I'm getting my facts right though. I tried a sixty-car hopper train and tried to start it on a flat grade with two Big Boys and they had quite a bit of difficulty starting off. The train isn't able to go up grades any more than 1 percent. What is the prototypical American freight train length (average) and or gross weight to be hauled by the locomotive. Also, is it prototypical to double head a train with the Big Boys?

-Regarding train length as well, how long is the average long-distance passenger train in America (e.g. Empire Builer)? Are F7s, if double heading a train, operated back to back or with both units pointing forward??

Thanks in advance. =D

 

[nicky9499]

Okay this doesn't really apply to AI operation, but when I lay track, occasionally (and it's getting more often) some track splines will go crazy and "relocate" themselves all over the place. This has caused me great frustration and stress as I have to relay the track, replace the signals and direction markers and rename the trackmarks.

Does anyone have a similar problem or knows a solution to this problem?

 

[Hot_Box_Detector]

long trains...

Yes, typical coal trains are generally 100 + coal cars. Helper locos, generally 1 or 2, are used on the rear of the train. If I remember correctly the gross (loaded) weight is about 200,000lbs for each coal car. I like the Big Boys, but don't know the specs, ( try google) or if the physics in Trainz match the real world performance. On some grades, a helper loco would couple up to help push the train over the hill, then un-couple and return.

I believe the railroads try to keep trains in the 75-100 car range for revenue / cost ratio. That is they still have to pay the crew and run the locomotives if a lower number of cars are in the consist so, it isn't as efficient. to run smaller trains.
( they don't make as much income $$ for the same basic costs). The passenger power was generally run as an A unit + a "B" unit. If another "A" unit was needed it usually faced the opposite direction ( ABA). Another common config was "ABBA". But this depended on need. Sometimes locos were added, but run "dead" just to get them back to another terminal or to a maintenance depot. Amtrak will usually run 1 or 2 locos. Possibly more in hilly parts of the country.

As far as your tracklaying problems...are you laying two tracks close together?
If you hold the "shift" key down, they will not connect automatically when you release the mouse button. This also works for spline objects as well.
Next time this happens, try using the "undo" (left) arrow at the top of the surveyor screen in the drop down bar. It may take a minute or so for the program to restore things to their previous state so, be patient and wait. If it works, it's much easier than all the rebuilding.
Hope this helps

 

[nicky9499]

Ahh yes I foudn a picture depicting the ABBA configuration and I think it's going to be fine for me. I don't know about you people, but my 2 Big Boys (TRS06 default) are unable to climb a one percent grade with a sixty car hopper train. I'm going to try other locomotives now, be back later.