Joined: 04/02/2002(UTC) Posts: 799 Location: Phoenix, AZ
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I seem to be the only one asking anything on this forum, but what the heck!
Again, as it pertains to Germany and other Continental European countries Rail Roads... how often do they connect more than one Loc together to make a train... does it depend on the length/weight of the loc? or more to do with the Grade?? And are their any cases where 3 locs are connected?
Thanks
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Era I-V / HO & 1 Gauge / C-Track & Mobil Station, with Central Station. |
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Joined: 28/05/2003(UTC) Posts: 719 Location: ,
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Sam, Some pictures from double headers in Switzerland. http://www.markusworldwi...e420/Re420_Vst_Intro.htmIt might be necessary to cut and paste the link. The main concern in Europe, just as everywhere else, is train weight and grades. But, sometimes, operational conditions dictate quite absurd trains/consists. Some years back, I saw a consist of 3 passenger cars (lightweight EW1) with TWO Re6/6 at the point ready for departure at Zürich main station. Three cars is no match for a single Re6/6, rated at more than 10.000 hp, let alone a tandem. When the engineer got the green signal, he violently accelerated the consist. 240 tons of loco weight accelerating like a true sports car, an incredible sight! Bottom line. just about anything goes. But do not exceed the number of two locos at the point of a train. Remember, the hook and screw loop couplers of the prototype cannot stand the tractive effort of three modern electrics in a grade. The SBB Gotthard-limit (2,7%) is 1350 metric tons of train weight. Regards, Manfred
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Joined: 26/12/2004(UTC) Posts: 232 Location: , vic
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I recall seeing a 7 or 8 loco consist heading from the top of the brennerpass back to Innsbruck. This was a loco only train.
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Joined: 15/03/2003(UTC) Posts: 9,605 Location: Australia
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Adrian Australia flag by abFlags.com |
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Joined: 06/02/2005(UTC) Posts: 1,383 Location: Darmstadt,
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Hi Sam,
Can agree with that what Manfred has written. I never saw consists with more than two locos here in Germany, except loco-only trains, where several locos are transfered between different yards.
Recently I saw a very impressive ore train with two BR 151 bulling 57 ore cars with almost 100 tons each. It transported iron ore or coal from the Rhine habour in Duisburg to the steel factory at Dillingen/Saar, almost 350 km apart along the very narrow and curvey valleys of the rivers Rhine, Mosel and Saar. I was told that this is the largest train presently running in Germany. Very impressive. I thought that this would an interesting theme for a layout (well, mine is far too small for that).
BTW, the coal (coming from South Africa per ship to Rotterdam and Duisburg) costs about 40 EUR per ton, whereas coal produced here in Germany costs 140 EUR per ton. You see why these trains are running.
Best regards
Hans Martin
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Joined: 28/05/2003(UTC) Posts: 719 Location: ,
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Hans Martin, 40 vs. 140 Euros a ton.
What`s the life expectancy and the salary of a South African mine worker? Guess their working conditions are some sort of slavery or even murder. And the most expensive part of the coal`s journey is from Duisburg to Dillingen, I suppose.
Regards, Manfred
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Joined: 06/02/2005(UTC) Posts: 1,383 Location: Darmstadt,
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Hi Manfred,
I can't tell you what are the working conditions of mine workers in South Africa. But I agree, coal mining is murder, for me ! Since coal from germany is thus expensive, the government gives the mining corporations billions of EUR a year that they can sell it. And the goverment gets it from the german tax payer. That's me. It's murder, definitely.
Regards
Hans Martin
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Joined: 04/02/2002(UTC) Posts: 799 Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Thanks for the info guys.. I am playing around with a pretty steep grade on my layout, and quite frankly the only way to get it to pull my 23 car freight train is with a two loc consist... I pair up my two BR152's and accelerate them gradually to about 60mph scale speed and it looks great... however, if I try to run only one loc, I have to be going a lot faster to make the grade and it just doesn't look right.
BTW... In Germany, they are masters of massive automated coal mining, with the world largest mining machines I believe. Even here in Wyoming where we have some massive mining operations are second to the stuff I've seen in Germany, but I guess it comes at a great cost.
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Era I-V / HO & 1 Gauge / C-Track & Mobil Station, with Central Station. |
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Joined: 04/02/2002(UTC) Posts: 799 Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Good stuff, thanks man.. I never thought there would be 3 loc consists in Europe. Here in the US, you'll see 6 or 7 engines pretty often, but then the trains are up to 2 or more miles long.. With the limits of 80 axles in Europe, I figure the need for extra traction is strictly grade related. |
Era I-V / HO & 1 Gauge / C-Track & Mobil Station, with Central Station. |
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