How do I choose the best train?

[Grayhill]

It's 1975 and I'm still using the Big Boy (or whatever it's called) to pull my freight trains. I have a feeling I should be using something else, but this engine's combination of speed and higher power make it seem like it's the best choice compared with the diesels and electric engines available--plus the cargo cars limit top speed anyway. (I do use electric for my passenger trains.)

Anyway, can someone explain all of the train stats that matter and how I should weigh the information so I can always choose the best train engine, no matter the year or region?

For example, what is the difference between tractive effort and power? How much of these do I need?

[ThiArcher]

tractive effort > Time to get high speed from 0 and keep the speed on climbs. (Great for heavy trains).

Power > Is powerless with low tractive effort mainly in heavy trains. Also is powereless on climbs without tractive effort even on passenger trains.

[Autocoach]

The main consideration is the ratio of power to weight . The Big Boy is powerful but VERY heavy. A train running 2 x SD40 as the locos would be more powerful and lighter . Basically all the costs on locos are related to their power so you should try to match the power you need to move the train with the acceleration and top speed you are looking for . The engine being faster than the wagons is not really a problem at all as you will have many more wagons , the other way round can be a lot less profitable.

Tractive effort is important up to 13mph (20kph) and also helps going uphill .

Emissions now matter if the train goes near residential areas.

[Grayhill]

Originally posted by Autocoach:

so you should try to match the power you need to move the train with the acceleration and top speed you are looking for .

Are you saying that power is the main/only determiner of acceleration?

Originally posted by Autocoach:

The engine being faster than the wagons is not really a problem at all as you will have many more wagons , the other way round can be a lot less profitable.

My understanding is that a car with a speed of 80 kph means that no matter how fast the loco is, the train isn't going faster than 80 kph. Am I incorrect? What else should I consider?

[Autocoach]

Power / weight is the main determination of acceleration so an SD40 running light with no wagons should out accelerate a BigBoy without wagons even though the BigBoy is more powerful . You are correct that a train is limited by the top speed of the slowest part, what I am saying is don't worry about 125mph loco on a 75mph freight train but do worry about a 50mph loco on a 75mph capable freight train .

[Grayhill]

Originally posted by Autocoach:

Power / weight is the main determination of acceleration so an SD40 running light with no wagons should out accelerate a BigBoy without wagons even though the BigBoy is more powerful . You are correct that a train is limited by the top speed of the slowest part, what I am saying is don't worry about 125mph loco on a 75mph freight train but do worry about a 50mph loco on a 75mph capable freight train .

Since reading your first post, I went in game and began experimenting. It seems I'm able to turn a higher profit overall using the SD40s. Mainly because the overall rate seems to go up.

Instead of one Big Boy pulling a 318 meter train with 288 capacity, I'm using two shorter trains pulled by SD40s. My only concern is that once I start replacing all my lines this way, I'll have more "waiting for path" on my busier tracks.

[Autocoach]

You may do , don't forget you are not limited to one locomotive per train .

[Grayhill]

Originally posted by Autocoach:

You may do , don't forget you are not limited to one locomotive per train .

In what situations is it better to run a longer train with two locomotives?

[Autocoach]

Either this one (to avoid it)

I'll have more "waiting for path" on my busier tracks.

or if you have a branch line train running back and forth you can have a single track .

In TpF2 long trains need long platforms to load from so shorter more frequent trains don't need longer platforms as product does not store in the same quantities and for as long .

[Vimpster]

When your frequency is in a good place but your rails are getting congested due to the number of trains on them then it becomes better to double up the trains rather then having more smaller trains. 2 Trains of half length require more space on the network and, in cases where you have multiple lines sharing the same tracks, increase the odds of getting in the way of another train.

I concur with Autocoach that power and weight are the two primary stats to consider. Tractive effort is less important and only really comes into play with especially heavy trains on railways that encounter considerable slopes.

In general the high power of many of the American locomotives in the game is offset by their unusually high weight. One locomotive may have 50% higher power than another locomotive but if the higher powered locomotive weighs twice as much then, depending on how much weight is being added by the number of wagons you have on the train, the extra power might be completely useless but yet you are paying higher maintenance on the higher powered locomotive.

[Grayhill]

Originally posted by Vimpster:

When your frequency is in a good place but your rails are getting congested due to the number of trains on them then it becomes better to double up the trains rather then having more smaller trains. 2 Trains of half length require more space on the network and, in cases where you have multiple lines sharing the same tracks, increase the odds of getting in the way of another train.

I concur with Autocoach that power and weight are the two primary stats to consider. Tractive effort is less important and only really comes into play with especially heavy trains on railways that encounter considerable slopes.

In general the high power of many of the American locomotives in the game is offset by their unusually high weight. One locomotive may have 50% higher power than another locomotive but if the higher powered locomotive weighs twice as much then, depending on how much weight is being added by the number of wagons you have on the train, the extra power might be completely useless but yet you are paying higher maintenance on the higher powered locomotive.

Thanks all--this has been very informative. Glad I asked, and glad you and Autocoach answered!

[philmo]

Whilst on the subject of say doubling up engines to save space on the line - this will affect frequency. As long as the lines rate is greater than the quantity of goods needing to be moved and total amount of goods moved in the same time is the same is frequency not so important for freight ?

I ask this here as it kind ties in with the point covered.

[Vimpster]

Originally posted by philmo:

Whilst on the subject of say doubling up engines to save space on the line - this will affect frequency. As long as the lines rate is greater than the quantity of goods needing to be moved and total amount of goods moved in the same time is the same is frequency not so important for freight ?

I ask this here as it kind ties in with the point covered.

I would suggest having the line rate be equal to or slightly below the needed amount if you want to ensure your trains remain full. But other wise yeah.

Regarding frequencies, as a general rule, I like to keep frequencies on a long distance train line less than 12 minutes in order to ensure at least one delivery per fiscal cycle as everything, production amounts, line rates, demand consumption, fiscal statements, are all measured on a 12 minute cycle. But where the line sits along the chain can play a part in how important frequency is. Final delivery of products into town for instance has a much higher need for short frequencies compared to other parts of the delivery chain. The bonus modifier the town receives for supplying the demanded cargo will be very unstable if you only deliver once in a while rather than delivering smaller amounts more consistently. And an unstable bonus modifier will result in the town growing and shrinking constantly.

In all cases, regardless of the differences in frequencies between different lines along a production chain, it is always important to balance the rates with the demand.

[Cebi]

When I am deciding on upgrading trains on a line I first check the rate and frequency of the line and write it down. Then I go to vehicle manager and click on edit train. There i can edit in new loco and compare ( power, acceleration for slopes and dont forget the lenght if you have switches near platforms) against the old one before I spend any cash. If the stats looks favorable I confirm the edit on all the trains of the line and then i check again rate and frequency of the line to confirm that the rate and freq is better then with old loco.

On my longest oil freight line with trains 440m long I switched from 4-8-8-4 Big Boy in 1954 to Alco PA/PB as it was accelerating faster to top speed of 120kph thus rate and freq of the line went up. Also the profit went up as new PA/PB was 650 000,- cheaper to maintain. This is on carefully laid track with minimal inclinations.

For steepest of my tracks with tight turns of Vmax 80 and highest inclination nothings beats MILW-Class EP-2 (I am in 1954). That thing is a beast. I use it in push pull configuration in 448m long trains,

[philmo]

Originally posted by Vimpster:

Originally posted by philmo:

Regarding frequencies, as a general rule, I like to keep frequencies on a long distance train line less than 12 minutes in order to ensure at least one delivery per fiscal cycle as everything, production amounts, line rates, demand consumption, fiscal statements, are all measured on a 12 minute cycle. But where the line sits along the chain can play a part in how important frequency is. Final delivery of products into town for instance has a much higher need for short frequencies compared to other parts of the delivery chain. The bonus modifier the town receives for supplying the demanded cargo will be very unstable if you only deliver once in a while rather than delivering smaller amounts more consistently. And an unstable bonus modifier will result in the town growing and shrinking constantly.

In all cases, regardless of the differences in frequencies between different lines along a production chain, it is always important to balance the rates with the demand.

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but so clear you are measuring the 12 minute cycle/frequency by checking the frequency under line statistics ? and as this is game time and not real time how did you reach the conclusion that a fiscal year is 12 minutes ? - did you for example time a train vs the date clock ?

Your helps much appreciated.

[Vimpster]

Originally posted by philmo:

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but so clear you are measuring the 12 minute cycle/frequency by checking the frequency under line statistics ? and as this is game time and not real time how did you reach the conclusion that a fiscal year is 12 minutes ? - did you for example time a train vs the date clock ?

Your helps much appreciated.

Game time is real time unless you are playing on fast forward. The frequencies are given in real time. In the previous game a single day was 2000 miliseconds (you can see this in the base_config file). By all accounts this game uses the exact same time per day. However this game introduces the ability to change the date speed but when doing so it does not change the cycle times at all. So for instance if you change the date speed to half speed you will get 2 fiscal statements per year instead of one and all the production stats and rates remain unchanged which also confirm that the cycle time is consistent. This means the 12 minute cycle is maintained at all times, even if you pause the date speed. I didn't need to measure any of it. To be clear it isn't exactly 12 minutes. It is 730 seconds or 12.17 minutes.