Ideal train weight vs horsepower

[Terkala]

Anyone have helpful tips, math, or rules of thumb to figure out how many cars should go to each train?

[Bryan]

m = P/(0,2 × V)

Where m is the mass of the vehicle. P is your power in kW and V is your desired speed ( in m/s). This is simplified and roughly holds true up to slopes of 1 degree. There's some complicated formulas out there as well that take into account the tractive effort etcetera.

[Valion]

Sryan, if that is your rule of thumb, I'd be amazed to see your scientific explanation! :D
Thank you!

[Bryan]

your wish is my command:

m = mass (ton)

a = acceleration (m/s²)

v = speed (m/s)

T = tractive effort (kN)

P = power (kW)

s = slope (°)



a = MIN [ T/m - g sin s ; 2 ( P/m - g v sin s)² / ( v (2P/m - g v sins s)) ]

vmax = P / m g sin s (provided that T/m > g sin s)

I took this from the trainfever forums though. This is not of my own design.

[morpheus]

and for those who never had or forgot their physics course:

g ~ 9,81

[F4lc0n]

Any rules of Thumb? I do not have the values of the trains at hand right now and I don't think I want to calculate it for every train.
In the first campaign map (USA) I noticed that the smallest train was not able to go to full speed with 5 cargo cars. So I think 4-5 is the max I should add for this type of train.

[TurielD]

Uh, not yet, but my working rule early game (while avoiding slopes) is 1HP per t :D

[[F2C]MaDMaXX]

Anything simpler? I don't particularly care to make even the basic versions calculation each time.

Is there literally nothing in game to indicate "towing" weight? Seems that should be a thing?

[morpheus]

towing weight is dependent on the slope......

[[F2C]MaDMaXX]

Right, but we're talking very high level here, a basic indicator on flat ground, caveat being slopes obviously affect it.

All people need for basic play, is a guide or indicator on the towing weight for a particular locomotive; X horsepower and Y Traction would provide, XXX tonnes towing weight (add up total weight of carriages attached)

[Saint Landwalker]

Originally posted by F2CMaDMaXX:

Anything simpler? I don't particularly care to make even the basic versions calculation each time.

Is there literally nothing in game to indicate "towing" weight? Seems that should be a thing?

There's no such thing as "towing weight." It all depends on how fast you want to tow something, how far you want to tow something (because acceleration takes time and distance), and what kind of terrain you want to tow it over.

I personally wouldn't mind seeing even an abstract "grading" of locomotives (the way we had in Railroad Tycoon 3[rrt3.krijgjeniet.nl], for instance) that just marked them as things like "Above Average" for acceleration and "Poor" for hill-climbing, or pulling power, or what have you.

But what I'd really like is to know what formulas the developers are using to determine the behavior of trains in the game so that I can crunch numbers myself and put quantitative results on each locomotive.

[[F2C]MaDMaXX]

Of course there is, if you're not trying to be *that* accurate, it doesn't matter, it's a very high level indicator of capability.

Everyone wants as fast as possible, the indicator can be for flat ground and could even be so simple as can this loco hit it's top speed with X tonnes in tow.

[Orthas]

I made a calculator: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FW5R8aq3E88py-sTObi5s-w8U1z_li8Q9Mzp1ZQ9iPU/edit?usp=drive_web.

[Saint Landwalker]

Originally posted by F2CMaDMaXX:

Everyone wants as fast as possible, the indicator can be for flat ground and could even be so simple as can this loco hit it's top speed with X tonnes in tow.

All locomotives can hit their top speed on flat ground no matter how many tons they're towing, provided that (1) they can start moving at all, and (2) they have an infinite amount of straight, flat track that's unrestricted by speed limit.

[[F2C]MaDMaXX]

Landwalker, good point, there has to be something to give an indication though. Orthas, thanks, taking a look later.

[saturn__7]

So there is no friction simulated at all?