Maximum recommended loads per locomotive?

[Exploding Carrot]

Is there a guide anywhere which shows the maximum recommended load each train can pull?

I just did a job which was carrying a load of 290T from the Harbor to the Steel Mill in the DE2 and it really struggled with it. I got there in the end, but it was quite frustrating as I was having to move quite slowly and I used a lot of sand.

[PlutoProductions]

Official maximum tonnage on flat ground is printed on the loco licences. Although I personally run:
300 tons per DE2
800 tones per SH282
1000tones per DE6

This is a little light, but it's to account for going up hills. If your route is mostly downhill however, you can get away with going over tonnage.

[Exploding Carrot]

Ok, so I was well within the weight limits. I guess it gives me more reason to aim for the DE6 licence as it was a real struggle and I've not had that before, aside from through beginner mistakes at the very start of playing.

[PlutoProductions]

A good upgrade for you would be Multiple Unit. This will let you tie 2 or more DE2s together for more pulling power, at the expense of double the fuel usage.

[PlutoProductions]

Something else to keep in mind is the DE2 has way to much power for it's weight. Keep the throttle pretty low and it should behave a lot better

[Enon]

Harbor is notorious for being a tough up-hill climb to get out of.

[Schlappspaten]

If you're early in the game first thing to get is the remote control. This gives you advantage while shunting and access to a second loco without having to buy the multi-unit license. This avoids the impact of the license on your copay and bonus time calculation. Makes things much easier. To save on fuel costs just let one engine idling or shut it down, when it's no longer needed.

[kaster21]

Originally posted by PlutoProductions:

Official maximum tonnage on flat ground is printed on the loco licences. Although I personally run:
300 tons per DE2
800 tones per SH282
1000tones per DE6

This is a little light, but it's to account for going up hills. If your route is mostly downhill however, you can get away with going over tonnage.

The DE6 can do 1,400 tons. I’ve done it several times.

[kaster21]

Originally posted by Exploding Carrot:

Is there a guide anywhere which shows the maximum recommended load each train can pull?

I just did a job which was carrying a load of 290T from the Harbor to the Steel Mill in the DE2 and it really struggled with it. I got there in the end, but it was quite frustrating as I was having to move quite slowly and I used a lot of sand.

Also a good rule of thumb to keep in your pocket if you’re traveling from the left side of the map to the right side most of it you’ll face uphill battles if you’re on the right side of the map going to the left most of it is down hill. Most people aren’t aware of that. But they will be now. Easy to west downhill west to easy uphill!

[Schlappspaten]

Originally posted by kaster21:

Also a good rule of thumb to keep in your pocket if you’re traveling from the left side of the map to the right side most of it you’ll face uphill battles if you’re on the right side of the map going to the left most of it is down hill. Most people aren’t aware of that. But they will be now. Easy to west downhill west to easy uphill!

You sure? The harbour is one of the lowest stations on the map. From harbour (east side/right side) it's uphill first to nearly every other station. As a rule of thumb I'd say that the southern (downward) part of the map is lower (because near sea level) and the northern (upper) parts are higher due to mountainous terrain.

If you go west out of harbour & town you'll face a pretty steep track, that is the most limiting factor in terms of tonnage right up to food factory, no matter if you run west passing city sw or right passing steel mill.

In the other direction it's the ramp from steel mill southward towards the 2 junctions, that is limiting. Once you're over the first junction things are getting easier and after the second its all level and downhill all the way down to harbour. That is if you choose the inland track and not that slow track at the southern coast line.

[Sannois]

Originally posted by Exploding Carrot:

Is there a guide anywhere which shows the maximum recommended load each train can pull?

I just did a job which was carrying a load of 290T from the Harbor to the Steel Mill in the DE2 and it really struggled with it. I got there in the end, but it was quite frustrating as I was having to move quite slowly and I used a lot of sand.

There are several parameters that can dictate the maximum weight of a train for each engine, such as how long it is (i.e. weight per axle), obviously gradient, but also how much level ground you will have to build up momentum.
The SH282 is quite capable of pulling 1000 t out of Harbour (eastwards). And if you take the southern/western route out, it can even be done with a 2000 t train.
Meanwhile, the incline from coal mine can be climbed with 1360 t, so it really depends on quite a lot of factors.

[schutt]

My tonnage table is more like:
260 tons per DE2
800 tones per SH282
1200 tones per DE6

As others have pointed out thats the "save to run" limit more or less (except the roller coaster passage at the mil depot which you dont have to use) and on most routes more is quite doable.