Burlington Northern

[thcri RIP]

There was four engines in the front and one on the back. Roughly 22,250 HP

 

[Jim_S]

Roughly 22,250 HP

Glad it’s not my turn to buy the diesel!

 

[California]

There was four engines in the front and one on the back. Roughly 22,250 HP

Sheesh where is that thing going? We see consists like that to go over Donner Summit - 7k ft rise in 70 miles and they pull hard all the way - but how long is that train to use that much hp?


Here's an old Donner Summit story. I was a litttle kid but I remember the suspense when no word was heard.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/thetake/article/Snowbound-in-the-Sierra-3-days-of-hell-on-a-6880330.php (click through the photos)

 

[thcri RIP]

Sheesh where is that thing going? We see consists like that to go over Donner Summit - 7k ft rise in 70 miles and they pull hard all the way - but how long is that train to use that much hp?


Here's an old Donner Summit story. I was a litttle kid but I remember the suspense when no word was heard.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/thetake/article/Snowbound-in-the-Sierra-3-days-of-hell-on-a-6880330.php (click through the photos)

I am not sure Chris. It may have come from Portland and headed to Chicago or even just from Minneapolis. Most of the trains on this line are around 100 cars. If each car is loaded then he still would not need all the engines. If it did run across Montana and North Dakota they do put extra horsepower on it because of the snow and cold. That is why we see the Amtraks with a BNSF engine in front. Or they are moving engines around to areas where they need them. If so then all engines are not running. I caught one train once with 11 engines. Will Post. Also I mistakenly thought the front engine was one of the newer GE systems at 4400 HP each. But it is a SD60M and it runs around 3800 each. So I was a bit high on the horsepower.

I love your story about Donner Pass. Places in Montana have similar stories with the snow out there. Today we have better technology and if the snow is going to be that bad then everything is put on a halt. Amtrak seems to make it with large delays being a full day at most.


IN this picture of Eleven Engines you will note by the exhaust only two are running

 

[California]

I read somewhere the physics of multiple locomotives isn't as simple as it seems.

The total amount of weight on powered wheels determines how much weight the string of locomotives can get moving from a standstill, and pull uphill.

While the speed attainable is proportional to horsepower. This may explain helper locomotives in front of Amtrak trains, to help maintain top speed.