How much weight can the average modern day train carry?

Question

How much weight can the average modern day train carry?

Answer 1

Yep, all answers so far are correct. The fact is, all tracks have different "tonnage ratings" depending on grade, curvature, etc etc. Where I work 18,000 tons is about the max without radio controlled booster units. The RR's just cant stand paying labor costs and are always pushing so the limits are constantly moving upwards.

Answer 2

I live on what is known as the "NS West Slope"

Coal trains get as long as 130 cars. Thats about 18,000 tons.

Freights can range from 6,000 to 14,000+ tons. Those 14,000+ trains can turn into the "train from h**l" real quick. Long trains take special care to get up one hill, over the top and down to Altoona, PA without tearing it apart.

When the eastbound train gets to Johnstown, PA locomotives are added on the head, the rear or both. With this added power, they crawl up the hill and over the top at Gallitzin, PA. Then down the "Slide" to Altoona.

On the flatlands, the freights and coal trains get even longer.

The double stack trains, while relatively light in weight, can get up to 2-1/2 miles long!

Check this out!

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/NS...

The Rat

Answer 3

MP211 and ripken above are both correct.

But, the determining factor is the amount of draft that the draft gear (coupling mechanisms) can handle.  That is why helper power is added in grade territories, not only for additional power when added to the head end, but cut-in the train or behind the tele to reduce the amount of force on the draft gear near the head end of the train, where forces are greatest, in addition to increasing needed horsepower.

With regard to these high levels of force, L / V (L over V) is the interaction between "L", which is lateral force, and "V". which is verticle force, the weight of the car.  As long as the verticle force is greater than leteral forces, the cars will stay on the rail when ascending grade.  If L forces exceed V forces, then the cars can be pulled off the inside of a curve in a phenomenon called 'stringlining', and lay right over on their side.  this is what happened with the great "Cantara Loop" disaster on 1991 that dumped chemicals into the Sacramento river that killed all of the aquatic life for a distance of thirty miles, between Cantara and the waters of lake Shasta, in northern California.

When helper power is cut-in the train, it is placed such that, of the tonnage the helper handles, it will be pushing one third, while pulling two thirds of its tonnage.  This keeps it from pushing the cars ahead of it off the tracks.  When helper power is placed at the rear of the train, the number of axles of power are limited for the same reason.

Trains have also operated with multiple helper engines, with one helper cut-in to the train and another behind the last car.  In this instance, the first helper is referred to as the 'swing' helper, the other being the rear helper.

These days, most helper power is controlled via radio commands by the engineer on the head end of the train (the road engineer), but there are still many helpers runnin' around out there today that are still manned with helper a helper engineer, with or without a 'lookout', which is a trainman or engineman that is a member of the helper crew.

Draft gear for cars assigned to special duty, such as unit trains of coal, ore, grain, etc., are equipped with heavier draft gear, though I don't remember the numbers.  For standard draft gear, the tensile strength is rated at 240,000 psi, but there is a 10,000 psi buffer allowed for.

The length of trains is usually limited only by what is necessary to maintain acceptable air pressure in the brake pipe at the end of the train.  The longer the train, the more the 'gradient', which is the pressure differential between that which is carried on the head end of the train and the air pressure at the rear of the train.

Answer 4

I think the question should be...How many engines can be hooked together to pull an extremely loaded train?  Each car can be loaded only to it's max, but the total weight of the train is limited to how many engines can be hooked together to pull it.  Of course, then you have to keep in mind there are limitations to weight on bridges, and similar structures.