Railfan Technology > Running in multiple

Wasn't sure where on the forum to post this....here goes anyway...

When running two or more locos in multiple, where all locos in the lashup are controlled from the lead locomotive, how does the technology cope with different locomotive types/power outputs?
So for example if an aging DASH-8 or SD40-2 is leading and has new ACe's or GEVO's behind it, surely if notch 8 is selected the locos behind will be pulling with more force/power than the lead loco? Is this the case and it's just accepted/doesn't cause problems or do the electronics somehow have to ensure all are pulling with the same force/power...?

 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/16 09:37 by exhaustED.

It doesn't really cause any issues. There is often a little "jostling" between units in a consist from time to time, but once the train is stretched out, for the most part they all just give whatever effort they are supposed to at a given throttle setting.

While individual locomotives may have varying degrees of technological advancement, train dynamics isn't as complicated as one might think.

Posted from Android

      If you mate a GP7 up to a C44, you can't expect the GP7 to miraculously start putting out 4400 hp to match up. You also would not expect technology to derate the C44 to 1500 hp and wheeze along like the GP7, would you ?     They both put out their individual capabilities in whatever throttle setting they are in.

      In a tug of war using a rope and your partner is 125 lbs and you are 350 lbs, you both do what you can.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/16 14:53 by dcfbalcoS1.

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>       If you mate a GP7 up to a C44, you
> can't expect the GP7 to miraculously start putting
> out 4400 hp to match up. You also would not expect
> technology to derate the C44 to 1500 hp and wheeze
> along like the GP7, would you ?     They both
> put out their individual capabilities in whatever
> throttle setting they are in.
>
>       In a tug of war using a rope and your
> partner is 125 lbs and you are 350 lbs, you both
> do what you can.

In a tug of war there's a flexible rope between you, and so all you do is pull. In a loco consist there's push and pull going on because the link is rigid, so there is a difference.

bioyans Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It doesn't really cause any issues. There is often
> a little "jostling" between units in a consist
> from time to time, but once the train is stretched
> out, for the most part they all just give whatever
> effort they are supposed to at a given throttle
> setting.
>
> While individual locomotives may have varying
> degrees of technological advancement, train
> dynamics isn't as complicated as one might think.
>
> Posted from Android

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.