Western Railroad Discussion > DPU vs All units in front question?

My question is from a train-handling standpoint. Is it easier to handle a long train with all the power up front OR with power split up in DPU units?? ( This is not a western board only question, but I had to put it someplace.) I'm sure there is enough folks on TO that can explain the differences.

Thanks ( from a non-rail person)

Depends on a million factors.
Try running a 16000 ton grain train over Tehachapi without DP... Cancel Christmas!

I personally love running distributed power trains. The whole point to DP is to reduce in-train forces and provide more immediate air brake applications/releases throughout the entire train.

Posted from iPhone

And I liked it because the brakes set and released so quickly, especially in real cold weather. On my old treeitory, we just sync'd them, really no need to fence unless you just wanted to for some reason.

Posted from Android

The drawbar and knuckle is only so strong. Eventually you will surpass their design limits when the tonnage in the train gets real heavy. The dpu process increases the possible train size by spreading these forces out throughout the train to stay below the design limits. An added advantage of dpu is that air brake applications and releases are simultaneously performed from each locomotive set throughout the train via radio communication. This vastly improves the rates of application and release as well as the evenness of a brake set. These factors, once proper technique is learned, makes running a dpu train simpler and less likely to break due to improper handling.

stampedej Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I personally love running distributed power
> trains. The whole point to DP is to reduce
> in-train forces and provide more immediate air
> brake applications/releases throughout the entire
> train.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Ditto! DPU trains handle SOO much better than conventionals (all power in front of train) in every way. Here's an example: headed westbound to Pasco over I-5 with a conventional grainer (5 SD40-2s) you see that DS is sticking you into the siding at Paha. You set first service at the bottom of Essig to get down to 35mph. But, you can't hold on to your air otherwise you'll lose speed on the flat between Essig and Paha. So you kick off your air to charge up the brake pipe for the big set at west Paha (which is a "drop-off") otherwise you could "p__ away" your air.
With a DP grainer in the same scenario, you can set air and release your air (within reason: no 20 lb reductions) all the way to east Paha and still have a charged brake pipe when you come into west Paha. Makes train driving almost a dream (if it wasn't for those nightmare all night work calls).