Western Railroad Discussion > Wishful Thinking?

Borrowed this line from the TRAINS Newsline story on CSX deploying more DPU sets:
"CSX also identified trains that struggled to maintain track speed with two units. Shifting to distributed power brought the trains up to speed without having to add a third unit to the consist or reduce the tonnage, Boychuk says."
Have any of you rails seen an instance where moving a unit off the lead set of train into the body of the train all of a sudden took care of the power shortage?

Out

Sound like Smoke & Mirrors to me!!!
Maybe the conductor gets out and pushes??

Dave

If Boom Boom Boychuk said it, don't belelive it.
Doug

It does help a little bit to be both pulling and pushing.  You have less friction between the side of the wheel flanges and the side of the rail in the train portion ahead of the pusher(s).  If you just need a little bit more help this might do it.  Note I said "a little bit more help" three times now.

Mark

Distributed power reduces drag on curved trackage somewhat.

That's all true but with the same power to take a struggling train to track speed requiires one hand of this
and one hand of that!

Out

It not only helps the speed increases bit but it reduced the power needed for a grade. For example trains taking the “low side” leaving Spokane need 1.5HPT westbound when conventional, however DP reduces that to 1.2HPT. I even did it at 1.1HPT but that was a 2x2 grain train on dry rail.