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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by GMS-AU The other point of reducing axle weights yet putting more axles on the rail via 6 and eight axle wagons. Its all weight the loco's have to pull and that cost's money. G M Simpson [/quote] GM, What adding more axles under a railcar (or a truck trailer for that matter) does is to increase the overall load factor while still minimizing wear and tear on the tracks (or the road). Adding more axles allows higher net cargo weights to be hauled per car, thus your ratio of cargo weight to tare weight is improved, and the resultant savings usually shows up on the bottom line. As for what is the optimal max weight per axle, some studies have suggested that a max weight of 71,500 lbs per axle (e.g. 286,000 lbs per four axle car) gives the best results. Simply allowing more weight per axle such as the proposed 78,750 lb per axle/315,000 lbs per four axle car standard may result in the law of diminishing returns kicking in, e.g. the increase in wear and tear on the trackage would result in a greater cost than the savings of the increased load factor. I would suggest that a fail safe per axle weight should be more in the 65,000 lb per axle range, since most studies on axle weights don't take into account the frequency of flat spots on wheels and/or deferred maintenance, and other such intangibles.
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