tdmidget https://wwwstadlerrailcom-live-01e96f7.s3-eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/filer_public_thumbnails/filer_public/9f/04/9f043579-4036-4851-8ce6-a4665c18fe1f/20_eurodual_cam2_grey_1530px_srgb.jpg__1020x680_q90_crop_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg I can't speak for others but I have trouble keeping a straight face at the thought of a locomotive with 9000 straight electric hp and 4000 diesel electric that doesn't even have automatic couplers. They have much more to worry about than horsepower.
https://wwwstadlerrailcom-live-01e96f7.s3-eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/filer_public_thumbnails/filer_public/9f/04/9f043579-4036-4851-8ce6-a4665c18fe1f/20_eurodual_cam2_grey_1530px_srgb.jpg__1020x680_q90_crop_subsampling-2_upscale.jpg
I can't speak for others but I have trouble keeping a straight face at the thought of a locomotive with 9000 straight electric hp and 4000 diesel electric that doesn't even have automatic couplers. They have much more to worry about than horsepower.
The lack of an automatic coupler is a sad story, thanks to the French who refused its installation in the sixties. But high horsepower is always useful (note that we rarely operate more than two locomotives in Europe, thanks to coupler and siding limitations). Europe railroads are mostly passenger-oriented, and here high horserpower is extremely useful (especially in electric mode, which costs 1/3rd of the diesel). You get higher acceleration after the 'critical speed' (which is dictated by weight), and you get fast freight trains which can run along 100 mph stopping passenger trains.
N.F.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.