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[quote user="Sawtooth500"]I live in Chicago, and see many Amtrak long distance trains (California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Empire Builder) running with 2 Genesis locos and ussually about 6-10 cars. Now let me get this straight - A Genesis has 4,000 HP, correct? Ok, so assuming that a freight train locomotive has 4000-4400 HP, the car/loco ratio for freight trains is a LOT higher than for Amtrak, not to mention I'm assuming freight cars are heavier... I know Amtrak trains go faster, but seriously, not that much faster than freights. So why the 2 locos?[/quote] The Empire Builder is pulled by two locomotives from Chicago to Spokane, where the train is split into Portland and Seattle sections.  One locomotive is used to power the Portland section, whilst the other powers the Seattle section.  The Texas Eagle, which never has more than seven cars and usually runs with six, does nicely with one locomotive.  I believe the same number of cars make up the City of New Orleans, which also gets just one locomotive. Whether the trains gets one or two locomotives is probably a function of the number and weight of the cars, the grades that must be mastered, the speeds that must be maintained, as well as other operating conditions.  Hopefully one of our engineers can enlighten us on why some of the long distance trains get two locomotives whilst others get just one.
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