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[quote user="pajrr"]You have 3 locos, doesn't matter where you put them. Now if you need more power for a grade or mountains, you add manned helpers to the consist for the time needed.[/quote] If the necessary tractive effort of the locomotives to pull a train exceeds the coupler strength you can't put all locomotives at the head end. Otherwise the coupler might break a coupler. Next step you put locomotives at the end as they are easier to add or to remove. UP has a chapter about helper placement in its System Special Instruction. Locomotive information starts on page 33, helper placement on page 46. What is missing is the TE requirement for the subdivisions. Nowadays trains get even over mountains with just DPUs. What once were helper districts often only have DPUs now. Helpers were once the norm currently they are more the exception from the rule. Regards, Volker
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