Seems to me that the railroad would want to run a train of this length first to see if it worked BEFORE they went and built infrastructure (yard space, longer passing sidings, etc.) to handle such a train. Finding out the thing didn't work after such an investment would seem a bit silly. Not to say it hasn't been done the other way, but still.
As to extending the length incrementally, while it sounds interesting do you also then incrementally extend all the infrastructure for the trains as they extend?
Plus I would imagine that you run one to see if you can. Then you run another few to see if it works. Then you run a regular schedule to see if that works. Then start to adjust the infrastructure.
As what used to come up all the time here, it doesn't matter much if you can get the cars to the destination faster if the destination has noplace to to put it. I can think of a few ways to handle such a giant arriving without causing too much undue stress. Everyone would have to learn how to react and adapt.
StillGrande Seems to me that the railroad would want to run a train of this length first to see if it worked BEFORE they went and built infrastructure (yard space, longer passing sidings, etc.) to handle such a train. Finding out the thing didn't work after such an investment would seem a bit silly. Not to say it hasn't been done the other way, but still.
Although, much of that infrastructure might be usable and also worthwhile for the regular traffic as well. Plus, risks of lost investments due to reasons such as 'it might not work' are inherent in the concept of entrepreneurship - although trials like this are designed to identify and minimize those risks.
StillGrande As to extending the length incrementally, while it sounds interesting do you also then incrementally extend all the infrastructure for the trains as they extend?
Good point. However, as one example, not all sidings are the same length, usually; so either fix the shortest ones first, or use only the longer ones that the monster train will fit it, until the idea is proven. The incremental approach is intended to smoke these out and allow time to come up with the fixes at a few 'choke points' at a time, not all of them at once.
StillGrande Plus I would imagine that you run one to see if you can. Then you run another few to see if it works. Then you run a regular schedule to see if that works. Then start to adjust the infrastructure.
Now you've got the idea.
StillGrande [snip] Everyone would have to learn how to react and adapt.
Point being, to do that gradually - to evolve, instead of by or under an instantaneous 'shock' effect.
- Paul North.
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