r/machinesinaction • u/Bodzio1981 • 5d ago

This Train Just Keeps Going… and Going… and Going 🚂💨

How Many Wagons? Someone Did the Math!

2.0k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

137 comments sorted by

183

u/RelativeCorrect136 5d ago

I counted 7 engines.

52

u/matty__poppins 5d ago

Why do they have so many engines? I know very little of trains

117

u/Box_Dread 5d ago

So they can pull more

54

u/matty__poppins 5d ago

Ok I didn’t know if it was like for emergencies or something thanks I feel stupid

113

u/Crazy_Suggestion_182 5d ago

Don't feel stupid. Better to ask and learn than stay ignorant.

Every person alive has huge gaps in their knowledge. Nothing wrong with filling some gaps!

43

u/Any-Towel1952 5d ago

"Nothing wrong with filling some gaps!" Thats what she said

12

u/FamousPastWords 5d ago

My dentist always suggests this.

5

u/OSRS-MLB 5d ago

I don't.

2

u/MAXsenna 3d ago

Happy cake day!

5

u/Happy-Go-Lucky287 5d ago

Not stupid at all. If you don't know, you ask. That's how we learn. 😊

2

u/Dan_Glebitz 4d ago

No such thing as a stupid question. I am 70 and everyday is still a school day. You never stop learning stuff.

1

u/matty__poppins 3d ago

I appreciate you, a reasonable person, usually I get downvotes like crazy on this app just for asking questions, thanks!

3

u/Alternative-Virus542 5d ago

The two in the middle are called (cringe) "slaves".

4

u/2245223308 5d ago

Every Engineer wants to pull a train….

34

u/TheJonesLP1 5d ago edited 2d ago

Most will say to have enough Power. This is the most important, but there are other (important) reasons:

  • Bringing enough pressure for the brakes
  • less Stress on the coupling
  • doing several trains in one
  • better traction

Explanation 1: Train brakes are controlled by air pressure the loco creates. To Release the brakes, a certain pressure in the Brake Pipe is needed. But as with liquids, the pressure gets lower the longer the distance. So when the Train is really long, the pressure created in the Front wont reach the end and brakes cant be Release. Also, the Waggons wont push as Hard onto the leading locos, when there are locos at the back "pulling" the braking waggons. And, locos (instead of waggons) often have dynamic/electrical braking, more of this braking reduces mechanical wear. In Addition, when brakes are applied, the "Signal" for the brakes to apply is faster, so the Train can Brake faster

2: Even the strongest coupling has its Limits, when the pulling force is too big the coupling can break. So, most of the times you will have at least 1 loco at the back pushing the Train, to decrease the pulling force of the couplings.

3: Some smaller trains can be merged together to a big Train. This allows more trains per Route, less Train Operators, etc. You will then see locos here and there randomly in the middle of the Train

4: Even if the power of a Single loco would be enough, there might be cases where the traction would be too low and wheels Start slipping. So, more locos, more driven axles, less wheel slip. For example, Full Power of 4400HP on 6 axles, or 2*2200 HP on 12 axles, means only half the traction needed. For example, near where I live is a relatively steep Hill, and when it is raining and the tracks are wet, a freight Train should not have to stop there, because if He does, then He might get stuck when wanting to Start driving again. In that case the track is blocked until an auxiliary loco comes from the next town and helps pushing them over the Hill

Further questions feel free to pm

13

u/IShookMeAllNightLong 5d ago

I think you answered every question I didn't know I needed answered about trains with multiple engine cars. Thank you for your fascinating insight.

3

u/TheJonesLP1 5d ago

YW Bro, feel free to ask what ever question you might have 😊

2

u/Qoyuble 2d ago

Well I have another question 🙂 how do the locomotives communicate both power and breaking; I'd assume brakes just trigger based on air pressure in the line, but it seems like power is quite important to get exactly right as greater (or less timely) push than pull seems to give potential issues. Is there some signal wiring included in the coupling, or is there some crazy multi-mile wireless communication? And are there optimized delay times built in depending on the distance from loco to loco to account for the delay in reaction to change in speed in the front? AAAah so many questions! 😂

1

u/TheJonesLP1 2d ago edited 2d ago

Power depends. If the locos are coupled together, they are linked directly via electrical cables. The communication with the locos in the back is done wireless via Radio Signals. Locos have a Radio built in anyway, to communicate with other trains and the dispatcher, so they can be setup to transmit Signals regarding Powering.

For brakes, it depends which Brake we are talking about. Locos have 2 Brake Systems: The direct (European Name) or independent (US Name) Brake, and the indirect (European) or automatic (US) Brake. First one controls the brakes of the loco only. It is called direct, because with the leaver you directly control the pressure in the Brake cylinder. That is a lot faster, but only the loco brakes then. It is used when doing Yard work, shunting short trains. The indirect Brake only indirectly controls the Brake cylinder by reducing the pressure in the Brake Pipe. It is slower, but the whole Train Breaks. Now the question: when having multiple locos, the independent brakes are Kind of shut-down. The Auto brakes are controlled by the leading loco, which also sends a Radio Signal, and all locos reduce the brake Pipe pressure simultanuously. This is necessary, because (as already explained) when the leading loco starts to brake, and the "Signal" to apply brakes takes Time. So when the leading loco is already Fully braking, the end of the Train isnt, the Train will push Hard onto the Front Part, which can even result in derailment.

I am not mentioning dynamic/electrical braking here, this is another chapter XD

Additional info: In case of emergency, the brake Pipe is completely emptied really fast, which will Fully apply the brakes on the whole Train. When wanting to release them again, or when a Train is standing on a siding for a long Time being empty of air, a loco will need a long Time to fill the brake Pipe (again) so the brakes can Release. This can take up to 10-15 Minutes.

Funny enough, long times ago, the power and braking comm was done manually by flags, Hand signs, the Train horn etc. For example, with 2 Pulling steam locos, the driver in the first loco had to do handsigns or use the Train whistle for the 2nd driver know what to do. Not so long ago there were so called "brake vams", which are small wagons with a "Outlook tower" at the end of a Train, where somebody was sitting in, who was applying additional brake force when going downhill. I bet you Saw one of those on pictures. The people in there had the Job of a "braker" (german Word, dont know the english one) and they had a Hand crank to apply brakes or Release. Those became obsolete with the introduction of the air Brake, where all wagons have brakes. In These Waggons were sometimes also some living compartments for the Train Crew. Then it wasnt called a braking van, but a caboose/cabin Car I think, and those were common a long Time

More Info here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_van https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caboose https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druckluftbremse_(Eisenbahn)

(last link is german, but Train brakes are well explained in there, so you might have some trainslating in your Browser etc 🙈) There is also explained what Single and double soluble brakes are, feel free to ask about that or anything else

3

u/mmmUrsulaMinor 4d ago

This was very fascinating, thank you. Trains are so amazing.

2

u/TheJonesLP1 4d ago

YW. As a german meme says: "I like trains" :D

1

u/wgrantdesign 3d ago

Whoa, I never even considered that they can just pull a train up behind another one and hook them together with the locomotive randomly in the middle.

1

u/TheJonesLP1 3d ago

Yeah, it isnt done in Europe, but here and there in the Americas, because the distances are a higher over there

2

u/wgrantdesign 3d ago

Reminds me of driving cross country when I first started trucking. Out in New Mexico and Arizona you'll see massive trains chugging along through the desert. I grew up in the southeast so it always amazed me to be in those places where you can see for miles and miles.

2

u/AntiSonOfBitchamajig 5d ago

Fuel capacity for the overall trip, they can burn over 3000 gallons a day per engine, ON FLAT GROUND... add any grades and a 5000gal tank barely lasts a day.

There is also load balancing to get good acceleration and efficiency.... also more engines means more traction for steeper grades. There are a bunch of reasons to have several engines.

5

u/iamnotazombie44 5d ago

I counted 165 cars and 7 engines.

Idk why I started counting, but it was so fast I couldn’t stop.

Does anyone know if I was even close?

11

u/nkrush 5d ago

So this one train replaces 330 trucks on the road. F*cking awesome!

1

u/querty99 3d ago

On the road, across the road... one way or another.

3

u/ChesterCopperPot72 4d ago

Holy cow! So, with an estimate of 20 tons per car in average (considering some to be empty) we have 3,300 tons of cargo. Plus 100 tons per locomotive it is another 700 (making a total 4,000).

Plus the weight of all 165 cars at 36 tons Tare each we have an additional 5,940 tons

A total of a whopping 9,940 tons for the whole composition.

Moving at around 55 miles/h (85 km/h)!

Can anyone calculate the amount of kinetic energy being displaced there?

3

u/Admirable_Trainer_54 4d ago

2770.7 MJ or 769.638 kWh

https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/kinetic-energy

3

u/ChesterCopperPot72 4d ago

Thank you kind sir!

This is staggering. It is about 4% of the power generated by the Itaipu Power Plant, Brazil’s largest plant and third in the world in total generation. This single train carries energy equal to 4% of the generation of one of the world’s largest power plants. This is awesomeee!!!!!

1

u/Admirable_Trainer_54 4d ago

Tamo junto 🤜🤛

2

u/ChesterCopperPot72 4d ago

Hahaha. Tamo junto!!!!

1

u/Independent-Apple895 3d ago edited 3d ago

Sorry but you made a mistake. This is energy required to make it reach its velocity, not the constant energy required. You cannot compare MJ (energy) with power (KW). That enrgy would be to bring that train from 0 to 85 additional km/h. With 4% of Itaipu you bring that train from 0 to 85 km/h in 1 second though...

Enregy is probably less once it reaches its velocity, thought must be high, not sure how many hp each locomotive has when at full power

1

u/Admirable_Trainer_54 3d ago

Kwh is a energy unit. Kw is a power unit.

1

u/Independent-Apple895 3d ago

Correct, wil edit!

1

u/USMCHQBN5811 4d ago

That’s damn near the same weight of the Eiffel Tower, coming in at 10,100 tons. Imagine that, the Eiffel Tower plowing through at 55 mph!

2

u/Gullible_Shart 5d ago

In fast forward as well….

1

u/UnwaxedBeaver 5d ago

Yes, OP can’t count and can’t spell.

1

u/primingthepump 3d ago

5 engines

81

u/PremiumUsername69420 5d ago

Pasific

15

u/SacThrowAway76 5d ago

Pasific Union is my favorite RR company.

16

u/byseeing 5d ago

Which part pasificly

1

u/just-browseing 5d ago

Weridly, i aint even mad about that since i spelled Pacific like that until early middle school. XD

77

u/321boog 5d ago

I counted about 190 including engines.

15

u/Tranceported 5d ago

What would be the total length of that?

41

u/TodgerPocket 5d ago

Just roughly, a shipping container is 6m plus wheels/couplings would be about 10m, so 1.9kms

38

u/Tranceported 5d ago

Plus gaps between containers, for sure it’s more than 2km. This is the longest I have seen.

15

u/Moondoobious Be Respectful 5d ago edited 5d ago

Check out the trains hauling iron ore in Africa

E: me no spel goob.

8

u/OverInteractionR 5d ago

I'm a conductor and regularly pull 300+ cars.

1

u/madrodgerflynn 4d ago

What’s it like being a conductor? How did you get to that position?

2

u/OverInteractionR 4d ago

It's a lifestyle I can't even explain. You should apply :)

3

u/cherbonsy 5d ago

The longest train I ever saw
Went down that Georgia line
The engine passed at six o’clock
And the cab passed by at nine

12

u/Awkward_Length1095 5d ago

Those are 40’ containers, some might be 45’. The “6m” aka Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) are the shortys, those flat cars could hold 2x TEUs in length, and most can be stacked 2x tall.

Request new math be done. As well as speed, that would be cool too.

4

u/TodgerPocket 5d ago

Ok so 12m container length plus 4m for couplings and wheels 16x190=3040m, I dunno about calculating speed without knowing how much the video has been sped up.

3

u/whats_in_a_name76 5d ago

Nope. They’re 53ft containers. It’s worn right in the side. Also, you can see where they welded on the extensions beyond the 40ft hard points.

2

u/whats_in_a_name76 5d ago

Those are not 6m (20ft) containers. Those are all 16m (53ft) containers and trailers. Those well cars (double stacks) are between 19m (63ft) & 23.5m (77ft). Same goes for the flatbeds carrying the 53ft trailers. The locomotives are 23m (76ft) ea.

If the train has 190 cars, even at the shortest car length of 19m (63ft) + the 7 locomotives, the train is over 3800m (12,000ft). Nearly 4km (2.5 miles).

1

u/fnordfnordfnordfnord 5d ago

These containers are 13m in length. Some are 17.5.

7

u/socialcommentary2000 5d ago

Well cars are approximately 76 feet over the couplers. That would put you in the ballpark of around 14000 feet or a hair under 3 miles long. Well cars usually come in sets of 3 or 5 and share axles so you can deduct a small bit from the 14K before adding the loco lengths back.

24

u/RefinedAnalPalate 5d ago

Is it safe to go that fast?

42

u/sublimeprince32 5d ago

It's sped up big time. That's like 100mph lmao, long haul freight does about 60mph maybe a little more.

10

u/Snohomishboats 5d ago

How long would it take for this rig to come to about stop at 60 mph?

17

u/jamescaveman 5d ago

In an emergency, probably the length of its self. So in this case probably 2km

2

u/in_conexo 5d ago

How long does it take to slow down or speed up? I'm presuming they don't go through towns that fast, so how far in advance do they need to plan things out? If they're on the East coast, for example, are they just stuck doing town speed?

1

u/in_conexo 5d ago

Would that really only be 100 mph? Maybe it's because it's a train, and the cars are back-to-back, but it looks like it's going really fast.

1

u/sublimeprince32 4d ago

I'm not sure - if you look at the crossing signal lights, they are clearly going much faster than normal. If you assume the train is originally going 60mph, then you could safely assume this is 100mph from the fast playback.

Also, I ride a Yamaha R1. Pretty sure that's about 100mph at least haha

8

u/MarsupialUnfair3828 5d ago

Search Labs | AI Overview

In the United States, the maximum speed for most freight trains is typically around 70-80 mph (110-130 km/h), but this can vary based on track conditions, equipment, and specific regulations.

5

u/CocunutHunter 5d ago

Max permitted speed on most US lines is 70-80 mph because the network doesn't have support for in-cab signalling so the engineers have to react to track side infrastructure which severely limits their capacity for forewarning and prevents higher speeds with safety.

12

u/BigD3nergy 5d ago

Pacific is spelled wrong 😑

3

u/irregular-bananas 5d ago

It's also got 7 engines

7

u/batman61092 5d ago

Can someone explain to me why there were not engines at the end of the train?

7

u/bombistador 5d ago

A few reasons, mainly that engines in the middle share the load better with less floating slack, help supply fresh brake pressure, and improve coordinated braking. The engine groups are also wirelessly linked, so a shorter distance between them is better.

https://www.reddit.com/r/trains/comments/ktq9cd/im_seeing_more_trains_with_locomotives_in_the/

6

u/dinosaur_decay 5d ago

Honestly this could be Alberta.

5

u/2kewl4scool 5d ago

Honestly this could be Kansas

7

u/UkyoTachibana 5d ago

This is Patrick

1

u/sharkattack85 4d ago

Honestly this could be California

6

u/FicklePrick 5d ago

It's not pasific, you need to be more specific

4

u/top_of_the_scrote 5d ago

that boy hauling ass

4

u/martian4x 5d ago

Is the video sped up?

5

u/MrIrrelevantsHypeMan 5d ago

Nope. They get to cut loose out west and outside of town.

6

u/[deleted] 5d ago edited 14h ago

[deleted]

-5

u/MrIrrelevantsHypeMan 5d ago

That's NY not out west.

Thanks for playing

6

u/[deleted] 5d ago edited 14h ago

[deleted]

-5

u/MrIrrelevantsHypeMan 5d ago

The fact that you're taking this so personally is ridiculous. You act like these lights can't malfunction.

Move on dude. You're wrong.

7

u/[deleted] 5d ago edited 14h ago

[deleted]

-2

u/MrIrrelevantsHypeMan 5d ago

I think you need to learn when you've been dismissed.

1

u/NIEK12oo 5d ago

No it's definitely sped up these trains do not go this fast let alone with this much freight

7

u/drspacetaco 5d ago

Tell me you’ve never lived in a rural community without telling me you’ve never lived in a rural community.

2

u/zar0nick 4d ago

Or like, not in the us, which I feel is often forgotten from US people, that people all over the world use reddit

3

u/otomo88 5d ago

They brake for no one ! When you think I’m breaking distance they in time to stop like ten minutes to come to a full stop !

3

u/RedIcarus1 5d ago

*spafipic

3

u/belach2o 5d ago

PuSsUffIc OnIOn

3

u/Maximuscarnage 4d ago

That train is hauling balls down that track

2

u/Octopus_Spaceflight 5d ago

Ok so the length of the train is impressive but realistically, how long does it take to load all the cars with containers and trailers? That must be a feat in itself

7

u/koolaideprived 5d ago edited 5d ago

This is not a long train, nor an abnormal amount of engines. It is likely that 2 or 3 of the lead engines are either dead, or just being transported to another terminal for another train.

EDIT: It isn't sped up either. That train is probably going 70mph on flat terrain. The video in its entirety is under two minutes. That means the train is under 2 miles long, and is a pretty standard US freight train.

I just did the math. It took 1.25 minutes at 70mph to clear the crossing. That means the train was about 7700 feet long, plus or minus a few hundred feet for my eyeball math.

2

u/[deleted] 5d ago edited 14h ago

[deleted]

1

u/koolaideprived 5d ago

You are right.

2

u/bdubwilliams22 5d ago

Are the engines facing the other way going in reverse?

4

u/bombistador 5d ago

They are, though they're diesel generators powering electric motors so they don't care at all which direction they're running, and are all controlled from the lead engine which is forwards for visibility. The rest are however was easiest to hook up when they got there.

https://kutv.com/news/get-gephardt/good-question-why-do-some-train-locomotives-face-backwards

2

u/bdubwilliams22 5d ago

Thanks for the explanation and link. I figured they were just going in reverse, but never actually took the time to look it up. Can’t imagine why someone would downvote me for being curious.

3

u/Zeke_AZ 5d ago

Yes. When linking the locomotives in the consist you have to know which way all the locomotives are facing. The top speed for the intermodal cars is 70 mph in some places. I ran a 70 mph train between Oakland and Roseville Ca. Keeps the adrenaline pumping at that speed

1

u/fauxbeauceron 5d ago

Is this the top speed it can go? With and without that load?

1

u/SanVar55 5d ago

Is this the Z- train?

3

u/SacThrowAway76 5d ago

Z-trains are a BNSF designation. This is a UP double stack train. They get similar priority on the tracks as Z-trains.

2

u/SanVar55 5d ago

Ahhh... thank you for the explanation. Didn't know Z-train was a BNSF term

1

u/JediAngel 5d ago

God that's shifting! Please someone determine the speed and length of this beast. Surely the front has curved below the horizon by the end 😉

1

u/AlexJediKnight 5d ago

I think I counted 212 cars and 7 engines. The problem is the idiot kept moving the camera back and forth and at that speed it was hard to count. If they would just hold the camera still it would have been easier to count.

1

u/Gonzbull 5d ago

I’ve seen fast freight trains but this guy is something else.

1

u/Whats_Awesome 5d ago

Ya Cut out the money shot of the full horn blasts.

1

u/imanoobee 5d ago

I thought it said unreal engine 5. Thinking it's an improvement real life CGI lol

1

u/Electrum2250 5d ago

I remember i had a book about trains where that kind of train appeared

1

u/Acceptable-Ad3755 5d ago

Ok who counted the cars ?

1

u/klaxz1 5d ago

Why not have a thousand-mile long train in a big circle through all the places typically connected? The whole train moves forward by a half-mile and is unloaded and loaded, then it proceeds another half-mile. The same process occurs at every stop along the route

1

u/Electrum2250 5d ago

I'm shure i saw a videogame where that happens

1

u/ru18b4iFu 5d ago

~181 cars &7engines

1

u/Secure-Abroad1718 5d ago

So are all 7 engine haulin ass there, or is it just the first 5 in the front?

1

u/DaWalt1976 5d ago

Saw a train this long once running through Albany Oregon one morning while heading to dialysis treatment.

Unlike this one, it was flatcar after flatcar, carrying what looked to be an entire armored division. Likely heading up to one of the numerous bases in SW Washington.

1

u/sldcam 5d ago

I see those regularly where I live 5 engines in front 2or3 on the middle and 1or2 on the back with 160 cars or more the siding here is 13,000 feet

1

u/Pilot0350 5d ago

Why is it sped up

1

u/jmc291 5d ago

Imagine sitting at that crossing, anytime today would be great or I wish I took the longer way

1

u/Seventh_monkey 5d ago

USAID money train.

1

u/cash8888 5d ago

Hauling ass

1

u/BoredMerengue 4d ago

Oh wow!!!

1

u/DuckMySick44 4d ago

I thought this was a mod for GTA V at first

1

u/MaxUumen 4d ago

I thought container ships couldn't run on land, but apparently they can when pulled with 5 engines.

1

u/Fun-Management6599 3d ago

Wow.... That's a land Cargo 🚢

1

u/SessionIndependent17 3d ago

Surprising to me that they would make extra long shipping containers like that which by and large can't/won't be carried on cargo ships. Even if only moved by rail, or the occasional truck chassis, it limits the ability to sell off surplus in glut times.

So much for "standard" I guess. As someone in college told me about computer standards "The great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from!"

1

u/querty99 3d ago

"Nobody got time for that."

1

u/Inevitable-Revenue81 3d ago

X-Files confirmed

1

u/CuntyAlice 2d ago

Does this train go through cottonwood ca?

1

u/theaquaticrax 1d ago

I guess when the train ended the engined are already in a different state

1

u/Danitoba94 1d ago

Anybody know where this was filmed?
I would love to sit by a crossing like that, and just watch the rail traffic!

1

u/ConfectionWise3145 1d ago

USA ist much much much bigger than germany and the distance is so big, it make sense to make it like this.

1

u/zerpa 5d ago

God I hate 2025 where i get cool videos that only fill up 1/9th of my screen.

1

u/1-Ohm 5d ago

What, you don't enjoy letter-boxing on every side for no reason?

-11

u/MotorcycleDad1621 5d ago

It’s clearly a video game or simulator…