Being in the US and looking at photos of freight trains overseas... I've always wondered.. Why so short? Especially in Europe, I rarely see more than 1-2 locomotives and 20-30 cars.. What is the limiting factor? Traffic? Locomotive capability (MU issues?) Geography? Labor issues? I've always been curious. ~Ian
In Britain and Europe, most coupling systems in use can't handle the drawbar pull of 100-car trains. At least in Britain, until quite recently, much freight equipment had vacuum brakes or even only hand brakes, and these seriously limited train length. Passing sidings and yard capacities are still sized for short trains.
In Europe, freight train speed is more important than length/tonnage. Fast acelleration is important on many predominantly passenger lines. The electric locomotives used in many countries are capable of hauling very heavy tonnages, but mostly are used singly of fast, relatively short trains.
That's true, but as said above the primarily limiting factor is coupler system. Quite oddly European railroads remained faithful to 150 + year old obsolete screw + buffer coupling system, that is about 5 times less resistant than US style knuckle coupler. And because of that limitation freight trains are mostly in the 20-30-car and in the 1000-1500-ton range, even if you can meet sometimes trains up to 3600 tons and ~40 to 50 cars (but these usually need rear end helper engines, still due to coupler strenght). That implies all the following, starting with very smaller yards and sidings (in France maximum train lenght is 750 meters/2500', compared to 2400 m/8000' in the US...). And that's one of the reasons why the very long and heavy freight trains we encounter in north America have definitly a far greater sex appeal to my eyes.:tb-wink: Dom
