WL>        A rough rule of thumb used to be that a 100-car train was
WL>about a mile long.  Of course, with the varying length of cars now,
WL>that may not be right on the nose, but still not too far off, usually.
 
The rule of thumb coming from a given railroad's operating department so
as to know how long any passing sidings need to be to allow for one
train to get out of the way of another traveling (usually) in the
opposite direction. Aside from Amtrak passing a slower train traveling
in the same direction. One reason for many railroads today giving the
number of units up front, the number of loads and empties in the train,
and the total length of that specific train. Or, in the case of Amtrak,
no need for loads and empties, but the total number of cars.
 
WL>        Trains of up to around 10,000 feet in length are not all that
WL>rare now, leading to the need for much longer sidings than used to be
WL>needed.
 
Did you mean to say feet here, or tons?  A train stretching out for some
10,000 feet is nearly two miles long!
 
WL>        A big factor is the strength of the drawbars, which is why
WL>in mountainous territory (and sometimes even in less milly territory)
WL>there are mid-train helpers and helpers on the rear end.  All that
WL>power on the front would pull out a drawbar.
 
As evidenced by busted drawbars littering the sides of U.P.'s main going
east between Laramie and Cheyenne, as has been noted in several Trains
articles over the years. Many of those broken drawbars coming from the
10,000-ton unit coal trains pulling that hill (or attempting to) from a
dead stop.
 
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 # SLMR 2.1a # As a computer, I find your faith in technology amusing.
 # PDQWK 2.5 #51
 
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