Re: Questions about double heading procedure and variations

I think steam versus diesel has some of the same considerations:

- Don't exceed the drawbar force one coupler knuckle can take
- Don't exceed the drawbar force one drawbar can take
- Don't exceed the drawbar force one 1880 build wood boxcar (or caboose!) can take (perhaps more relevant to the CO narrow gauge roads sometimes)
- Don't let slack action build up
- Don't "string-line" a train around a curve by applying more force on the head-end than the flanges can handle.

Within that long list of "don't", there's room for varying operating practices depending on management subjective preference, crew skill and available locomotive technology.

So, in 1880, multiple locomotive practice is going to look very different from 1980 practice, and that's different from 2020 practice (whatever that's going to be - round numbers amuse me!)

But the same rules of physics (plus others I'm sure) that I listed above still apply.

SRK

kcsivils Wrote:
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> Thanks for your explanation, Rick.
>
> I should have made it clear I was curious about
> steam power. Obviously the advantage of one less
> crew are negated with steam vs. M.U. or DPU.
>
> Thanks again.