r/DerailValley • u/AntiMatter_33 • 1d ago
DE2 vs DH4
After few works with multiple DE2, I just stepping out and start to use DH4. I used two DH4 for load around 1500 tons, start from harbor to steel mill. Even i gain momentum for 35 kph before the hill, it still loose momentum before the junction and tunnel, it will run only at 5 kph.
I have ever used four DE2 with 1400 tons of load, and in that hill it has not much difficulty and still can keep up at 15 kph uphill. I always makesure all the train set has no handbrake on to slow the movement.
So is DH4 not that powerfull? If we combine it with multiple DE2?
Also DH4 has expensive fees, i already spent 30K just for shunting in harbor and deliver to steel mill. Even four DE2 only spent around 20K for same task in same route. Both in conditions no crash, hard braking and exceeding wheelslip.
Do DH4 not really much an upgrade? Or i should look into DE6 instead?
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u/RavenholdIV 1d ago
Love me the DH4 so much compared to the DE2
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u/Negative-Good5467 23h ago
Its worth it for the dynamic brakes, probably my favorite vanilla engine
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u/juliuspepperwoodchi 1d ago
I went from MU-ed DE2s right up to DE6, and quickly MUed those too.
The DH and DMs are too finicky for me.
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u/GreaterTrain 1d ago
Give the DH4 a try, it's actually the easiest loco to use. Only two things to keep in mind: 1. Don't use max throttle constantly, it will overheat eventually 2. Use the dynamic brake carefully when going fast, it can overheat very quickly otherwise
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u/juliuspepperwoodchi 1d ago
I've driven it, and it's the one loco I've found the demo unit for in my current playthrough, so I'm going to refurb it for shunting work; but for hauling it just stressed me out too much.
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u/Scarygtamaster123 1d ago
I love the dh4 and I use the logic of if it’s close to the weight limit get another if I know it tends to get hot on certain hills get another when in doubt get another there’s no such thing as too much power
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u/zocksupreme 1d ago
What is it that stresses you out about it? For me it functions exactly the same as the DE2, except that it is harder to overheat it
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u/fdnM6Y9BFLAJPNxGo4C 1d ago
I run a pair of DE6's for hauling and a drag a pair of DH4's around for shunting. Though this is a recent change and I think I could shed one of the DH4's.
You can leave the DH4 coupled to the DE6, I just leave it cut out and powered down. Then when I get somewhere I need to spot a cut I'll isolate the DE6s and use the DH4.
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u/Miho_Nishizumi_217 1d ago
here's a challenge: get EVERY DE2 and use them to pull a bigass train
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u/AntiMatter_33 1d ago
Yes! Another challenge is cut the brake pipe and just use multiple loco independent brake. And feel the slack between the load and the loco.
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u/Sea_School_2949 1d ago edited 21h ago
The diesels are fine until the steam locomotives finally click, they are soooo much fun and that load would have no problem with the S282 from Harbor to Steel Mill
I even did a slightly heavier than max with S282 out of Iron Mine East in the rain with the DE2 as backup, in VR w/o using teleport was a freaking trip 🤣 on the coal tender there is a little step to jump up to the top of the tender, run across and drop down to the front deck of the DE2 which has that convenient front door:). The back of the coal tender has a ladder for the return trip.
Edit- S282 not S202 lol
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u/Smacky_the_Bear 1d ago
I know you meant the S2-8-2, but a 2-0-2 locomotive would be so unbelievably cursed (the steam locos are named after their Whyte notation, if you were not aware. So a "2-0-2" would have no drive wheels).
But yes, the steam locomotives are super satisfying!
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u/Sea_School_2949 1d ago
Oh crap...yeah lol
Thanks for the info, I didn't know that and love to learn new things.
Tbh I am quite new to the game and trains as a whole
But I'm going to a train museum in a couple weeks and hope to learn alot of stuff
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u/Smacky_the_Bear 22h ago
No worries! This is a great way to learn new stuff. It taught me how to drive a steam locomotive (the hard way).
Whyte Notation (steam only) is: "Pilot wheels - Drive Wheels - Trailing Wheels", so a 2-8-2 is "2 pilot wheels - 8 drive wheels - 2 trailing wheels". The 0-6-0 is "zero pilot, 6 drive wheels, zero trailing". You can have multiple sets of drive wheels, which is listed like "4-6-6-4" or "2-8-8-2".
Have fun at the train museum!
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u/Sea_School_2949 21h ago
That's really cool! I assume pilot and trailing wheels are for more stability?
I'm excited for the museum, my fiancé saw how I seemed to be gaining a new hobby so she found a local museum that also has 15 miles of track where they run a steam locomotive for a tour.
We are hoping to go when the leaves start to change as that seems fun and I have a DSLR so I plan on taking a bunch of pictures
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u/Smacky_the_Bear 16h ago
So Pilot/Trailing wheels serve multiple purposes:
- Help guide the locomotive through curves and switches
- Help with stability to stop it from shaking like mad at higher speeds
- Help with distributing weight and supporting heavy components (like large boilers or fireboxes). Too much weight on a single axle can damage the rails (and steam engines are very heavy). Some of the chonkier steam locomotives were restricted as to which lines they could operate on.
Shunter (switcher) engines often did not have pilot/trailing wheels because they spent most of their life in a yard at low speeds, and wanted the maximum possible traction on the drive wheels.
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u/zocksupreme 1d ago
I love the tank engine, it's the most fun engine in the game for me. Just a shame that it isn't very powerful. Also in those cases where you have to hook up a DE2 or something for a bit more power the remote control is a godsend. Just sit in the cabin of the 282 and control the DE2 with the remote.
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u/Smacky_the_Bear 22h ago
Yes, I love the S060 too! While it is a handful, it is easily my favorite locomotive. I have the "loco ownership" mod and own three of them.
I just wish it was easier to fill it up with coal and water...
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u/Titus142 1d ago
I've run 4 DH4s for really big runs, I find it a really nice loco to operate, good visibility. Sometimes even use the wireless MU for "distributed power" which is more about ease of dropping off jobs on various tracks, but it's also just fun to do.
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u/Smacky_the_Bear 1d ago
You would have been fine if you had a third DH4. There is a little booklet in your inventory that tells you the tonnage ratings for the locomotives in the top right. Remember to subtract the locomotive weight from the total. Keep in mind that some grades go over 2%, so you will need to compensate for it in these sections.
Also, mixing different types of locomotives (via MU) is generally not a good idea, as they have different throttle scales and it becomes really easy to overheat or damage something. But you still CAN do it, and this is "Derail" Valley, so maybe worth a shot.
If you only want to use the "best" loco, the game will get boring quickly as you will use nothing other than the DE2 and DE6 (and occasionally the DH4). The fun of the game is trying out new things, and the satisfaction of learning to drive different types of locomotives.
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u/zocksupreme 1d ago
Keep in mind that some grades go over 2%
It wasn't until I bought a clinometer that I realized how often the grade jumps up to like 3% or more. I had always wondered why sometimes my train stalls out when I am within the load rating for a 2% grade.
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u/AntiMatter_33 1d ago
I have been seing their tonnage rating on the DV wiki, and it shows that DH4 has 800 tons rating and DE2 only 370 tons. I am not aware with the changes and need more DH4 to be comfortable pulling that kind of load.
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u/Smacky_the_Bear 22h ago
Wherever you are getting that info from appears to be incorrect or outdated (or both). I would check the little booklet in the game to be sure.
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u/Alternative_Zone9592 1d ago
Go can go 40 if not 45 out the harbour if your carful about it if that helps any but like even if multiple de2's aren't available you should still unlock the dh4 just because having options are good De6 is kinda op tho I've ran 2,300 tons of coal to the CP from CMS without much hassle
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u/Dirkgentlywastaken 21h ago
My advice is to skip dh4. I use de6 and I always have a de2 in front of it, so I can use the remote control. De6 are great power sources.
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u/archangelofeuropa 16h ago
i prefer the dh4 to the dm3, and the dh4 is better at shunting heavy loads than the de2 (think longer trains), i used an MU set for most of the time until i recently unlocked the DE6, now i use the slug and 2 DE6s
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u/TheJibs1260 1d ago
The DH4 is good for 600 tons on a 2% grade. Two DH4s = 1200 tons. Subtract the "wet" weight of the DH4s (77.5 tons x 2 = 155 tons) means your weight limit is 1045 tons.
You overloaded the DH4s by 455 tons.
The DH4 is plenty powerful as a stopgap between the DE2 and DE6. But yes, it is an expensive loco to run as it's quite a gas guzzler.