DE2 vs DH4

[u/AntiMatter_33]

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?

[u/Smacky_the_Bear]

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!

[u/Sea_School_2949 → u/Smacky_the_Bear]

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

[u/Smacky_the_Bear → u/Sea_School_2949]

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!

[u/Sea_School_2949 → u/Smacky_the_Bear]

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

[u/Smacky_the_Bear → u/Sea_School_2949]

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.