Topic: Train speed shown in the menu and on the track

[Jack_311]

Hi,

I'm struggeling with cargo trains. Whenever I pick a train and attach some trailer, the menu shows the maximum speed the train will go. But it seems to me, that the trains will go faster once they are on the tracks. Is that correct? Further, I wonder why the maximum speed of some locomotives declines so fast. I bought a quite strong locomotive but once I had more than 3 trailers attached the maximum speed shown in the menu started declining. Is that a bug?


Thanks,
Jack

[Erik]

At first with version do you play?

Cargo trailers have a maximum speed on there own.
The slowest trailer (or locomotive) will determine the maximum speed of the whole train.

Not all of the languages translation files has the maximum speed of the trailers.
So it could be you don't see the maximum speed of the trailers.

Or do you mean if you add more of the same trailers, the maximum speed of the train would be getting lower?
That will be odd.

[paco_m]

The speed shown in the depot window is the max. speed the fully loaded train can reach in plain and straight tracks (no slopes, no curves).
When the train is not full and/or going down a slope it can be faster.

[Václav]

Hi,

I'm struggeling with cargo trains. Whenever I pick a train and attach some trailer, the menu shows the maximum speed the train will go. But it seems to me, that the trains will go faster once they are on the tracks. Is that correct? Further, I wonder why the maximum speed of some locomotives declines so fast. I bought a quite strong locomotive but once I had more than 3 trailers attached the maximum speed shown in the menu started declining. Is that a bug?

Thanks,
Jack

It is not issue of only freight trains - and not only of trains. But it is not a bug, really.

(Not only) locomotives have some power and gear - and power is multiplied with gear. So locomotive with power 6000 and gear 1,5 will have total power higher than locomotive with power 6000 and gear only 1.

You can have locomotive with top speed for example 160 km/h and freight waggons with top speed 130 km/h. So top speed of that train will be 130 km/h.

If you will have train where game will show you in depot that its top speed should be only 100 km/h, then you can be sure that train will achieve its real top speed (for example above called 130 km/h) with a little longer delay than train where game will show you top speed 125 km/h. And, of course, train with top speed showed 130 km/h in depot will go as fast as it can almost whenever - but of course, its acceleration time on top speed is hardly affected by power and gear.

Top speed showed in depot indicates how much is train overloaded. So if you would overload train very much, then there it is risk that train will go very very slowly - and will not achieve at least top speed showed in depot.

I hope I explained sufficiently.

[TheUniqueTiger]

Hi Jack, there are two aspects of max speed... The allowed max speed and the max speed it can actually achieve (on straight plain tracks) shown in brackets in depot/vehicle dialog.
The allowed max speed of the train is the max speed of the slowest vehicle (trailer or loco) in the train.
The max speed it can achieve depends on the load it carries.
For example in pak128 if you assemble an oil tanker carrier train with a 160km/h capable loco, the oil tanker bogie has allowed max speed of 110km/h. So the allowed max speed of train is 110km/h. Suppose each oil tanker bogie carries 32 cu.m of oil whose weight is 32*0.96 = 30.72t. Empty load of each bogie is 18t, while loaded weight is (18 + 30.72) = 48.72t. The value shown in brackets in depot dialog for max speed is the speed which the train can achieve assuming full load (48.72t) of each oil tanker bogie and the weight of the loco.
While transporting goods/passengers, if speed is important, then keep the fully loaded train weight low enough for the max speed in brackets to remain above your benchmark.