Playing HSC today got me thinking about US intermodal trains. Tare (empty) weight of a 40ft intermodal container is about 3.5t. Max Gross weight of the container is about 30.5t. The well car that the containers sit in, based on my internet searching, would be roughly 27.5t. So that means a well car loaded with 2 empty containers would be about 34.5t. A well car loaded with 2 fully loaded containers would be closer to 88.5t total. Looking at TSW 2: Horseshoe Curve: The intermodal trains on all seem to be 74 cars and 2653t. I don’t know if that includes the weight of the engines, but assuming it doesn’t that means 2653 / 74 = 35.85t for each car. In other words, basically every container on that train is empty, unless my math is wrong. Sandpatch Grade: The intermodal trains seem to all be 52 cars and 3997t. That would put each car at an average weight of 76.8t. Closer (but not exceeding) the calculated weight for fully loaded containers. Sherman Hill: Intermodal trains have 106 cars and a weight of 8226t. That brings them to pretty much the same average weight per car as Sandpatch, 77t per car. Now, my math could be off… But I find this interesting. Containers could be empty, or filled with all kinds of cargo… potato chips would be lighter than auto parts etc… But one thing stands out, is that basically every train on HSC would be loaded with totally empty containers. The other two routes would have ones relatively close to their max gross weight. If the HSC cars weight the same as the other two routes then the intermodals would be roughly 5600t. I’m wondering if this is intentional or a bug, because 4 ES44s (they have 2 lead and 2 pushers in the game) powering a 2653t train is like 6hp per ton which is pretty insane and way out of the ballpark of anything in real life (from my understanding).
When it comes to tons remember US and Canadian freight trains are loaded to the max US Tons unlike the European routes which are metric tons which are heavier due to the conversion being 1 metric ton being equivalent to 1.10 US Tons. In pounds 2204 lbs = 1 metric Ton 2000 lbs 1 US Ton.
Good point. The fact that there are two types of tons also threw me off, because I don’t know if the train weights that show up in the pause screen are metric tons or imperial. My weights for the containers and empty car are in metric tons. But my calculated averages would be different depending on which measurement is being used in the game menu. (btw what kind of idiot ever figured it was a good idea to have two different measurements with the same name?)
If you want to be pedantic, there are 3 different measurements - short ton (2000lb), long ton (2240lb), and metric ton (1000kg). The metric ton is also actually called a "tonne", but it seems that the US had enough trouble grasping the concept of the metric system that they couldn't handle a spelling change too.
I watched a couple of AI trains go by in the training lessons & when I was walking around Juniata Yard - what I don't like is these intermodal consists full of European containers. Hopefully one of the guys that mods at TSC can fix that...
You might need to go back to the 1700s 1800s for this reason. That would explain why there are Imperial units 20% larger than the u.s. customary units and Metric Units invented by the French. If you want to see this in action An Oakville Subdivision Grain train weighs more than a Sand Patch Grade Sherman Hill Grain train due to Avery bushel being 36.37L Winchester Bushel being 35.24L. In Cubic Feet & Lbs OSD Grain Train if a part of the load was tested is 60.1 lbs 36.396l US SPG Sherman Hill Grain train part of the load as tested 56.6lbs 35.24l. European Example can be Iron Ore Train DB BR189/ DB BR151 C-Akv couplers G mode Brakes Fully loaded for Koln to Koblenz is 6.6k US Tons Metric Tons 6k. US Iron Ore train is lighter
Good point and for the base unit conversion 1 Metric Ton = 2204 lbs = 1.10 US Tons. In TSW 2 US & OSD freight are us Tons max load EU routes Metric Tons. The inverse is that 1 us tons = 907.18 kg = .90718 metric tons. When it comes to Lorries US Canada Max weight 40 us tons (80,000 lbs) 36 metric tons EU is 44 Metric Tons 48 US Tons (98,000 lbs).
