An easy formula to figure out max number of wagons?

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Cool Loser
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An easy formula to figure out max number of wagons?

Post by Cool Loser »

I'd like to know at a glance how many wagons could move a given loco at its max speed, but I'm not able to find nothing of the sort on the internet, only real life stuff that I don't know how to decipher anyway. I'd appreciate some help here.
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andythenorth
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Re: An easy formula to figure out max number of wagons?

Post by andythenorth »

You can do stuff with formulas.
https://www.reddit.com/r/openttd/commen ... e_formula/

The key value (both real life and OpenTTD) is horsepower per ton. So engine HP / total train weight. More HP/ton is better.

The max tractive effort figure can be pretty much ignored for most trains and routes.

But eh, I just build a train and watch it drive the route to see if it needs more/less power :twisted:
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Cool Loser
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Re: An easy formula to figure out max number of wagons?

Post by Cool Loser »

I'm pretty bad at figures and formulas, but I hope I'll be able to handle that. I'll give it a try.

Thanks!
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odisseus
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Re: An easy formula to figure out max number of wagons?

Post by odisseus »

There are many more factors that limit a train's maximum speed. In a casual game, the most important ones are track configuration (turn radius and the amount of upward slopes) and traffic congestion. The maximum speed of a train will not be directly limited by its power/weight ratio (unless the train is very underpowered), but its acceleration rate will change a lot. Depending on the length of the route and the level of congestion, a slowly accelerating train may never get an opportunity to reach its top speed.

Also, some GRFs impose speed limits on certain types of wagons. For example, in NARS, no wagon that can transport oil can go faster than 136 km/h.

If you want a simple rule of thumb, one engine per 10-15 wagons is a safe bet unless your trains literally climb mountains.
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Cool Loser
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Re: An easy formula to figure out max number of wagons?

Post by Cool Loser »

I normally play flat maps with a lot of free space, so my routes tend to have long straight tracks and smooth curves (well, as smooth as the game allows, that is, 45º). You can always add one wagon at a time and see how it goes, but that doesn't help you to choose the loco, and it's a slow and somewhat annoying method, especially when your roster of trains has grown. That's why I was looking for a way to calculate beforehand good combinations of loco + x wagons depending on the amount of resources I'll need to handle.
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