Part 7/12:
The efficiency of the locomotive's power system plays a crucial role. Modern locomotives utilize advanced AC traction motors, delivering approximately 80% of the diesel engine's power to the wheels, compared to only about 70% in older DC systems. This improvement means that modern engines can move more weight with less fuel and mechanical effort.
Furthermore, these trains require only about 2 to 5 pounds of force per ton of train weight to overcome static friction and start moving. For a 10,000-ton train, that translates to roughly 20,000 to 50,000 pounds of force just to get going—small compared to the total pulling capacity.