? Triple Crown Trailers

Im not precise on trailer couplings but I do know that standard 90 pound couplers times two had a working load limit of approximately 380,000 pounds. IN other words you can allocate 4 6K horse engines up front or 2 10K AC phase engines for 20K horsepower and tractive effort. Sometimes if the tonnage is sufficient you will have two or three up, one slave in the rear 1/3 or pusher to keep the couplers within limits.

Engines are assigned due to priority schedule Trailers are tops. They own the railroad with sufficient power to run 60+ mph and over come the rated tonnage and ruling grade on a given division. Its like running cabbage with a tractor that has 2000 hp because you are required by schedule to maintain 80 upgrade on cabbage to be in Portland on time.

 

Video explains how road railers work, discusses train length and has a section showing how the trailers are made.

 

Remember seeing long strings of them being pulled on the tracks paralleling I-80 in Wyoming years ago.