Horsepower absolutely does factor in a locomotives pulling power. It's not just tractive effort! A 5,000 horsepower locomotive will pull more than a 4,000 horsepower locomotive.
A locomotives most important number is neither tractive effort or horsepower. The most important number to a locomotive is factor of adhesion. Factor of adhesion is a locomotives ability to adhere to the rails.
An optimal factor of adhesion is 4.5. Much higher and the locomotive will be too slow to be useful. Much lower and the locomotive will simply spin its wheels instead of moving.
This is the massive power advantage that steam has over diesel. The factor of adhesion of a steam locomotive is much closer that "sweet spot" (4.5) than the factor of adhesion of a diesel locomotive. An example: The factor of adhesion of the Union Pacific 844 is 4.18. The factor of adhesion of the mighty AC6000CW is 2.5.
A locomotives most important number is neither tractive effort or horsepower. The most important number to a locomotive is factor of adhesion. Factor of adhesion is a locomotives ability to adhere to the rails.
An optimal factor of adhesion is 4.5. Much higher and the locomotive will be too slow to be useful. Much lower and the locomotive will simply spin its wheels instead of moving.
This is the massive power advantage that steam has over diesel. The factor of adhesion of a steam locomotive is much closer that "sweet spot" (4.5) than the factor of adhesion of a diesel locomotive. An example: The factor of adhesion of the Union Pacific 844 is 4.18. The factor of adhesion of the mighty AC6000CW is 2.5.
