Today’s question:
We recently took a road trip to Santa Fe. As usual, we saw many freight trains going to and from. As is customary, all have multiple engines both in the front and rear of the train. Invariably, one or more of them are facing the rear, opposite the direction the train is traveling. I've often wondered, why is that? Are they just being "towed" i.e. transported to another destination? And if they are being used to pull the train, again, why would they being facing the opposite way?
This is known as “double heading.” (And a string of rail cars is called “a consist.” I didn’t know that before.)
Anyway, the reason for using two locomotives is pretty simple. Twice the number of locomotives means twice the power.
This extra power boost is used for especially heavy loads or for trains going up steep grades. A really steep grade could require as many as eight locomotives.
Typically, the lead engine pulls and the rear engine pushes. It used to be that both locomotives were manned by crews. Being the engineers in a push-pull train was considered to be a special skill.
Today, the second locomotive is operated by remote control.
And the reason the two locomotives face in opposite directions is that it makes them reversible when they get to wherever it is that they’re going.
Do catfish really have whiskers?
Yes and no. Their whiskers are not a form of hair. Catfish whiskers are made of skin and are called barbels.
