How do trains pull so much weight? I’ve seem them with hundreds of freight and gas tanker cars.
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Train engines can produce enormous amounts of pulling power. The engineering of train tracks also contributes to moving these cars efficiently. An exceptionally smooth rail surface combined with hard and smooth wheel tracks and axle bearings all work together to greatly reduce the friction when they roll. Railways are designed with minimal incline or decline wherever possible, which also reduces the pulling effort necessary. Also, a small measure of inertia comes into play once the train gets moving. But it’s mostly horsepower. This is why you might notice some of the longest trains will have multiple engines nose to tail and sometimes, in the most extreme trains, even in the middle of the train. More horsepower.
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