Quadruple headed container train

[sjm77]

4K51, a Freightliner container train from Trafford Park to Crewe, has just crawled past my window with 4 class 90s at the front! Is this normal? Or are they just using a scheduled freight train to relocate locomotives from A to B rather than sending them as a loose engine on their own and requiring an extra main line path?

 

[greyman42]

4K51 has just crawled past my window with 4 class 90s at the front! Is this normal? Or are they just using a scheduled freight train to relocate locomotives from A to B rather than sending them as a loose engine on their own and requiring an extra main line path?

Were the pans up?

 

[sjm77]

I didn't think to check!

 

[D6975]

Light engine movements cost money. Adding locos to a service is a cheaper way of getting them from A to B.

 

[driver9000]

Most likely it's the 2 leading locos with the pans up and 2 dead locos in transit to save a separate light move and crews.

 

[Deepgreen]

There can be some spectacular headers to freights, but with only one loco powering. Of course it could be that extra adhesion was sought and two were powering.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Nov 2023 ==

Light engine movements cost money. Adding locos to a service is a cheaper way of getting them from A to B.

Probably also a little 'greener'.

 

[Lucy1501]

I was at Carlisle last week and saw something similar. A flask train heading to Sellafield with four 68s (only one seemed to be taking power) alongside four flasks, quite an odd sight compared to what I was expecting.

 

[Numbskull100]

There can be some spectacular headers to freights, but with only one loco powering. Of course it could be that extra adhesion was sought and two were powering.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Nov 2023 ==


Probably also a little 'greener'.

Other than exceptionally light <1000t (ish) trains, 90s always run in pairs. Their 110mph gearing and light weight requires this.

 

[Class15]

4K51 has just crawled past my window with 4 class 90s at the front! Is this normal? Or are they just using a scheduled freight train to relocate locomotives from A to B rather than sending them as a loose engine on their own and requiring an extra main line path?

On Saturdays Freightliner wants the fleet at Basford Hall for the weekend so will run multiple out from a terminal to Basford Hall.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Nov 2023 ==

There can be some spectacular headers to freights, but with only one loco powering. Of course it could be that extra adhesion was sought and two were powering.

90s are almost always double headed.

Probably also a little 'greener'.

If it’s 90s, I doubt it? But maybe there’s some other reason?

 

[william.martin]

4K51, a Freightliner container train from Trafford Park to Crewe, has just crawled past my window with 4 class 90s at the front! Is this normal? Or are they just using a scheduled freight train to relocate locomotives from A to B rather than sending them as a loose engine on their own and requiring an extra main line path?

As you say, a cheaper way of moving locos without placing in an extra path, also it could be that 2 of the locos failed so they were rescued by another 2 en route.