Maximum speed for loaded HHA wagons ?

[Easilyconfused]

Been having a search around the internet tonight but came up with no concrete answers. What is the maximum speed for the HHA wagons when fully loaded ? I am starting to write an activity and I want to ensure that the instructions state the maximum speed the driver should attempt to drive at.

Second question : For a Class 66 such as 66217 - what is the longest it can be left at 100% throttle going up hill ?

The route I am on and the starting location means it never really gets above 30 MPH with 100% power on and a decent sized rake of wagons (I used a pre-existing consist that I assume was somewhat prototypical). I am trashing up a hill well in the red on the load meter for some 10 - 12 minutes and not gaining much speed (due to load and gradient).

Thanks in advance

John

[allypally]

The legal top speed is 60 mph - the train would run as class 6. A class 66 should be able to take about 20 full wagons up to 60 I'd have thought!.

[ianmacmillan]

60 mph loaded.
45 mph empty.

or the other way round - I'll check the book tomorrow.


Standard load for a type 5 or two 37s is 36 wagons.

[allypally]

Different kind o' wagon Ian - the ones you're thinking of are the archetypal HAA wagon, which has a few examples remaining operated by EWS.

HHA are bright green Freightliner Heavy Haul bogie jobs.

[ewsjo]

Actually the HHAs are black! Well, they were silver when new. As far as I know, most class 66 drivers don't use notch 8 due to the noise, and EWS locos have a collar so you have to consciously decide to go from 7 to 8. However apart form the noise, there is no reason (and many drivers do) why the loco can't just be lumped into notch 8 and left to do its stuff. The computers sort out any wheelslip. The load meter in MSTS is far from perfect, I have found that needle position tends to relate to handle position, and it doesn't fall away. Basically the dial just tells you which notch you're in, unlike BVE or the real locos.

cheers

jo

[Easilyconfused]

Thanks for all the information.

Kindest regards

John

[ianmacmillan]

Speed is 75mph empty and loaded.

There is a new type HXA which is similar but wastes less space at the ends and is 3ft shorter


"On the 5th of January, Freightliner ran the UK’s first train to use the newly designed HXA wagon type.
Having left Immingham at 1145 am the 1470 tonne, 21 wagon train arrived at Eggborough power station 13 minutes earlier than its booked arrival time of 1600 hrs.

Built by Greenbrier in Poland, the wagon features a brand new design of track-friendly bogie and, despite being one metre shorter than its predecessor, can still carry the same volume of coal, increasing the payload per train by up to 10%.

In total, Freightliner has ordered 109 of the wagons, enough to run 5 full sets."

[allypally]

Yeees, remember these are the silver jobbies now, saw a rake at Rugeley PS earlier!

[spartacus]

HHAs tend to run in 17 wagon sets, sometimes more, HXAs more than that. Both are 75 ampty, 60 loaded.