RAILROADS Online! – Hidden Specs of Locomotives

It reveals the information that is not presented in the shop, but you need to know it to better understand your engines.

General Info

A steam locomotive has a few different parameters that describe it. I think you need to know them to understand how does the engine work. Most of them have different margins to those we see in the game. And it can be confusing. Let’s go through them step-by-step.

Aandacht! All the numbers are given for 0-4-0 Porter locomotive since I’ve studied only this engine. Later I’ll add numbers for other engines.

Fire temperature is a parameter that influences water boiling.

It drops to -10 graden (not to 0 as UI says) if the locomotive was not fed with wood for a long time. A fully fired-up locomotive has a firing temperature of 400 graden. You need a positive fire temperature, to warm the water. Water gains some temperature every second. If fire temperature > 0, then water temperature is increased by fire temperature * 0,005. If fire temperature <= 0, water temperature is decreased by 0,05.

Fuel points (FP) show the amount of fuel in the firebox. If FP > 0, than they will increase/decrease fire temperature by FP * 0,04 every second. FP can drop down to -50 for a starving locomotive (not to 0 as UI says). Every firewood piece gives you 10 FP. A locomotive consumes 0,1 FP per second.

Thus to fire up a locomotive, you need to throw at least 6 firewood pieces. If you throw them very fast, you can get a positive fire temperature in 30 seconden. Echter, fuel will be depleted soon and won’t be able to heat the water enough.

Met 7 firewood pieces, you can get a positive fire temperature in 13 seconden. But it still won’t be able to boil you even a cup of water.

You need at least 8 firewood pieces. Positive fire temperature will be achieved in 9 seconden. Not a big deal, Maar. But due to higher heat production, you will get enough heat to boil the water.

Dus, you need to throw 3 firewood pieces into the firebox every 5 minutes to maintain the fire. You can’t save fuel, but you can not overuse it. Don’t throw firewood, als je dat hebt 40+ FP. Then the best practice to start your cold Porter is to throw exactly 10 firewood pieces into the firebox.

Water temperature is a parameter that influences pressure production. You need water temperature to be between 100 en 110 degrees as well as water level > 0. The lowest water temperature possible is 0 graden (niet 10 as UI says).

That’s why you don’t have both temperatures rise for a while after you’ve thrown firewood. First fire temperature needs to overcome that -10 naar 0 degrees path. Then water temperature does the same path from 0 naar 10 graden.

Boiler pressure (PSI) is a parameter that influences the locomotive’s tractive effort. PSI gain is 2/110 * water temperature if latter >= 100 graden. Met andere woorden, you’ll get from 1,82 PSI per second at a water temperature of 100 degrees to 2,00 PSI per second at a water temperature of 110 graden. PSI usage is linear and depends only on regulator position. You can stand still but consume pressure. PSI consumed per second is 1.4 * regulator position. Dus, a hot firebox will provide you with enough pressure all the time.

The water level is a parameter that shows the water amount left. You can store up to 900 units of water (niet 500 as UI says). Water consumption is linear and depends on water temperature and regulator position. Locomotive consumes water temperature / 110 * regulator position water units every second in case water temperature >= 100 graden.

Considering this info we can find out how fast your locomotive will cool down. Let’s assume we had 400 fire temperatures. We know that fire temperature changes by FP * 0,04 every second. Then negative fire temperature (-0,512 graden) will be reached when FP is -44.8, that’s 448 seconds after FP reached 0. In 6 seconds the temperature will drop to -10 degrees and stays there. Echter, FP will continue its path to -50.

After the fire temperature became negative, the water temperature drops from 110 degrees to 100 degrees in 200 seconds if no fire is provided. During the same 200 seconds your locomotive will consume not 20,0 FP (2 firewood pieces) as expected, maar alleen 5,2 (van -44,8 naar -50). In some way, we can say that we can save 14,8 FP (1,4 firewood pieces). Does it worth the hassle? We need more experiments to find it out.

0-4-0 Porter

• Water capacity, eenheden: 900
• Firewood capacity, pcs: 65
• Lowest water temperature, deg. C: 0
• Maximum water temperature, deg. C: 110
• Lowest fire temperature, deg. C: -10
• Maximum fire temperature, deg. C: 400
• Lowest firebox fuel amount: -50
• Maximum firebox fuel amount: 50
• Fuel consumption: 0,1 per seconde.
• 1 piece of firewood provides 10 brandstof.