Well, never got a good answer on this question on the Trains website, so thought I would try here. With mid-train helpers and end train pushers, forgetting about the communication angle, how did the the engineer determine how much to push? With diesels, does he watch the traction motor currents? On hilly curves where he can not see what the train is doing, how does he know he has not caused the train to double up on itself in the curve due to too much push? How did engineers determine how much to push in the steam era? What were the indicators, or did they just push for all it was worth until they didn't need it anymore?
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