Re: How is this different than birdstrike?
Luckily, locomotives are not required to fly, so don't have the same sort of weight restrictions.
In fact locomotives are frequently built heavier than necessary, in order to improve traction. The coefficient of friction between steel wheels and steel rails isn't great, and traction ("adhesion," in rail parlance) is often much more of a limiting factor than horsepower. All they can really do to improve this is add wheels, which has its own limitations, or add weight. Some yard switchers are actually ballasted with concrete.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
