Tender wagon

[leadraven]

What ?

Special kind of cargo wagon that accepts only fuel and pushes it to adjacent locomotive.
Questionable mechanics:

• Pushes fuel only being placed behind locomotive, not in front of.
• Can push fuel in both directions if is placed between two locomotives.
• Can push fuel to multiple chained locomotives.

But definitely can't push fuel through other wagons (including other tenders).

Why ?

Locomotives have a very limited fuel stock, and replenish it is not very convenient. Tender wagon can greatly extend train's stand-alone time in cost of size and weight.

[darkfrei]

Nice idea for mod.

[bobingabout]

But definitely can't push fuel through other wagons (including other tenders).

Why not?
There's many examples of steam locomotives that include multiple tenders for 1 engine.

[Hannu]

Range of Factorio locomotives is comparable to real steam locomotives with tender. But distances in the game are single kilometers instead of hundreds in real world. I would need more often option to limit locomotive fuel to one stack.

In my opinion fuel logistics is a part of train system and this idea is practically fuelless locomotive. I do not believe that it is even possible to make so long rail line which you can not drive back and forth with three stacks of coal. And more fuels give even more range.

One easy solution would be a special modded item with huge fuel value and stack size of thousand. If you want to keep small energy consumption you can for example make 1 loco fuel from 100 coals and give 100 times higher fuel value.

[darkfrei]

One easy solution would be a special modded item with huge fuel value and stack size of thousand. If you want to keep small energy consumption you can for example make 1 loco fuel from 100 coals and give 100 times higher fuel value.

Like nuclear fuel? https://wiki.factorio.com/Nuclear_fuel

[nosports]

I think a dedicated fuel stop on the way will be more than sufficient.....

This fuel stop can be staffed either through a on-site fuel factory or a specialized fuel-feeder train from your main fuel factory.

[Hannu]

Like nuclear fuel? https://wiki.factorio.com/Nuclear_fuel

Exactly, but it should have high enough stack size to pack energy for "forever" (probably 1000 hours is enough for almost all).

[darkfrei]

Like nuclear fuel? https://wiki.factorio.com/Nuclear_fuel

Exactly, but it should have high enough stack size to pack energy for "forever" (probably 1000 hours is enough for almost all).

Ok, then Tiers 32, every fuel can be packed to stack of 32, and again and again. Looks balanced, you are need a lot A LOT of fuel to make the next tier.

Theoretically you can pack 1M field to just one item, that has same stacking as this ore.