Red Bull

never has rain been so good!

 

5" of snow washed away in hours by a deluge

... And the doom and gloom merchants (aka the British media) are now rubbing their hands together at the prospect of flooding. Bad news is good news as far as newspaper sales goes.

Similarly, in the USA the policy of simply adding more motive power units to accommodate heavier freight loadings follows the Midland's policy of small goods engines whereby an extra one is added when the train gets heavier. It certainly helped to keep people in work!

It may have kept people in work when the MR used multiple engines it but I doubt that many modern railways would adopt a multiple locomotive policy for heavy trains if each extra unit brought with it an extra two man crew.

If that were the case I think there would be some v-e-r-y big locos in use, making the Union Pacific Centennials look small.