[FROM: Darryl Harper]
Would suggest that this game is in no way realistic and does not try to be; note the current SO cobra maglevs. You would not have passenger sets that 50 + cars long; train platforms aren't long enough never mind how far passengers would have to walk getting on and off their trains. Passenger trains wouldn't carry the number of passengers that these do. And on and on. Freight train wagons bear no resemblance to real freight wagons in most cases.
Power levels of engines is a function of how long the game has been around with SO engines now up in the low 50's whereas 2 and 1/2 years ago, they were down in the teen's; increase approximately one power per month in the SO; so nothing to do with real world.
It is strictly a game with some degree of resemblance to real world, but not much.
The real world is to get players to spend money on gems to generate income for the Dev's; thus the increasing power levels of engines, wagons and wild maglevs like the cobra.