Tractive effort refers to which of the following?

Tractive effort is defined as the pulling force exerted by the traction system of a train. This concept is critical in understanding how trains start moving and overcome resistance, such as friction and gradient forces.

The traction system, which includes components like locomotives and drive wheels, generates this force to move the train forward. The greater the tractive effort, the more weight a train can effectively pull and the steeper the slopes it can conquer. This is particularly important for applications in transportation where variable loads and gradients are persistent challenges.

Other aspects such as maximum speed, weight distribution, or energy consumption rate relate to the train's performance but do not define tractive effort directly. Maximum speed is determined by factors like aerodynamics and engine power, weight distribution affects stability and traction, and energy consumption rate is influenced by efficiency, speed, and the load being carried.