The Next Slug

[Engineer Spike]

I read somewhere that the company was considering building more slugs, to split up more of the 3 unit sets of the 300/200 classes. Supposedly the fodder was to be some of the junk at Billerica Shops, like the old F7 units. Was any progress toward this started before Guilford?

Since B&M was short on power, why wasn't more pooling done with Maine Central, and D&H? All involved might have had better utilization. Even pre blocking cars would have made it work better. D&H could have blocked north bound cars at Binghamton, and B&M at E. Deerfield.

[bmcdr]

Yes, I remember that idea being kicked around before Guilford came in and took us over. The idea was to use old F-7b's that were kicking around, but nothing ever got started, shame too, would have been nice to see the old B-units put to good use.

[Engineer Spike]

While we're on this motive power discussion, how about more new units? I had a copy of Tom Nelligan's superb two part article in Trains. It discussed the power shortage, and the slug program, which would split up more 300 class consists. It also mentions the quest to possibly get more GP38s, or 40s. How close to actually acquiring a new order were they, when Guilford took over?