B-2 What is it? (hump slug)

What was B-2? And how many were there? I can't find any reference to them in my loco books or rosters. The 6-wheel trucks don't look like power trucks.

If the one closest to the camera is B-2, then one might assume the one farther away was B-1.

They appear to be slugs for the switchers, riding on what might be Baldwin straight-equalized trucks. Harmon Shops built a number of slugs from old electrics or early oil-electrics.

It looks like a hump yard braking sled to give the hump power more braking power in stopping. Not sure if the traction motors are powered from the switcher,

Now that I've thought about it, a braking sled makes more sense. Besides, a slug would have cooling vents or something on the topside for the traction motor blowers. These puppies don't.

Are those things cut-down steam engine tenders? I agree with a braking sled. Too bad Harold Crouch is no longer with us - he'd have the answer I'm sure!

Thanks for suggesting it was a braking sled. I'd never heard of one. A search of the NYCSHS Headlights turned up a picture of B-3 in the 1994 4th Quarter issue. They were said to be cut down tenders filled with concrete.
"Basically, it (B-3) is a braking trailer that was used on long switching drills such as the one that serviced GM at Tarrytown, NY where the locomotive alone did not have enough wheels to brake the cuts of cars being switched. It was not well received by the train crews, primarily because their pay did not increase as it would have if a second locomotive had been used. According to Charlie Smith, the Brotherhood won out as the braking trailer was replaced by a second engine within a short period of time."

Harmon did create slugs,but would house the blowers in metal boxes,these are brake sleds for flat switching at
Croton North and 30th street yard on the west side freight Branch.

Definitely a brake sled ("B" class.) The actual slugs were classified DHT or Diesel Hump Trailer. These look like they're cut down from steam locomotive tenders and retain the trucks completely unaltered.

-Will Davis

I just ran across this diagram of brake power trailers while browsing the Fallen Flags NYC website.