Road Slug Locomotive

[emd_SD_60]

What is the purpose of this kind of locomotive?

[Komachi]

SD-60,

As far as I know, there are no "road" slugs, but only yard slugs. These are usually built from retired road units, have their prime movers removed, usually their cabs and fuel tanks as well and their bodies chopped down to a lower height. The cavity inside the body is then filled with concrete (although I've heard they sometimes use scrap metal or something else heavy) to give the unit a little more weight. The units do retain their traction motors which are controled by the "master" locomotives. Their job is to give a little more "oomph" to yard locomotives, as the extra weight gives them more traction and pulling power.

At least that's what I've read, I think the actual railroaders on the forum here will have more knowledge about them than what I have.

Hope this helps.

[SD Shortline]

There are both road and yard slugs. As mentioned they add tractive effort to the pull at speeds up to about 12mph where they usually cuy out for both yard and road slugs. Many road slugs have dynamic braking to assist their masters braking efforts. Common uses for road slugs is on locals. CSX has GP30/35 for converted to road slugs, many of which have control stands so that they can even lead.

[dti406]

The SCL had a lot of road slugs in Phosphate Service in Florida. The U36 had too much horsepower for its use in this service so they used road slugs to apply the extra power for tractive effort essentially making two U-18's out of a U-36. I know some magazines had articles regarding these slugs that were built by GE for the SCL.

The Milwaukee Road had road slug F-7B's for their line out of Tacoma because they needed more tractive effort rather than horsepower on the 3-4% grade out of Tacoma. Trains or Railfan had an article on these units.

Rick

[crazy_nip]

SD-60,

As far as I know, there are no "road" slugs, but only yard slugs.

that is incorrect...

CSX is the largest user of road slugs in the u.s. but not the only one

BN built alot of switchers into road slugs and NS had some too

CSX's are GP30/35/38/40's with their prime movers removed

they are mated to GP40-2's and have their dynamic brakes and cab appliances. They can lead too

Think they cut out around 30MPH

mainly they are used on locals

[Komachi]

Crazy_nip,

Thank you for clarifying that. I wasn't sure if such a beast existed or not. I vaguely recall seeing a snippit in an issue of Model Railroader in the early 90's about slugs that were basically intact, but sans prime movers, however I thought they were for heavy-duty yard/hump duties.

[SSW9389]

CSX usually uses two GP40-2/Road Mate sets over at the Ford Kentucky Truck Plant. One set will have an engineer on board and other set is set up for remote operation with the operator on the ground with the controls. They are quite common here around the Louisville area. The Road Mates do lead sometimes.

[eddiebear]

Boston & Maine built in house, a road slug using scrap, junk and purchased parts. Mid or late 1970s.

[SRS125]

BC Rail had MLW M424 road slugs that were used as mid train helpers they used them for both going up hill and for brakeing control going down hill. The units had all of the same head light fixutres and 5 chime air horns and full fuel tank like there fleet mates. I also think These units also had contols on the side so that they could be moved by hostlers in the yard to the repiar shop.

Outher Road Slugs that also were built were GP30B's, GP35B's, DD35B's, and GP18B's for the Union Pacific. There were GP9B's built for the Union Pacific and Pennsylvaina Railroads as well.

CN Operated with SW1200RS and GP9Ms that worked with both both Yard and Road Slugs the trick is to look at the trucks for the swing hangers on the Blomburgs were never added on to the trucks when they were built. same gos for the SW1200RS also shares this same style truck as well.

[emd_SD_60]

Of course I can't forget the CP SD40-2-s that were converted to slugs, mainly involving boarding up the windows. And the ex-MoPac SD40-2's that I see on the Union Pacific. No boarded up windows here, just lacking the cab seats, toilet, radios, and ditch lights.

Also, I'm sure everone remembers the UP SD24 "B" units rebuilt by VMV as SD20's for Illinois Central.

[SRS125]

Ahh I was wondering what the deal was on them CP Rail SD40's I rember seeing one in a South Bound train in North Bay, Ontario, Canada last Summer.

[mp15ac]

BC Rail had MLW M424 road slugs that were used as mid train helpers they used them for both going up hill and for brakeing control going down hill. The units had all of the same head light fixutres and 5 chime air horns and full fuel tank like there fleet mates. I also think These units also had contols on the side so that they could be moved by hostlers in the yard to the repiar shop.

Outher Road Slugs that also were built were GP30B's, GP35B's, DD35B's, and GP18B's for the Union Pacific. There were GP9B's built for the Union Pacific and Pennsylvaina Railroads as well.

CN Operated with SW1200RS and GP9Ms that worked with both both Yard and Road Slugs the trick is to look at the trucks for the swing hangers on the Blomburgs were never added on to the trucks when they were built. same gos for the SW1200RS also shares this same style truck as well.

SRS125,

You're getting confused between road slugs and "B" units. The BC Rail M420B, and the UP GP9B, GP30B, and DD35B have prime movers (diesel engines), they just don't have a cab (Like a "B" units F7), while slugs do not prime movers, but may or maynot have cabs. Slugs get their power from the regular locomotive their coupled to. There was no GP35 or GP18 "B" units built.

As for the CN SW1200RS and GP9M, the trucks under them are not Bloombergs. They are Flexicoils, with a 96" wheelbase, while the Bloomberg truck has a 108" wheelbase.

Stuart

[RdHseRat]

The C&NW ran slugs between their Century 425's on the line from Huron, SD to Winona, MN. They they built slugs from used F-Bunits for use with GP35's. These slugs were built at Huron and Chadron back in the early 70's.

After the units reached 20mph, they were just 240,000 pounds of concrete and rail.

[trainmaster_1]

Of course I can't forget the CP SD40-2-s that were converted to slugs, mainly involving boarding up the windows. And the ex-MoPac SD40-2's that I see on the Union Pacific. No boarded up windows here, just lacking the cab seats, toilet, radios, and ditch lights.

CP doesn't have an SD40-2 slugs and never has, they are called SD40-2B's meaning that they are booster units with the prime mover still intact and working just like the DD35B that UP had for example and that the units have the cab windows boarded up, lack of ditch lights, cab seats, toilet, and radios. Mainly these units are still either working in road service with their sister units or in hump service.

[westernrrtx]

The Southern Pacific made their own and called them TEBUs ( Traction effort booster units ). They were four axle units with traction motors but no engine. A geep at each end provided power. Mine locals used them on branch lines where the track could not take the stress from six axle units and adhesion not horse power was the issue.