Road slugs

[John_Perkowski]

I'm in Pittsburgh at the moment.
A little while ago I saw a CSXT feight snaking east on the old P&LE, and it had two road units and a slug. Are slugs common in the Eastern US today?

[FarmallBob]

John -

I guess it depends on your definition of "common". Here in the Rochester NY area road slugs are frequently spotted, mostly on local moves and work trains.

All mother/slug sets consist of freshly rebuilt GP40-2's paired with CSX class RDSLUG slugs. The slugs created from de-engined/rebuilt GPxx locomotives. All slugs are equipped with full cab controls - they can (and often will...) lead a train.

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Here are a few random photos of mother/slug sets spotted locally:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1500584
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1565102
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1983438
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2384688

...FB

[BobLI]

Do the slugs carry fuel in their tanks for the mother engine or is it filled with sand etc for ballast?

[FarmallBob]

Do the slugs carry fuel in their tanks for the mother engine...?

My guess would be no. A close inspection of the MU connections shows all manner of electrical cables and automatic/independent brake hoses. But apparently no fuel supply connection - at least that I can discern:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/editPi ... id=1496578

Keep in mind also:

1 - A mother/slug set can consume fuel no faster than the rate of the mother locomotive operating singly. So a set's "full tank" range will be nearly same as the mother unit alone - less a slight penalty for moving the additional weight of the slug.

2 - Mother/slug sets seem relegated primarily to local switching and work train service. They generally wind up back in a yard somewhere at the end of each shift where they can be conveniently refueled.

So there seems to be no compelling reason to carry additional fuel in the slug's tank (just my opinion however....)

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Incidentally my understanding from a discussion with a RR employee a slug is ballasted by a block of concrete sitting in the space originally occupied by the slug's engine/generator.

...FB