I was browsing the internet earlier and found this picture:
http://www.trainpix.com/BN/ACTION/7266XL.JPG
Could somebody tell me why is there a tank car in between the two locos?[?][?][?][:)]
Some of the runs were long and there was no place to refuel (so and I don’t know if BN was the first to build diesel fuel tankers ) they carried their extra fuel with them , I have seen the tankers and they have special hookups to feed fuel to the engine fuel tanks , as fuel efficiency of the diesels increased they fell out of favor for a while, but then the railroads found they could buy large quantities of fuel at the lowest price even if it was not needed for that run so they came back in favor. I know BN and BNSF and CSX use them, there may be others but I have not seen them. I run one between my CSX locos looks good, one day when my painting ability gets better they will look more like the prototype. I have several photos of BN fuel tankers. I used Atlas beer can tankers to make mine looks better on an N scale layout, but I have seen them in O scale. Hope this answers you question.
Bee Line
extra fuel tank for the locomotives…
here’s a good page about it…
http://www.mtnwestrail.com/wyoming/bnft.htm
have a good one!
Loyd L.
That’s what i thought it was.
Thanks guys[:)][:)][:)][:D][:D][:D]
It didn’t take long to get an answer, did it? [:D]
The last engine looks like it doesn’t have a cab. Is that correct or is it just me? I know BN used to run cabless units, I have seen them. [^]
It’s like you’re reading my mind![:)]
It looks like a dash-9 version with conventional (is that what you call it?) cab. If you look closer, you might see some outlines, altough, i’m not sure…
As far as I know dash 9s have the wide cab. I might be wrong, but, those may be dash 7s or dash 8s. I have never seen a GE drone until that pic. Looks like a B-30 maybe…Those pics look a little early to be dash 9s
BN did have some B30-7A’s, the A suffix indicating a cabless unit. I think they have now disposed of all of them. Some of them have ended up on the Providence and Worcester Railroad.[8D]
Hi Jim,
dmoore74 is correct, its a B30-7A, a cabless B30.
We used to see them down here a lot, they dissappeared about 4 years ago.
BN had a pretty good sized fleet of them.
Stay Frosty,
Ed
The cabless engines were called calf’s, and by some RR’s slugs, lower cost to build and they provided extra power and which was controled by the engineer in the cab, when they are mued they are called “Cow and Calf,” the loco with the cab was called a cow.
Bee Line
I had heard B.N. pulled there B-30’s out of service. (The cabless one’s) What happend to them?? From what I understand they were still in pretty good shape.
TIM A
quote]Originally posted by TARGUBRIGHT
I had heard B.N. pulled there B-30’s out of service. (The cabless one’s) What happend to them?? From what I understand they were still in pretty good shape.
TIM A
[/quote]
Most of them were returned to the leasing companies and subsequently sold and/or scrapped. As mentioned above a couple went to the P&W. I believe some others were being used as “French Fryers” being conveted to Biodiesel and used as stationary electrical generators in CA. A few were on the NYS&W for a short time as well.
LC
I may be wrong, but, I thought that Cow and Calf, and Slug and slug mother referred to hump set power. That’s what we call them on our hump. Usually have 3 sets running each shift.
Ken
Did the fuel tender supply only the locomotives adjacent to it, or could it supply the entire consist?
Ironken,
you might not be wrong at all in, in different parts of the country and with many RR’s the same term might mean something else. If you go to google and type " cow and calf railroad engines " in the search box you will get approx. 381 hits of info. As I know the lead engine with a cab is called a Cow, the engine with out a cab is often called a " B ", or a " calf ’ and with some roads a slug, and with some roads their slugs only have traction motors. There are so many options you cannot cover or know them all. Many model sets that are sold by the major manufactures are titled cow and calf set or A and B set, take your pick.
Bee Line
I hear you Bee…Here we call coupling a “joint,” out West on the Santa Fe side they call it a, “hook.” As in, “3 cars to the Hook.” Whatever works.
Ken
By the way, I used to go down a stretch of hiway in Fla. called the Bee Line. Any connection with your name? I was born near CoaCoa, but moved when I was 5.
I’ve also heard the cabless units called “Boosters”. That familiar to you guys?
LC
Yeah, I’ve heard them called that too. I think that all RCOs should be cabless. If you wanna run an engine remote, then there is no reason to have a cab…cabs are for engineers.
Ken
Works for me. I earned my card the hard way and I have to keep from being decertified through diligence too.
LC