Don’t usually train watch, except in passing (pun intended).
Saw a 4 loco train today with what looked like a refueling tanker for the locos behind the fourth engine, painted black, with white NS insignia matching the locos. Was it a tanker to refuel the locos (on the go?) as I surmised? Is this a new development?
I had time to count the cars - 98, give or take a couple.
Thanks in advance.
runtime
you probley saw a slug
thanks for the reply.
What is a slug?
runtime
It’s basically an additional traction motor that’s controlled from one of the cab units. The railroads use them for additional pulling/pushing power in yards mostly, especially in hump yards. They’re not really the same thing as “B” of “calf” units (which I like better - especially the F7B’s and the SW9 “calves”) since the slugs don’t have a diesel engine inside.
…Slugs are diesel electric engines with their {prime mover & generator / alternator}, removed.
Ballast added to make up for removed weight.
Proper electric connections are provided to connect the two units.
The two units {mother unit and slug}, are connected together and the slug’s traction motors receive their power from the mother engine.
All controls are in the mother engine.
More of the prime mover’s power can be utilized to power the additional traction motors and hence more tractive effort can be put to the rail to do work especially at low speeds.
This is a picture of a slug. These are mostly found in big yards like Inman Yard(Atlanta) and DeButts Yard(Chattanooga). http://www.nslocos.com/ns850.html
Picture is not mine.
Kevin
Why are some of the slugs painted for Conrail? They were originally NS locos.
/Lone
conrail had slugs until the breakup
Do the sanders on slugs work?
Yes!
Conrail built alot of four and six axle slugs out of old Alcos but they replaced the original Alco trucks with EMD Blomberg style ones. After the split they were distruted to both NS and CSX in June of 1999 although nearly all of the 4 axle units had been retired by October 1995.
With all due respect to “runtime” here’s an example of where it pays to be extra observant in order to get an accurate answer.
REPORTING MARKS: If runtime can supply the initials and number of what he saw in all likelihood some NS-guy reading this thread could trace the car and confirm what it actually is.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL PLACARDS: If the NS-car displays a hazmat placard with the number 1993 written in black letters on a white field, chances are it contains (or contained) diesel fuel.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: If it looks like a tank car, then it is a tank car. Although railroad-owned tank cars are pretty rare, there are a few running around in company service. Some are used for hauling diesel fuel while others may contain locomotive “slop” that is going somewhere for recycling.
HOSES & M.U. CABLES: If one ordinary hose is hanging down at each end, it’s probably a tank car. Additional hoses probably could mean it’s a fuel tender. Those additional hoses are for moving fuel plus main reservoir air, engine independent brake control, and engine independent brake actuation (bail off). Fuel tender cars also are equipp
[quote user=“Bob-Fryml”]
With all due respect to “runtime” here’s an example of where it pays to be extra observant in order to get an accurate answer.
REPORTING MARKS: If runtime can supply the initials and number of what he saw in all likelihood some NS-guy reading this thread could trace the car and confirm what it actually is.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL PLACARDS: If the NS-car displays a hazmat placard with the number 1993 written in black letters on a white field, chances are it contains (or contained) diesel fuel.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: If it looks like a tank car, then it is a tank car. Although railroad-owned tank cars are pretty rare, there are a few running around in company service. Some are used for hauling diesel fuel while others may contain locomotive “slop” that is going somewhere for recycling.
HOSES & M.U. CABLES: If one ordinary hose is hanging down at each end, it’s probably a tank car. Additional hoses probably could mean it’s a fuel tender. Those additional hoses are for moving fuel plus main reservoir air, engine independent brake control, and engine independent brake actuation (bail off). Fuel ten
Referring to the original post, wouldn’t it be kind of difficult to mistake a tanker for a slug? Maybe it’s not what he saw… just putting it out there.
about 6 months ago ns had a engine and road slug then engine combo trying to get it to work on coal trains in our area. it failed and they said it had a problem sent it to kc to fix brought it back and it didnt work . last i heard it was to go around the system til it found a place it could work . as far as fueling its not happening as there is nobody to fuel engines i wont and i wont let the conductor do anything to the engines
Thanks guys. And Kevin, thanks for the link to the NS site.
After viewing lots of pics of slugs, and then reading the recent posts, I’m not convinced I saw a slug. It was the height of a tank car, and had what I thought was a single round dome in the center. Didn’t seem as round as a typical tank car though. I could have mistaken the center structure I saw on a few slugs for a tank car dome. But it was definitely the height of a tank car, not the height of the 4 engines preceding it, while being painted in identical NS livery as the first and last engines (the two middle ones were faded blue/white - CR I think).
I first caught sight of this train while driving, as the engines came into view as they cross a bridge in front of me. We were traveling in the same direction, my route being more direct and faster, I got to see the train again, but from across the highway, and it was passing behind a stationary train, hence my limited view.
runtime
The “dome” was more than likely the platform they mounted the RCL (remote control) antenneas, strobes, and horns on. Slugs are also shorter than locomotives. Now the former Conrail slugs are shorter than the NS slugs rebuilt from GPs.
I have seen The Burlington using Tanker cars in there engine lash-ups. Most time it was in the middle of the lash-up. I was not close up to seen the piping. The only reason it was there was engine fuel. They were all painted Green and Black and lettered like their engines. This had to be about 20 years ago when I took the C.B.&Q. from LaVern to Chicago for work.
I have seen The Burlington using Tanker cars in there engine lash-ups. Most time it was in the middle of the lash-up. I was not close up to seen the piping. The only reason it was there was engine fuel. They were all painted Green and Black and lettered like their engines. This had to be about 20 years ago when I took the C.B.&Q. from LaVergne station to Chicago for work.
The only roads of which I’m aware that used fuel tenders in road service were BN and SP. All of the tenders were modified company service tank cars. BN had a sizable number of these while SP had only one or two.