Why did SP put there full light package on there slugs as seen here? What good would a mars light do if the unit was not at the front of te train. What good, for that matter would a headlight do. I mean the slugs never lead a train, so they wouldn’t have to worry about being seen, and no one is on board to see anything. please answer. Confused!![%-)][%-)][:)]
The slugs were primarily used on Oregon branchlines and were capable of being used with a locomotive on just one end. Because of this there would be times where the slug could be leading. Without the headlights on the slug this would have been a FRA violation. The signal lights would be overkill for the rare times the slug would lead, but standard is standard.
Calling SP’s TEBUs slugs is like calling a GP9 a SW1500, they are two different models.
sorry,[
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say, beaulieu what do you mean standard,
I know SP liked to load up on options for their locomotives, such as the headlight package displayed on the photo of the slug. If the slug was mated to the front end of a GP40, and moving forward, the headlights on the slug would light up the right-of-way better than using the lights on the geep. Plus, there’s that FRA mandate as mentioned earlier.
[#ditto]
I think he is refering to SP’s standard light package for locomotives used on the road. Of course SP dropped that by 1986. Also, locomotives intended for yard use only did not have all of the extra lights.
Some did. SP’s swithers like shown HERE had the full house light package.Eric Brooman put the red Gyrolight on his Utah Belt big diesels, wouldn’t it be cool if SP had done the same[:D]
Some did. SP’s swithers like shown HERE had the full house light package. But I know what you mean. The switcher behind the SW 15OO did not have the light package.Eric Brooman put the red Gyrolight on his Utah Belt big diesels, wouldn’t it be cool if SP had done the same[:D]
Some did. SP’s swithers like shown HERE had the full house light package. But I know what you mean. The switcher behind the SW 15OO did not have the light package.Eric Brooman put the red Gyrolight on his Utah Belt big diesels, wouldn’t it be cool if SP had done the same[:D]
SP intended for its SW1500 to leave the yard and switch industries. Indeed they were used for such purposes. Have a look at SP’s SD38-2s.
SP’s GP 38-2 look like any other SP loco. A horizontal headllight with Red gyrolight above that and Vertical mars light. What about them. That brings up a few questions. Some SP diesels had The light package on both ends. Some only ad it on one. How did they decide which ones to put the full house light package on the rear on. Also, howw did they decide how to arange the lights. The arangement on SW 1500s, GP38-2s, and U 28Bs are very different.
I have seen the 1500s working industries in San Antonio a few times. This was many years ago, and I am not even sure if there are any SW1500s down there anymore or not. I always thought they were cool little units.
Take the three lights and make 'em fit. Standard is nice, but if that doesn’t work…
As with many other things railroad, it depends on who orders them, too…
Thanks.[:D]
SD38-2
What do you want me to notice? I cannot find any pictures of an SD38-2 with full light package intact. just a patch above the windshield. Or are you talking about the design?
I was pointing out that SP’s SD38-2s, which were intended for yard use only, did not have the five lights. They only had the two lights (they never had lights between the numberboards).
who would make a six axel locomotive designed for yard use only? I thought Geeps if any would be for yard use only. Isn’t it ironic that SP put lights on their GPs up untill the quite the lights (which I think was a bad idea) but didn’t on their SD 38-2s.[:D] So…What was with the patch between the numberboards? The headlight was on the nose, so was SOMETHING between the numberboards?[%-)] Sorry, by the way, for posting my one thread 3 times[]
It is quite common for railroads to use six axle locomotives for switching larger yards, espicially hump yards. Yard switchers do not move fast, so the tractive effort is what is important and six axle locomotvies weigh more than their four axle counterparts. Therefore, six axle locomotives would be better.
Here are my guesses as to why they use four axle locomotives in smaller yards. One may be that smaller yards may generally have tighter curves. Also, smaller yards may not have a locomotive facility and may need more flexability with locomotives. Since some industries may require four axle locomotives, they use four axle locomotives for the yard switchers. Also, the switchers at smaller yards probably do not handle as large cuts of cars as switchers at larger yards. Perhaps if Carl or Ed are reading this, they could tell why.
If I remember correctly, UP converted a bunch of SD40-2s into SD38-2s for use in yard service.