How many of you fellows are or have made models of slugs with left over parts. I know the Milw road used F7 B units and RS 3's, just curious. George H
I certainly would like to have some slugs. I haven't modeled them in N scale because of their low hood height and, thus, the requirment for them to be unpowered. I probably would have some if I could figure out how to make them roll easily, like a dummy.
you could probably remove the idler gears from the trucks, leaving the axles to turn freely. that should take care of it.
I had a slug on my previous N scale layout. I think the chassis was a very old GP30. The gears were removed to make it run freely (well, fairl freely!). Top part was scratchbuilt.
Thanks for the idea! I tried it on my Bachmann F7s and it didn't work. Will probably have to power them with GP20 mechanisms.
I have modeled a slug much similar to Alans. Shell was scratchbuilt. Chassis is old AHM/ ModelPower RSD15. Remotored it with a Sagami 9mm can motor. Runs great!!! Still gotta add the brass stanchions and handrails though. Of course I modeled an SP ex ALCo Century slug such as this one:
Here's a picture of a Milw RS slug: RS unit http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/milw/milw-sg1-bgh.jpg F B unit http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/milw/milw-slug-agh.jpg notice the absent fuel tank, no exhaust fans and the extensions for the sand I really liked the models and ideas presented I have a F7 B unit I could take off the fans I guess and then remove the fuel tank, I can't make out on the picture if it is removed as in the RS. George h
Which brings me to this question,has anyone looked at scratching a DD35 SP? I figure it could be done with a DD40 frame or use the trucks at least? I know its not a slug,but a B unit,thought this thread would be a good place to bring it up.
If ya had an SP style rotory snowplow, you could use an F7B to do a "Snail". These were used to provide power and steam for the rotories. SP Snail #MW8208 by John Rosser: I've also seen a similar use on a BNSF rotory snowplow in Westwood,CA.
Hello Pat I'm not sure when slugs came into use. Cow and calf units were used in the late 50's I believe, but not sure on the slugs. On one of the pictures above there is 3 F units the middle being a slug and in front of that there is a GE unit I believe, correct me if I'm wrong. George H
Until they left the roster in the 1980s, KCS used F-units as road slugs. One common place you could see 'em in action was on a unit lignite train in Texas. F3As and F7As were common, and the cabs were still equipped with control stands. Made for a quiet day when on the road..... And the nice thing about using F-units as slugs on your model railroads? All you need to do is remove the roof fans and exhaust stacks. KCS ran 'em with powered F-units, as well as between two road engines (GP40s).
The Western Maryland Railway had home made slugs in 1948 (I belive if my memory serves me right) That I had modeled, in HO scale. that the railroad based from an S-2 or and S-3 (again, if my memory serves me right). Chessie had alot of slugs from rebuilt EMD geeps, an even alot of yard locos that were recylced. Then CSX had slugs, some made or based from GE units an the rest were EMD units. They also I belive have ALCO based units from the inheritants from Conrails fleet that were ALCO made or based. These were MT-4's and MT-6's (3 axle units). I have a few pictures of my Chessie units to post. Which in HO scale were done by use of an old IHC GP-18 body an frame cut down. I kept all the powering, an such from the IHC unit, and added one flywheel inside, which I had to do some custom drive shaft work to make it mate being the shaft had to be shortened, to accomodate the new added flywheel. Then had added my own handrailing, an redesigned the body from the original one to be low as they were, plus do all the "body work" to take all the cut lines an separation lines away from the flat steel body lines, an then custom painted it. The frame of this unit has new steps, they came from a Athearn GP-35 body that was in my scrap parts for use. Plus I added the taks under the frame in the center close to one end of the loco, an removed the fuel tank as they were in real life by Chessie. I modeled also one of the Western Maryland units as well from the same type loco, an IHC GP-18, just custom choped up a Atlas RS-3 body an redesigned its body lines to what the Western Maryland real unit looked like. Then fitted it to the old IHC powered frame.(Alot of work) However, I don't currently have online pictures of this unit as I do the Chessie unit. Heres a few pictures of the Chessie unit. And another one. And one from the very end of the loco (sorry about the darkness, the flash didn't do well in this next picture... ENJOY!
I made this next locomotive to "mate" with the Chessie slug that I posted pictures of above. It too is a IHC GP-18, that I added a few extra details too to make it actually a GP-18M, its a normal loco, with an added dynamic brake blister, an fan, plus custom made metal handrailing, a new bright custom paint job, added flywheel drive. This loco also carries a story. The B&O ordered one GP-18M for its roster, and I've modeled it. (I got a TON of these IHC GP-18's and wanted to do something with them so....) Anyway, the B&O droped it from the roster its road number was "6599" but being the B&O was disapointed with its power an reliability, they never bought anymore of them an took this one off their roster after a short few years. It was used in yard service the last year or so on the B&O's roster. It NEVER made it to the Chessie System. BUT, being I had so many of these loco's in HO scale (and not to mention I like the High Hood loco's) I took the idea of the B&O having a few and made it look like one made it to the Chessie System roster. So.. Here's what you have when prototypically freelancing a locomotive! I made this preticular loco to mate with the custom made slug seen above. Till I can model a SD-39 (I think) or it may have been a GP-39 in either case I don't have anything of the nature so.... I made this loco as a "Mother" unit for my slug, not to mention both run nice, low noise,and well pulling set of loco's!
I am also in the process (between other projects, like the newly announced Layout Party) of creating an N scale slug from an Atlas SD35 in order to create this combo used at Barstow, CA: The idea is to pair it up with an SD40 (standing proxy for an SD39) for my yard. I don't need the extra power, but I do need the electrical pickup to ensure good movement across all those switches. To that end I've created a simple little power sharing system working like this: This is the progress so far: All I need to do is put on the top, bondo and sand and then send the puppy off to the paint shop! In fact, this thread may just have gotten me off my duff to do that!
Hey Alan, I like your color scheme and the slug looks great. Also the Chessie System slug looks excellant- 7600m William please post a picture when you get done. I like the power sharing system, makes sense to me.
Thanks Alan. By the way, whatever happened to your slug, what with your scale treason and all? What did you base it on?
