Anyone have a current shot at Northtown's deadlines? I'd be interested in seeing what's still there. Especially with recession level low traffic.
PS- I must be getting old when I get worked up over seeing a yard full of SD40-2s in storage- a generation ago, it's GP7s, GP9s, and GP18s. :tb-err:
I remember seeing those slugs at the Albany "squarehouse" when I was out that way 2 years ago- never saw them in action, though. And any road that still uses SD7s and SD9s (don't that SD7 look rode hard & put up wet?) is OK by me
I think next weekend I'll utilize kid #1's requirements for photography class and have her take pics there.
Most carbody-style Bs had hostler controls. I believe FTBs with hostler controls had a fifth porthole on one side at the end, but there were some without controls. All hood Bs with a porthole have hostler controls. The later hood Bs I'm not sure about. I think GP60Bs had hostler controls, but I don't know if BN's B30-7A(B)s or their GP9B and SD40-2B rebuilds had them.
Makes you feel old alright. I remember as a kid in the late sixties seeing similar deadlines of steamers at the local shops waiting to be cut up, some not long overhauled and run in under their own steam. We bought for a few dollars a builders and number plate from a couple of pacifics and a headlight from a Baldwin built 2-8-2. In recent years the same tracks have been occupied by rows of surplus diesels like these photos, some being sold to new owners as far away as Chile. I have a brass SD45-2B made by Hallmark a few years ago.
I had a ex-Santa Fe SD45-2 (BNSF 6511) on the point of the H-PASDIL about a week ago, it was in pretty bad shape and would not load over 13MPH. I know there is a rescission and all but I have never seen the NW this busy with traffic and I suspect that the BNSF 6511 had come out of a LUGO fleet somewhere to help with the demand. Kevin
Need more info Quote: Originally Posted by friscobob Or, in the case of KCS, a big block of concrete. Back in the engine room where the prime mover would have been was a large block of concrete. OK I thought I read the whole thread but could we go back and cover the part where concrete replaced the prime mover? I thought they all had a engine to help push/pull? Or maybe my idea of what a primemover is was wrong. :tb-wacky:
No you are right, in a normal B unit the prime mover is in place and it makes power, just like an A unit (a unit with a cab). A slug has no prime mover it pulls power from the A unit, hence the block of concrete, sometimes (all the time???) slugs have a cut down hood, makes um kinda funny looking. Adam
Road slugs usually have the full carbody with all controls so that the mother/slug set can be run in either direction from either unit.
Is this one of the Santa Fe slugs? http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=88545 I didn't think they had any actual F-units after 1978.
The prime mover is the actual diesel engine. It turns generators which provide power to the traction motors mounted on the axles in response to controls in the cab (hence "diesel electric"). A "B" unit has a prime mover, generator and traction motors, but no cab. Control signals are provided from the "A" (cab) unit) via the MU connections. A slug has no prime mover, generator or cab, only traction motors. They are powered from the generators of an adjacent A or B unit. The empty space formerly occupied by the prime mover is replaced by dead weight to improve traction. (No traction tires here!)
That is true, with the exception of "no cab." NS has got some units that look like normal GP's, but don't have a prime mover. Apparently they're preferable to ride in, as there's an understandable reduction in noise.
Generally-speaking, slug-mother sets don't stray too far from their home terminal/yards. This is because while the mother prime mover can supply enough amps to power 4 sets of traction motors, it can only maintain this efficiency (fuel savings) at lower speeds than used by road frights. Once the speed is too great, or the load is too great, the slug/mother set generally doesn't have that economical edge. IIRC, slug sets cannot maintain full road speed. Is that correct? Slug sets ae usually well-suited for heavy transfers, and for yard work, like hump service.
It seems like most slugs cut out at around 25mph and yes, they are much better to run from than the mother as far as noise. It is harder to get a "feel" for what the engines are doing while running from a slug though. We use them a lot on locals and welded rail trains. Most are ex GP30s mated to a GP40-2. It would be an interesting model if someone is willing to tackle it.
It's a straight F7B, the slugs were painted in freight blue, 14 were converted in 1972 and used on Carlsbad potash trains, they were retired in the early 80's. Santa Fe's B units did outlast the A's for a while as they were not included in the CF7 program but the one in the photo may be on the way to the scrappers going by its external condition, if it is still in service at that late date it certainly looks like it on its last legs.
