CSX Road Slugs....

7600EM_1 Jul 20, 2002

  1. 7600EM_1

    7600EM_1 Permanently dispatched

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    Hey guys,
    I want to model one of these, the things is I want to use a el-cheapo Life-Like GP-38. Did CSX use the GP-38 body style as Road Slugs ??? Or were most of them made from GP-30 bodies and GP-35 bodies, and maybe even GP-40 bodies? I need some type of reference to take an cut all the long hood doors out an replace with flat sheet plastic etc... I am planing on keeping it powered so... Anyway anything you may have to add to my question and help me with information on it THANKS in advanced... I do however have an old Athearn GP-35 that I can use as well if nothing else....

    [ 19. July 2002, 23:21: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
     
  2. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    John, do a search for "Slugs" in the CSX Forum. Chessie posted a roster of all the CSX slugs and their origin sometime during the winter, dunno when ... sorry :(

    P.S. A -35 or -38 slug came by on the point yesterday, didn't catch her number though. [​IMG]

    [ 20. July 2002, 01:04: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]
     
  3. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    John,
    Good luck on your undertaking! [​IMG] If I am not mistaken, only GP30's, GP35's, and GP40's were used as "slugs". I don't think any GP38's were used, however, it is not much of an issue, since you will be removing the hood doors and fans. I have a few photos on my website http://www.trainweb.org/ncrail/ click on CSX, then Slugs, however, I have been lazy over the summer .... I have many photos to scan and post, so if you are looking for a certain unit, let me know. The CSX Photos archive site has a lot of photos to review: http://www.trainweb.org/csxphotos/html/RDMT.html

    Harold
     
  4. Ferroequus

    Ferroequus Deleted

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    At Yeoman Yard here in Tampa, our slugs are mostly converted from GP40's (not dash 2's), with a couple GP30's and a single GP35.
     
  5. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    Slug Units have No prive mover, and concrete is in it's place, a slug basically is a set of wheels and an old engine body, and cab that is powered off of it's "Mother" unit. (usually, On CSX, a GP40-2) Slugs Have NO radiator grills, most have no dynamic blister, and all but 2 or 3 long hood doors removed, Only the trucks on the slug are powered they provide extra tractive effort (maybe extra fuel?) for the main engine. Some crews like the slug units because they have no eninge noise or vibration, and they can control the mother unit from the slug.

    With no side doors, radiators fans, and sometimes no Dynamic blister, U really can't tell the difference between and GP40, a GP35 or GP38 slug unit. The GP30, is well....... unmistakeable.

    BTW.... The GP38 and -2 model have a box whith the top that is partially raised from the roof level, bet ween the oil filter vent and the Dynamics Blister.

    [ 20. July 2002, 22:29: Message edited by: A&A 6183 ]
     
  6. 7600EM_1

    7600EM_1 Permanently dispatched

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    THANKS guys! A well of information here on this one that I stumbled across and decided to model!

    Anyway on a few comments, I have to say I know about the long hood doors gone and the rear most radiator grills and also the radiator fans, however, I noticed on a bunch of pictures in the site linked to northeast.railfan (sorry guys I can't remember the fellows name) :( Anyway, on those pictures the loco's pictures show a dynamic brake blister and even a few show the dynamic brake fan on long hood top. I take thta as a "dummy" fan and blister????

    Also I noticed the box on roof top behind the cab roof also, being so... It doesn't show that on the picutures so I took the ones in the pictures as old GP-35 and GP-40 bodies. Being that box between the oil filter vent and dynamic brake blister is their. I may have to cut him out and flush it up with the regular body lines... To throw off the GP-35/ -40 look...

    As for the GP-30 slugs. Anyone can spot them a mile away! I love the looks of the GP-30 bodies, with that HUGE dynamic brake blister and the cab over sheathing. To me it makes it look "Mean" in its own sence.. And something different from all the rest of the diesels....
     
  7. NSDASH9

    NSDASH9 TrainBoard Member

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    The 2200-2330 group of CSX road slugs were rebuilt from GP30's, GP35's and even a couple of GP40's.

    The 2331-2350 group of road slugs were rebuilt from GP38, GP38AC and GP40 units.

    Any unit that was originally equipped with dynamic brakes retained the equipment when rebuilt as a slug and the dynamic braking equipment is utilized when the consist is in dynamic braking.

    Although most of the long hood doors were removed and plated over when the units were rebuilt, a pair of doors are retained on each side near the end of the long hood for access to an electrically powered blower motor that provides cooling air for the traction motors. The door immediately behind the cab on the engineer's side is also retained for access to the rear of the electrical cabinet.

    The radiator grilles, radiator cooling fans, exhaust stack and inertial blower exhaust grille are removed and/or plated over.

    The inertial intake grilles and the traction motor blower duct are retained.

    The fuel tank is retained and can provide fuel to the mother unit.

    As far as modeling these slugs, I have done several and have found the easiest way is to carefully sand the doors and radiator grilles off with sandpaper. Then once I have it smooth I add Cannon & Company doors to the long hood to model the 5 access doors that are retained. The radiator fans are easily removed and the holes can be filled with styrene, puttied and sanded smooth. Thin styrene can be used to plate over the exhaust hatch and the inertial filter exhaust grille.

    Chris Toth
     
  8. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    Here's a shot of a slug:
    [​IMG]

    Harold
     
  9. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    Here's a shot of a GP30 slug:

    [​IMG]

    Harold
     
  10. 7600EM_1

    7600EM_1 Permanently dispatched

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    Thanks guys! Very usefull information! I sure appreciate it. Being I'm no Diesel Wiesel! :D

    Anyway Harold I saved that first picture to print it out to use as a guide line! THANKS!
     
  11. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

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    I may be wrong here, but I though Dymanic braking was the prive mover was used to slow the engine and train kind of like a car down shifts going down steep hills or the "jake" brakes on a semi. Therefore, if I am correct, Then it is impossible that a slug could have dynamic breaking because there is no prime mover. If I am wrong (more than likely) please correct me on this and tell me how Dynamics actually work, I LOVE THIS STUFF! :D
     
  12. SP 8299

    SP 8299 TrainBoard Member

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    Dynamic brakes are a function of the locomotive (or slug) traction motors; the prime mover isn't directly involved in dynamic braking. Super-simplified breakdown: a diesel-electric locomotive normally operates by having the diesel prime mover spinning an alternator or generator, which generates electricity, which then drives traction motors which are on the locomotive axles. In dynamic braking, the process is basically reversed. The prime mover goes into idle, and the traction motors essentially become generators, using their resistance and effort of generating electricity to slow the train. The electrical energy created by the traction motors is dissipated away as heat in large electrical grids (housed in those familiar hood "blisters" on 1st and 2nd Gen. EMD units). That's just the super-basic explanation of how it works; I'm sure experts on the matter like NSDash9 can explain it much more thoroughly.
     
  13. fitz

    fitz TrainBoard Member

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    Harold, I saw one of those in Clifton Forge, VA in 1993 and all I could say is WTFO? Thanks for posting the pix. Now I know what it was. [​IMG]
     
  14. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    You are quite welcome.... I saw a road slug / parent today and Tuesday, but neither was in a favorable position for photography, so I just "passed" [​IMG]

    Harold
     
  15. Locowkr

    Locowkr E-Mail Bounces

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    Just wanted to say hello to all CSX railroaders and especially its predecessors. I'm a retired electrician and I've hooked up too many of those slugs to their mothers. Some of them could be a real booger. Oh, in dynamic braking the diesel engine or prime mover wouldn't go back to idle but would rev up a little for traction motor cooling. [​IMG]
     
  16. chessie

    chessie TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hello Locowkr!
    It's a pleasure to have your first post in our forum [​IMG] I think you'll find the TrainBoard community a great place to hang out and talk trains. ;) Thanks for the info on the slugs!

    Harold
     
  17. 7600EM_1

    7600EM_1 Permanently dispatched

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    Yes, its always a pleasure to see new members an their first posts on the board!

    As Harold said.... You feel at home here!!!!

    WELCOME ABOARD!
     

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