does anyone know where I could find a commercial dealer and/or hobby dealer that sells slug units for ho scale trains?
mother powered electric loco
- Thread starter skiddgreen
- Start date
diesel slug units
I recently contacted a representative from overland models, Inc and he said that slug units, named after several different railroad names, were made in ho scale replicas of the the full size version. These units were used alot for increasing traction to diesel locos that would be pulling several cars at once.
I recently contacted a representative from overland models, Inc and he said that slug units, named after several different railroad names, were made in ho scale replicas of the the full size version. These units were used alot for increasing traction to diesel locos that would be pulling several cars at once.
Woodie,
Go to the "sanity check" thread of Scratchin and Bashin. The photo of Southern Pacific #1001 is what is called a "slug". What the railroad has done is to remove the prime mover (diesel engine) and all associated equipment, rebuilt the hood to a lower height and filled the resulting carbody full of cement. This unit is then hooked up to another diesel locomotive by MU (multiple unit) cables. This locomotive, sometimes called a "mother", supplies power to the slugs traction motors. This results in the ability for this combination to run at extremely slow speeds (2 to 5 MPH). You will find these slug-mother combos mostly at major freight yards, such as SP's Colton Yard and Santa Fe's Barstow Yard.
Hope I wasn't to confusing.
Dan
Go to the "sanity check" thread of Scratchin and Bashin. The photo of Southern Pacific #1001 is what is called a "slug". What the railroad has done is to remove the prime mover (diesel engine) and all associated equipment, rebuilt the hood to a lower height and filled the resulting carbody full of cement. This unit is then hooked up to another diesel locomotive by MU (multiple unit) cables. This locomotive, sometimes called a "mother", supplies power to the slugs traction motors. This results in the ability for this combination to run at extremely slow speeds (2 to 5 MPH). You will find these slug-mother combos mostly at major freight yards, such as SP's Colton Yard and Santa Fe's Barstow Yard.
Hope I wasn't to confusing.
Dan
Check the back issues of MR and RMC....I've seen a lot of articles in the past on bashing "slugs"
BTW.... Generally...In a cow and calf arrangement both units are powered and control is accomplished by the mu arrangement. In a "slug" set up the "slug" doesn't have an engine....only traction motors and gets it power from the "mother" unit.....Generally the car body has been cut down and concerete has been added to increase the weight and the tractive effort of the "slug"
BTW.... Generally...In a cow and calf arrangement both units are powered and control is accomplished by the mu arrangement. In a "slug" set up the "slug" doesn't have an engine....only traction motors and gets it power from the "mother" unit.....Generally the car body has been cut down and concerete has been added to increase the weight and the tractive effort of the "slug"
