# Slug Unit Start...



## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

I started kitbashing a “slug unit” to accompany my South Buffalo Alco S-2 locomotive

Basically, a slug unit is a locomotive without a prime mover or engine. It has normal traction motors in the trucks though. The slug is mated to a regular locomotive and air and electric connections are installed to provide current from the engine to the slug unit traction motors. Most regular locomotives produce enough current to drive four more traction motors of a slug at low speeds. 

This makes the arrangement perfect for heavy loads at slow speed such as in steel mills or railroad hump yards. 

My slug is being modeled after a South Buffalo Railway slug built in their shop, using an Alco S2 locomotive. They removed the cab, prime mover, fuel tank and other appliances and wired up the frame for connection to another locomotive. The sheet metal work basically replaced the metal where the cab, the top radiator grill and the exhaust stack were located. 

There are a few different slug units on the various Bethlehem Steel railroads. Some are based on Alco frames and others are on EMD SW frames. They vary in style and workmanship. I am emulating a basic unit but not one in particular. Using a bit of “artistic license “ in my creation, I am looking to capture the feel of a slug unit rather than a perfect replica.

I obtained a MTH dummy S2 and went to work removing details and the cab. I used a RS3 shell for a donor body end and mated it with the trimmed MTH shell. A lot of filing, sanding and filling has taken place so far, with much more to do before painting.

In the meantime, I took the MTH chassis and removed the fuel tank. I need to mill down the spots where the cab was and replace the spots with diamond tread plates. The handrails are the challenging part. They need to be extended and formed to fit the steps. 

So I have a few photos here that illustrate my idea and some progress. 

Enjoy.

Tom


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Everyone should have a slug on their RR. 
Looking good.:smilie_daumenpos:

Caught this working in Conshohocken, Pa at the Arcelor Mittal steel plant.


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

Thanks Ed! Great picture! It shows a great illustration of the slug/engine combination...

Tom


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I thought I had a few more pictures of it, but can't find them.
Do any manufacturers sell any O scale slugs?

I remember this calf unit but don't recall seeing any O scale slugs for sale.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

MTH has made many cow/calf pairs (sold separately). Not quite the same as a slug, the calf has a diesel, but no cab.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Here is a slug at the Reading Historical Society in Hamburg, PA. I think it was based on an Alco Century unit.


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

It certainly is different. I've never heard of it prior to this post.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

I learned two new railroad terms today: Slug and Calf.

Nice work on the bashing.


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## beachhead2 (Oct 31, 2017)

Millstonemike said:


> I learned two new railroad terms today: Slug and Calf.


Me too. I have a RailKing switcher with a calf but I didn't know what a slug was. Thanks, Tom. Nice work so far.


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## IAIS513 (Aug 20, 2015)

Slugs are so cool. I have a buddy that makes and sells various ones in HO scale. He’s helped me make parts for a NS slug I have in the works. Maybe one day I’ll finish it.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Google Railroad slugs, click images, lots come up.

Found this HO one, shell only $37.50 here,
https://www.cmrproducts.com/store/H...-CNW-SD38-2-Road-Slug-Engine-Shell-p112396731










Saw some in N scale too, can't find any offered in O.
I guess if you want one you have to build it like Tom is doing.

Better yet maybe Tom will build us a few to sell? :thumbsup:


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

Nice shell there, Ed. We need some in O scale! Maybe I will try a larger slug next. 

I am looking into seeing how they can be built with the least amount of cannibalized parts. Then maybe I could produce some for others...

Many railroads used larger slugs for hump yard service. They would make interesting mates to bigger power like SD35s or similar engines.

I have seen more slugs than calf units in my travels. Calf units are interesting though. They are like “B” units for switchers.

This is the one I remember seeing in Buffalo’s Frontier Yard...

Tom


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I knew I had more pictures of the slug I caught while weighing the truck at the steel plants scale.
I caught it on two different days.

Notice the lights Tom?
You going to add them on your model?
I like the yellow stripes too.


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

Great pictures again, Ed. That slug looks like an ex Bethlehem Steel unit, possibly PB&NE. I am doing a second slug, based on the SW8 frame that will look very similar to the one you pictured.

My Alco slug will just have a small headlight up on top of the leading end. No ditch lights. 

The original slugs didn’t have much in the way of headlights. I guess the locomotive they were attached to, provided most of the needed light. 

Thanks for posting them. 

I am waiting for some handrail wire before I proceed with my project. Once the rails are done, then I can paint...

Tom


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

I got to get me a slug for several of my switchers. Just a ncessary unit in the real world, and so interesting and different.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I see Lee warming up his Dremel tool as we type.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

That is an old Reading RR slug.
They are the Upper Merion & Plymouth RR.

The paint job almost looks like a primer, but I think it is the finished paint job on it.
I will look around for some Locomotive info later. 

Found this short video,


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Krieglok said:


> Great pictures again, Ed. That slug looks like an ex Bethlehem Steel unit, possibly PB&NE. I am doing a second slug, based on the SW8 frame that will look very similar to the one you pictured.
> 
> My Alco slug will just have a small headlight up on top of the leading end. No ditch lights.
> 
> ...


The #38 is an PBNE Locomotive, I found that in a quick search.
It used to be Orange and Blue.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=UMP


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

The ex-Reading slug sort of looks like this one with a new paint job...

It is the same engine too...

It is actually the same set, repainted from PB&NE to M&P....same location too!

Cool video. I like the short clip format...

Tom


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That one looks like it was rode hard and put away wet!


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

Steel mills were rough on railroad equipment, that’s for sure.

I received my handrail stock on the mail today. I fit the first handrail as the stanchions were in place. The other side needed the stanchions set. I installed them and let the ACC dry. Then the other handrail went on. 

I had to add some diamond plate to the spot where the cab used to sit. I used brass N scale plate as it was a near perfect match the the diamond plate MTH has on the locomotive. 

The next step will be a primer spray and a bit more filling and sanding. Then installing a few extra detail parts...

Tom


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

Painting started today. Everything was primed.

The trucks and air tanks will be black.

The hood, steps and frame will be painted yellow.

Tom


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That's a great looking slug!  Mine doesn't look nearly as good. Can't wait until you get paint on it, excellent modeling.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> That's a great looking slug!  Mine doesn't look nearly as good. Can't wait until you get paint on it, excellent modeling.
> 
> View attachment 529230



Imagine........some one, somewhere, loves to chow down on those.:goofball:
Maybe in a nice garlic sauce. Mmmmmm


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## IAIS513 (Aug 20, 2015)

Looks great so far and can’t wait to see how it comes out.


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

Thanks IAIS and GRJ! Starting the base color next...



gunrunnerjohn said:


> That's a great looking slug!  Mine doesn't look nearly as good. Can't wait until you get paint on it, excellent modeling.
> 
> View attachment 529230


John, It’s green. It must be a Reading slug...

Tom


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## EdC (Feb 10, 2017)

Nice project and impressive work. The new railings have nice crisp corners.

Ed


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

Thanks Ed. They were easier to do than I imagined. Each handrail is 12” including all the bends. The brass stock was just perfect in length. 

I painted the yellow parts today. I will wait a few days before I mask it and paint the black portion...

Tom


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

The base yellow is applied. The shell is just sitting on the frame at this point. Trucks reassembled and steps installed

The last few shots are the few detail parts, a brake wheel, two lights and some grab irons that are being test fit and will be removed when the upper black portion of the hood is painted....

Tom


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Just came across this shot I took while riding behind NKP 765 in Bethlehem, PA. Probably the same unit (or a sister) as the Conrail slug in post #12.


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

It looks like a hump year slug set. They may used for flat switching if the hump has been removed, which seems to be a thing for railroads to do now a days...

Tom


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I would have thought this would be a calf unit, my impression is the slugs were much lower profile.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Here is a roster of NS slugs.

NS Diesel Locomotive Roster - ALCO/CR/NS RPU6 Slug Nos. 850-869

And here is a Conrail slug roster with the one on post #12.

Conrail Slugs


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

Ha! Bob you beat me to it. I was going to link the exact same website! 

Yes, definitely a slug....no prime mover but it looks like ballast was added in the old fuel tank area...


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## briangcc (Oct 11, 2012)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I would have thought this would be a calf unit, my impression is the slugs were much lower profile.
> View attachment 546254


Nope. Reminds me of the sets that used to ply Buffalo’s Frontier Yard. Conrail had both 4 and 6 axle sets.

Going off memory...the 6 axle sets were usually paired with rebuilt SD35/40’s and the 4 axle sets with rebuilt GP9’s.

Within the past couple of years CSX pulled the tracks from the hump yard.

CSX utilizes road slugs...generally decommissioned GP30’s and 35’s so those would be fairly easy to model....just remove the cooling fans and grates over the rear hood.


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