Railroad Slugs

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

Thanks for watching! Seems like I didn't really explain what they do properly, my bad. Anyways, here's a quick read on what they're used for: TLDR: slugs take advantage of the excess current that the diesel-electric locomotive produces at low speed, providing additional horsepower and braking at such operation without the expense of a full locomotive. ~ Side note for those wondering: I only added Amtrak's NPCU 'Cabbages' as a bonus, as they are sorta similar concept wise, being used to control mother/powered units, etc. And thanks to someone here for explaining AMTK 406 was renumbered to 90406 because of the new ALC42 Charger series! ~ A slug is used to increase adhesive weight, allowing full power to be applied at a lower speed, thus allowing a higher maximum tractive effort. They are often used in low-speed operations such as switching operations in yards. At low speeds, a diesel-electric locomotive prime mover is capable of producing more electricity than its traction motors can use effectively. Extra power would cause the wheels to slip and possibly overheat the traction motors. A slug increases the number of traction motors available to the locomotive, increasing both the pulling and braking force. In addition the load on each traction motor is reduced, which helps prevent overheating from excess current. Lacking a prime mover, slugs typically carry ballast to increase their weight and improve traction, often in the form of large blocks of concrete.

[@burdizdawurd1516Official]

Nice video, very funny! As you said, "mediocre content," and despite not actually explaining WHAT a slug is, it's a great overview with excellent specific examples. Clearly you've done a lot of research and that shows. To add on, perhaps it's a good idea to clarify the differences between/expand vocabulary for slugs, snails, NPCUs, and CCRCLs: Slug: no engine, yes traction motors, maybe controls. Requires additional locomotive for power and may be equipped to supplement dynamic braking. Some permanently connected (MATE) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slug_(railroad) Snail: yes engine, no traction motors, usually no controls. Can provide additional power for auxiliary equipment (SP/UP rotary snowplows) or HEP (Providence and Worcester 668, Ontario Northland equipment for the Northlander.) Non-powered control unit: no engine, no traction motors, yes controls. Cab cars, cabbages, etc. UPY Control Car Remote Control Locomotives: engine in but disconnected, no traction motors, no controls. A stopgap for Locotrol and remote-control operations before that equipment became widespread. utahrails.net/up-diesel-roster/upy-ccrcl.php Also worth mentioning yard slugs vs hump slugs. As you commented, the main purpose of a slug is to distribute the additional power that can be generated by a locomotive across more traction motors to improve starting and continuous tractive effort. Yard and road slugs performing flat switching and trim jobs on the tail end of a classification bowl are generally rated for 10-15 mph, and cut out at higher speeds when the locomotives transition from series to parallel output. But hump slugs are designed to push a train over the hump at under 3 mph, and cut out at much slower speeds than traditional yard slugs.

[@yeahman70]

Amtrak has also begun converting P42s into NPCUs. The first one, 184, was at Albany shops for almost a year getting work done to it, with most people believing it would become an NPCU. Just 2 days ago, it was released from Albany shops and appears to no longer have its rear fan anymore, a good sign this was true. It was on its way to Beech Grove so we will probably find out eventually the plan for this engine

[@ZeroProductions1]

Alr buddy

[@yeahman70]

@@ZeroProductions1 Its not false, many people have said so and also the fact it was there for 10 months and came out with no top fan and covered exhaust is a pretty good sign that is whats happening

[@CFRTrainSpotter]

@@yeahman70 where did you see this? im wondering if its on Virtual Railfan... if not, then only time can tell.

[@yeahman70]

@@CFRTrainSpotter When it passed the VRF Elkhart railcam, it had no roof fan anymore. It is also en route to Beech Grove shops likely for more work

[@retro_wizard]

@@yeahman70is there a clip anywhere? I’d love to see it

[@SPRailfan4449]

2:54 What were you about to say there huh? lol 😂

[@TheQuebecRailfan]

mhhhhh, bro got some stuff to say

[@mechamax7919]

ayo!??

[@Andrewleedy133]

Penil- Pennsylvania

[@Barten0071]

penis-slovenia the best country

[@ALCO-C855-fan]

I'm rolling! 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Whatever he said, better leave it a mystery...☠️💀🤪

[@juanscrazyfilmz]

1:23 THE ROKU BACKGROUND 💀

[@Bart-sk9nm]

Bro brought in the professional background 💀

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

lmaoo yeah I saw it on my new TV and i though it'd make a good background for vids

[@grande1900]

I CAME DOWN HERE TO SAY JUST THAT

[@minetogiveaway]

lmao I thought my TV was going to sleep

[@ALCO-C855-fan]

5:26 - Uhm... Wait. Does that mean the old F40PH is still in service but rebuilt?!❤

[@theslicksalmon]

CN’s Symington Slugs that ran/run the hump job actually weren’t used for tractive effort, but instead for braking.

[@englishtwister]

Oh that's cool. British Rail had similar ones called Brake Tenders for the first generation of the Diesel locomotives as they were too light to stop long freight trains by themselves.

[@Boababa-fn3mr]

​@@englishtwisterpresumably only an issue with unfitted trains?

[@asteroidrules]

Conceptually slugs sort of resemble the tender on a three/four truck Shay geared steam locomotive, an auxiliary unit hitched up behind the locomotive that serves as an extra set of drive wheels. This is especially true of slugs that also have fuel tanks since the primary function of a tender is to be a fuel tank. Meanwhile the Amtrak NPCU cabbage is basically a caboose.

[@Boababa-fn3mr]

They're also broadly similar to non-driving motor cars in some EMU sets: no cab, no pantograph, just traction motors.

[@asteroidrules]

@@Boababa-fn3mr The Italians had something similar in two of their electric shunting locomotives as well, the FS class E.324 and E.322 were classified as "motor trailers" and consisted of the body and traction motors of either a class E.323 or E.321 locomotive but with the pantograph and cab removed so it needed to be controlled and powered from a full E.323 or 321. Basically the same as a slug but for an electric locomotive.

[@retro_wizard]

1:16 Day by Day - Doug and the Slugs! Great song

[@ryancraig2795]

I was wondering if anyone else caught that 😂 Doug and the Slugs were a great band.

[@Coloribus2004]

I personally prefer the road slugs over the shortened down slugs because it’s much more truer and nostalgic for when the slug was a proper locomotive. Like CSX’s Slug GP30’s. Those are eye candy

[@ALCO-C855-fan]

2:53 - RIP my faith in humanity...☠️💀🤪

[@OhhReallyNow]

Hahahaha

[@rBox.]

2:59 no way they gave a pharmacy a slug 🤯🤯

[@michaelblum4968]

There's also the "snail", a locomotive with diesel engine and generator, but no traction motors or cab ... they provide power for slugs, or (on the UP) for snowplows.

[@Pensyfan19]

Heritage unit slug is the rolling stock of all time

[@TM-bk3ok]

Bro yapped about Slugs for 9 minutes... honestly impressive. oh and @6:10 Hu Tao my beloved.

[@MatitimeMan]

Hu Tao, ON MY PICTURE??? REAL ANIME WOMAN PROOF

[@2010train1]

6:38 Amtrak 406 was renumbered to 90406 cuz of the new ALC-42's that are coming in.

[@Trainiac_EXE-4449]

Yeah. It’s a shame, but for logistical reasons you can’t have 2 vehicles with the same number.

[@2010train1]

Yeah true

[@superdominic64official]

fun fact the first f40 200 is now a cabbage

[@NW-gi1cp]

L Amtrak

[@superdominic64official]

@@NW-gi1cp lol

[@mairiking8089]

I'm sorry they turned a train into a vegetable? How?

[@superdominic64official]

@@mairiking8089 Y E S

[@lowfurts]

2:59 Didnt know CVS Pharmacy needed it LMAO

[@GalootWrangler]

It’s used to calibrate receipt length.

[@TrainStreet]

8:03 hey that video looks familiar 👀

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

HEEEEYYY thanks again lol

[@TrainStreet]

@@TheWinnipegRailfan no problem

[@bonnetp_ro]

slugs my beloved

[@TaboMabo]

In italy we had the fs e322/324 classes. These were the only slugs we had in italy but were uniques vehicles: built on the frames of older 0-6-0 steam locomotives, they were intendes to operate with electric locomotives (e321/323). 60 were made and some survived until 2002, when their frames were 90 years old. If i'm not in wrong one have been preserved

[@supercoolguynoob2221]

Yard slugs are cute and you cant change my mind

[@LocoPro]

Production quality on a different level.

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

Ayy thanks for stopping by man!

[@LocoPro]

@@TheWinnipegRailfan What editor do you use? Trying to replicate that motion blur effect you got on the sliding animations here in CapCut.

[@F40M07]

7:30 love those two

[@SeanBodine]

Something about that Roku background at 1:25 makes me laugh.

[@West_Coast_Mainline]

Nice video, i love slugs

[@DecentSAKTKPLAYER]

Me too, they’re really cool

[@ALCO-C855-fan]

The Australian national BU class was technically a slug too but bigger. They were the worst and constantly caught fire.

[@Leadlobotamist]

My local yard in Huntington WV has a ton of GP30 Road Slugs chilling in the yard with a mix of locomotives thrown in. Probably the better part of a hundred units that have been there for over a year. There were way more but they've been scrapping a bunch of units.

[@scottthewaterwarrior]

Kinda want to build a yard Slug unit to go with my LEGO model of an HK Porter diesel switch engine. IDK if there were ever any real HK Porter conversions (probably not) but that's part of what I like when it comes to the LEGO: choosing coolness over realism is a bit more accepted then with traditional model railroading.

[@benbookworm]

The slug is also quite impressive in Derail Valley.

[@690_5]

I saw one of these in a North Vancouver railyard and wondered what it was. So funny that I see this video the next day.

[@rockets4kids]

penisylvania. that's your pure comedy gold.

[@andrewthomson]

Just a typical põrn obsessed furry.

[@Runt3132]

7:43 look how they massacred the squad 💀

[@thetoontrain6073]

your vids are so fun to watch with all the jokes n shit lol

[@ThomasTalksAlot]

Legally distinct Canadian Amtrakguy365 is my new favorite youtuber

[@Abitibidoug]

I've seen many of these locomotives but not until now was aware of them being called slugs. I saw them in the hump yard at the CNR MacMillan Yard, They had the designation GH-00. The G is for General Motors, the H is for hump yard service, and the 00 is for zero horsepower because they have no engine.

[@ThirdRailProductions]

5:37 “LOOK GARY! THERE I AM!”

[@DecentSAKTKPLAYER]

I recently got one of the Rapido Trains Gp9rm and slug sets Bro mentioned the Rapido cabbage cars but didn't mention the CN Gp9rm and slugs that they just made 😭

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

LOL damn yeah i forgot about them somehow

[@NewEnglandFoamer]

I live near the downeastern line and I get to see Cabbage cars all the time, even saw (90)406 once, love seeing them mentioned because I glaze and foam all over th- I mean I love seeing them.

[@callumnichols7652]

I saw CSX 2222 in the Way cross deadline last October. Fella has legit been sitting there for 4 years.

[@sernajrlouis]

Cool video. I have a short on UPY136 getting scrapped on the rails.

[@ShinGojira1]

4:21 1128: yo leave me alone man 😭😭😭

[@thedemolitionmuniciple]

idk y but I love the cabbage units

[@HuberttheLMS8F8375]

2:18 NB southern mentioned ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@F40M07]

It’s here!!! The slugs!!!!

[@jasonmcleod8914]

Ah yes! 5:00 Lambton Diesel Specialists 💯 I work on the yard these guys are attached too. They have several Illinois Central units from the 60s there under refurbishment. I walk by them all the time. They do excellent work!

[@yuriygavrylyuk2545]

yay new video

[@upchessbyabzolute]

2:54 Nah bro almost failed at keeping it pg

[@andrew3139]

I see that you are a man of culture as well.

[@user-rp9xd5tn8i]

Hey man ,great channel ! I was flaking out in bed watching train stuff and your videos came up, then I noticed your video locations looked familiar (I didnt notice channel name...uhhhhh....Winnipeg). I`m getting pretty deep into your stuff ( that`s what she said). I live less than a kilometer from Symington Yards ,so I see a lot of cool stuff (Windsor Park OG).I used to do A lot of contract work at Symington and Transcona Shops( I still go once in awhile) the cool things you see in there and in the yards ( the "hump") is a good place to go deaf when you are a few meters away.....ouch ) .Keep up the great work, love the channel and your silliness, nice and light and informative. Liked and subscribed !!

[@Cnw8701]

Those UPY units aren't slugs. They're remote control platforms (CCRCLs). They don't have traction motors.

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

Ah ok, thanks for the info! I kinda just put them in since they're kinda similar to the rest of them

[@grabasandwich]

3:25 how fitting that you used a Guess Who song. Negativipeg! 😂

[@williamadams7865]

Australia only built slugs once, never again. They had a bad habit of constantly catching fire. They were classified as the BU class, standing for Booster Unit, but the locomotive crews referred to them as Bloody Useless.

[@Joseph_InTheDark]

How do you fuck up so hard that a SLUG sets on fire repeatedly

[@Boababa-fn3mr]

Who built/operated them?

[@williamadams7865]

@@Joseph_InTheDark - Fitted with dynamic brakes. The brake grids got hot and caught fire, the air flow was increased to assist with cooling, the grids still caught fire…

[@williamadams7865]

@@Boababa-fn3mr - Rebuilt by Morrison Knudsen Australia and operated by Australian National (our version of Conrail).

[@Boababa-fn3mr]

@@williamadams7865 uhuh, yeah I vaguely remember that from over 20 years ago now, thanks

[@charanderson9033]

I love the yard slug

[@LongIslandRailfanner]

6:10 Hu Tao my Beloved❤ Also Based F40PH NPCU

[@adrianoriley4105]

It sucks we don't use the slugs in Symington anymore, they were super helpful

[@RobertSkene-qw3ob]

Doug and the Railroad Slugs Riding the Rails from Canada Central,,,,🇨🇦😁

[@lmoore3rd]

2:53 Freudian slip 😁

[@patriotic_car5944]

2:59 ah yes the iconic CVS Railroad 😂

[@user-qy4cr6yf1y]

0:19 Jet set radio lol

[@warmstrong5612]

Replace concrete with a battery bank and you could operate at low speed with the main unit off for limited duty.

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

that'd be such a great idea if they really want to dive into Alt. fuel options lol

[@Boababa-fn3mr]

Some clown will probably start making them sooner or later.

[@PacificDev1995]

0:44 Thats why their Check-Engine Light is on all the time

[@supersoulc]

NBSR has 3 slugs and one road slug

[@Mdrailer1]

Loved the video. Was just gonna mention NS had some RP6? road slug that were used in the coal fields of West Virginia that had a Dynamic Brake blister on one end. The engineers didn't like them because they made viability tough when running with the slug in the front.

[@loco4locos142]

“Slave units” is wild

[@jameskubica5463]

Interesting, I saw a CN yard slug as part of a lash-up running on the main line right where I live, (this was before I even knew what a slug was), let's just say I was very confused as to what I was looking at. Now knowing what they are, wonder how odd it is to see a yard slug running outside of a yard.

[@onetrackmind3558]

So they're the American version of the BR Class 13 and Brake Tenders.

[@WorthyLee-xx8gr]

Saw a slug railcar derail on abandoned spur line

[@WetherDemon]

3:10 that made me laugh 😂😂😂😂😂. 5:23 that made me laugh even harder 😂😂😂😂😂

[@Sacto1654]

I believe slugs are primarily used to help move heavier trains around marshalling yards. It's certainly not for road use.

[@rdththth]

A locomotive with steel wheels on steel rails has a limited amount of traction. Think of a two-wheel drive car in the snow. The lower the gear, the greater the torque multiplication of engine power to the wheels. Only a tiny portion of the available engine power can be used at low speeds. As speed increases and higher gears are used, there is less torque multiplication, and more engine power can be used without wheel spin. When four-wheel drive is engaged, more power can be applied at lower speed without wheel spin. When a locomotive is being used in low speed service in a yard, it never has a chance to roll fast enough to use full throttle. It can only use part of it’s available power, or else the wheels will spin. For example, maybe only one thousand horsepower can be used before the wheels slip. To get more power to the ground, more axles are needed. The amount of pulling power could be doubled by adding a second locomotive. But that locomotive would also spin the wheels if using more than one thousand horsepower. So two locomotives running partial throttle can put two thousand horsepower to the ground. A yard slug coupled to a locomotive, with power supplied by that locomotive, will double the number of wheels putting power to the ground. So now a single diesel engine can put two thousand horsepower to the ground at low speed when combined with a slug. The effect is similar to engaging four-wheel drive on a car. Twice as much engine power can be used without wheel spin because there are twice as many wheels putting power to the ground. It is much more economical to use just one locomotive instead of two to do the same amount of work, and that is why slugs are commonly combined with a single locomotive for slow-speed yard work.

[@stvitalkid7981]

Great explanation! Thanks!!

[@TheLootownpunx]

When we got our 3000hp units(gp40's/f40's) crews were hard on wheels as we run freight/main service (iowa northern)

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

this video had me laughing multiple times

[@4everdc302]

Well done👍 Nice SMT shout📣🚂🇨🇦

[@jeffkrob4972]

Nice presentation! One thing though...you don't explain *why* there are slugs. BTW, slugs exists because the host unit's generator makes more electricity at slow speed than it's own traction motors can use, so they connect an enginless 'slug' to the host unit to use the excess electricity & get more pulling power (tractive effort).

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

Thanks, I just added a pinned comment at the top of the section hopefully explaining it a little better.

[@molossis]

you need to buy the amtrak cabbage

[@Canadian_Winters]

what happens if you pour beer on one of them, because slugs like beer

[@joelbeaudoin2761]

Love seeing the NAR mentioned :)

[@ThePrairiesRailfan]

Union Pacific had a massive superpower fleet between late 1930s all the way up to late 1960, Union Pacific had a set of slugs considered a DD35, Which was introduced in 1963 by EMD, However they would end up inspiring the creation of the DD35As In 1965, UP had a big superpower fleet and a good example of this would be there slugs for the major creation of a DD35A.

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

give me your liver

[@ThePrairiesRailfan]

@@TheWinnipegRailfanI’d like a million dollars I’d like a million dollars

[@Daggerstrains]

You forgot to mention IHB's yard and road slugs.

[@ABR48YT]

6:31 look mom! There I am!

[@Thomas-yu2hw]

Amtrak is also converting HHP8 electric engines into Non Powered Control Units (NPCU).

[@nocturnalmayhem0]

cvs railroad haha thatd be awesome

[@maxtherailfan309]

Great video!

[@ALCO-C855-fan]

5:23 - YESSSSS BABY!The F40PH NEVER dies! Also go preserve the notable cabbages after retirement or I will roast them.😎 I love them!❤

[@TheLootownpunx]

We run f40s with yard slugs as road units(iowa northern)

[@ALCO-C855-fan]

@@TheLootownpunx So Wikipedia thankfully was wrong (If I read it correctly.). Many not scrapped but rebuilt. That is the spirit baby!😎

[@bigloudnoise]

The rail line that goes through my town (Iowa Northern Railway, IANR) uses yard slugs on the entire line. Nearly every train that comes through town has one or two in them.

[@TheLootownpunx]

To even further blow people's minds....f40s with yard slugs running the main -I work for iowa northern(locomotive dept)

[@BNSFrailfan01]

SLUUUUUUUUG *smol boy*

[@gogglegrunt]

Woah western maryland mention? That's new

[@PacificDev1995]

2:53 egine of amtrac numbr 5 uh- 3 call-back

[@greg0063]

Just about lost it on the SMT mainline shout out. Your voice reminds me of BladedAngel. Good content and video. Subbed!

[@navinmcrazy1]

Thank you

[@TheWinnipegRailfan]

youre whalecum, currently listening to "under the bridge" by RHCP.

[@TrainDisasterDocumentaries]

very informative

[@SantaFe19484]

Nice video! So, the cabbages are cheaper than building double cabbed locomotives?

[@TheLongIslandRailfan]

s l u g

[@PunkyBear36]

Great soundtrack, dude!

[@yourfellowpancake6335]

7:26 i thought an smt video started autoplaying deadahh

[@eth.wong04]

Was not expecting the rapido trains plug lol. Thanks I guess

[@Autistic_EthanOfficial]

1:12 punch sluggy CN

[@HemiSlant6828]

Idk if it’s just me, but switcher locos and cabless slugs look like staplers

[@randydobson1863]

Hi The Winnipeg Railfan & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks The Winnipeg Railfan & Friends Randy

[@RobertBOUSKILL]

Interesting, even your SMT attempt. I am old, born at the end of WW2, and steam was preferred. I am a lifetime model railroad guy and interested in slugs, because you can't get models of them. The Butte Anaconda is interesting because there are brass models of them but i never saw the powered truck added to the front. You can be sure they had motors in them because of the wires leading from the cabs. You young guys need to check your facts more closely because some of the things you say don't make sense.

[@tabranch3165]

🙋🏼‍♂️ T Rundgrun Bowie ✌🏼