Road Slug

[Modelcar]

....It surely does sound like there is at least one down and back operation on the branch each day but we'll just have to look to the future for a possible return of at least some coal hauling up the line to deposit it on the main at Rockwood.
With "clean coal" projects getting more interests it's surely not impossible for something like that to happen. I'm sure there is lots of coal in the area reachable yet by strip mining. And for sure, that can be hauled to a rail head for transport.
Brian, just think of what the activity used to be...even before my time....{if that's possible}, ....as many as 6 or 8 passenger trains a DAY...!!

[bbrant]

Quentin -

I think you're right about most mines along the branch have ceased operation. Sure would be nice to see a long string of coal hoppers going over the S&C again.

One other note on the times....I was hunting on the first day of the PA rifle season. It's was about 8:00/8:30 AM when I heard a train going on the S&C. Not sure which way it was heading thought but I'm guessing it was on it's way to Johnstown.

[Modelcar]

PS....Or we might see some coal hauled to a tiple from open strip mines and hence hauled via a coal drag...We'll have to watch and see how the market is shaping up.

[Modelcar]

....Brian, haven't thought of the fact coal is being mentioned more these days and that does pose a question of whether the S&C will have any action from that fact...Good question. I'm thinking most of the mines down along that branch have ceased operation...There may still be some operation but where I'm not aware....Maybe some near Johnstown. Would be nice.

[bbrant]

Quentin (Modelcar), csxengineer & DW -

I don't recall seeing an actual coal drag on the S&C in years. That being said, this past summer there was a string of coal hoppers sitting on a siding between Somerset & Rockwood at a mine tipple in the Wilson Creek area. In 1998 I was able to see a string of new bathtub gons from Johnstown America (JA) - probably the closest thing to a coal drag to cover the S&C in a long time. They're talking about how coal is making a comeback and local mines are planning more production. Don't know if that would mean any coal drags could start going over the line again. It'd be nice but I'm not keeping my hopes up.

csxengineer - you mentioned in an earlier post that mother/slug set #6461 / 2233 are assigned to Rockwood. I hope they're around for a while because my 3 year old daughter has dubbed them "her" trains. I have been seeing them in the area for about a month or so now. Back in October I was able to get a picture of slug #2227 at Rockwood. If I get a chance, I'll post that picture too.

Does anyone know how often trains travel over the Salisbury line (where the picture of #2233 was taken)? And one final word on the times that trains run over the S&C. I've seen them passing through Somerset on their way to Johnstown as early as 8:30AM and as late as 5:00PM. The only time I've seen them coming from Johnstown was last week and that was about 4:45PM. Although I'm starting to believe that CSX will only run trains on the S&C when I DON'T have my camera with me!!! lol

Brian

[Modelcar]

...CSX Eng....Oh, 10-4....I have the wrong engineer. Several years ago had a few comments from an engineer on here that did work down that line a few times...and I was thinking it was you. I believe one of the last places that coal was pulled out of there was the branch that I mentioned that ran over near to Shanksville. I personally haven't seen any coal activity on the S&C for some time now. But then, as I mentioned before we're in Indiana normally and get back to the home area just a few times a year.

DW....Oh of course...the big time name of Glooser Bros. Visited that store many times over the years in the past...and Penn Traffic Co. expanded west a bit for several years as well...over around Greensburg I believe. The large building right next to the Public Safety Bldg...{police and fire building that you mentioned}, was the massive Penn Traffic Co. Bldg. A fantastic dept. store...You walked into the main entrance and was greeted by marble floors and marble colums and exquisite jewelry counters and flagrant smelling perfumes....and then on to different floors for all kinds of merchandise....Really a quality place. I can remember sitting in the first floor cafeteria having lunch and from the high windows facing the river and railroad one could hear the railroad activity behind the building....

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

Yes, DW....some of the action with the C&BL you mention took place or maybe still does right near the Public Safety bldg....and the "old" Penn Traffic Co." building...{are you old enough to know anything about that great department store..?..}. It was the best....A model railroad display of the greatest in one of it's windows at Christmas time....Something I always looked forward to see....And a real display house constructed on I believe it was the 4th floor to show furniture...

csx engineer....I believe I remember you commenting of pulling coal out of the branch off the S&C back near Shanksville some years ago....That branch left the S&C at Colemen. Think that track is still there but overgrown with grass and dormant...

no..wasnt me..i never personaly was ever on a coal drag on the S&C... but not to long after i hired out..they where running a coal train.... but i do think that has stopped for about 2 or 3 years now... the coal was trucked to a loadout someplaces...i know it was on one of the branches off of the S&C..but like i said..i dont remember to much of what was where on that railroad....
csx engineer

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

Yes, DW....some of the action with the C&BL you mention took place or maybe still does right near the Public Safety bldg....and the "old" Penn Traffic Co." building...{are you old enough to know anything about that great department store..?..}. It was the best....A model railroad display of the greatest in one of it's windows at Christmas time....Something I always looked forward to see....And a real display house constructed on I believe it was the 4th floor to show furniture...

..

Don't remember that, but how about this old name...Glosser Brothers? They expanded out of Johnstown... you might remember the old Gee Bee Department Store in Geistown (aka Richland) I 've been in that store as a youngster., well now, well over 30 years ago. That whole franchise is long gone. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

Yes, DW....some of the action with the C&BL you mention took place or maybe still does right near the Public Safety bldg....and the "old" Penn Traffic Co." building...{are you old enough to know anything about that great department store..?..}. It was the best....A model railroad display of the greatest in one of it's windows at Christmas time....Something I always looked forward to see....And a real display house constructed on I believe it was the 4th floor to show furniture...

csx engineer....I believe I remember you commenting of pulling coal out of the branch off the S&C back near Shanksville some years ago....That branch left the S&C at Colemen. Think that track is still there but overgrown with grass and dormant...

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Yes there had to be something....and I believe I remember a turntable at Somerset. But thinking of that operation of years ago....I remember of the coal trains coming up the valley and all the {steam}, engines were headed forward.....So there must have been some means to turn them down near Johnstown.
If you have run that route and I know you commented before you have...do you remember the location of 218 bridge just a mile or two north of Kimelton...That was our swimming hole when we were young teenagers. Rode 2 miles or so on our bikes from Stoystown to get there...The last half mile a path through the woods.
One more thing...Years ago there was a "Y" at Friedens...right where the Boswell branch connected to the S&C...That connection was made that a movement could connect and move north or south on the S&C....In fact, if you can take a look at Terraserver.com aerial photo now, I believe one can still see the profile where it was.

i dont remember much about the where was what on the S&C.... it was almost 5 years ago.. and most of the trip was in the dark.... i havent been up that way since then....
csx engineer

[dwil89]

CSX appears to also interchange with the Conemaugh amd Black Lick in Johnstown. The last time I caught the slug/GP40-2 combo, it had set out some tank cars in theCSX yard. then took the rest of it strain right through the center of Johnstown and set some stuff out and did a pick-up up near the Police Station and where the C and BL line ducks under the NS line. So CSX does still interchange freight there as well as tankers. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

...Yes there had to be something....and I believe I remember a turntable at Somerset. But thinking of that operation of years ago....I remember of the coal trains coming up the valley and all the {steam}, engines were headed forward.....So there must have been some means to turn them down near Johnstown.
If you have run that route and I know you commented before you have...do you remember the location of 218 bridge just a mile or two north of Kimelton...That was our swimming hole when we were young teenagers. Rode 2 miles or so on our bikes from Stoystown to get there...The last half mile a path through the woods.
One more thing...Years ago there was a "Y" at Friedens...right where the Boswell branch connected to the S&C...That connection was made that a movement could connect and move north or south on the S&C....In fact, if you can take a look at Terraserver.com aerial photo now, I believe one can still see the profile where it was.

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Yes, I've always noted the tank car or cars placed in Somerset when we are there and drive past that side of town....Generally one or two sitting out near where Rt. 31 crosses the tracks on Somerset's east side.....
On the no turning at Johnstown....Wonder why since they have continued to operate that trackage from Rockwood to Johnstown...{maybe 40 miles or so}, of track, one would have thought a turning "Y" could have been left in place in or near Johnstown...But then if they can run around what needs to go to Somerset or Rockwood, there is no need since they now use the combination Mother and Slug with both end controls....

the only wye on the S&C is at rockwood... i guess back in its hayday on the S&C..im sure thier was a turntable or somthing at the yards in johnstown and the yard in summerset..but they are long gone now..
csx engineer

[Modelcar]

...Yes, I've always noted the tank car or cars placed in Somerset when we are there and drive past that side of town....Generally one or two sitting out near where Rt. 31 crosses the tracks on Somerset's east side.....
On the no turning at Johnstown....Wonder why since they have continued to operate that trackage from Rockwood to Johnstown...{maybe 40 miles or so}, of track, one would have thought a turning "Y" could have been left in place in or near Johnstown...But then if they can run around what needs to go to Somerset or Rockwood, there is no need since they now use the combination Mother and Slug with both end controls....

[csxengineer98]

and no..thier is no place to turn power at johnstown anymore....
csx engineer

[csxengineer98]

i haveint been up on the S&C since 2000...but they interchange with the mill... some tank car place next to the suger shack...the suger shack... and thats is about it... summerset gets a few switches...Agway gets a switch...and i a few team tracks for tank cars... as far as coal..i heard of any coal drages comeing off the S&C for a long time now...
csx engineer

[Modelcar]

...What other products besides the Coke plant tankers and perhaps still moving some new car builds up to Rockwood....is there to haul on that branch...? I doubt if any coal moves on it anymore. But boy years ago it was a major coal hauler up out of that valley.
Multi engines on front and pusher or pushers on back...!

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dwil89

A post from the other day 'Unusual lash-up' touched upon this topic, An NS train heading through Altoona,Pa had an NS slug in the consist. These are usually off-line in this situation, simply being shuttled between classification yards such as Allentown-Enola-Conway for yard and hump service. CSX uses theirs in road service, as pics above attest. CSX often uses a GP30 slug mated to a GP40-2, or SD40-2 on the secondary that branches off Sand Patch grade and runs up to Johnstown, Pa, where CSX has a small yard, and interchanges with the Conemaugh and Blacklick, a shortline that serves industries in Johnstown, Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Hi Brian....See you are still on your favorite route checking it out....Looked at your pic. of slug 2233 and was surprised to see a unit with full cab and hood, etc...Can't recall seeing a "slug" with full "body armor" before....but then I can understand why they might not spend the money to alder the body works.
Surprised as well, to hear it working the Johnstown-Somerset route. Never have seen that...but then I'm in the area just a few times a year.

Yeah..I mentioned earlier that I had caught that GP30 slug with a GP40-2 in Johnstown...With a full cab, the power can reverse without turning. Dave Williams http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

....Isn't there any way to turn the units in Johnstown anymore...?

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Hi Brian....See you are still on your favorite route checking it out....Looked at your pic. of slug 2233 and was surprised to see a unit with full cab and hood, etc...Can't recall seeing a "slug" with full "body armor" before....but then I can understand why they might not spend the money to alder the body works.
Surprised as well, to hear it working the Johnstown-Somerset route. Never have seen that...but then I'm in the area just a few times a year.

if you want to see csx in sumerset.... you have to hit it on the right day...that job out of rockwood to johnstown only goes on the old S&C evey other day.... the days its not going to johnstown..its going to connellsville....and i do think it has like a 1800 start time or something like that...... and that is the power of couce up on the S&C is a mother and road slug... since they have to change ends when they get to johnstown and make thier way back to rockwood...
csx engineer

[Modelcar]

...Hi Brian....See you are still on your favorite route checking it out....Looked at your pic. of slug 2233 and was surprised to see a unit with full cab and hood, etc...Can't recall seeing a "slug" with full "body armor" before....but then I can understand why they might not spend the money to alder the body works.
Surprised as well, to hear it working the Johnstown-Somerset route. Never have seen that...but then I'm in the area just a few times a year.

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

crews are NEVER to cut a mother and slug apart

Otherwise the mother will maul you.

yea..its kinda like going between a bear and her cub...could get realy ugly realy fast...
csx engineer

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxengineer98

crews are NEVER to cut a mother and slug apart

Otherwise the mother will maul you.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Guilford350

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cris Helt

On the photo with the St. Lawrance & Atlantic train, which model of locomotives are following the road slug? They look like either SD45s or GP40Xs.

Those are GP40X's.

They are GP40Xs, but SLR has them tagged as GP40-3s. If I recall correctly, they have the ability to transfer fuel from the mother to slug. Here's a link to a slug roster for SLR and SLQ. They are paired with similiar numbers ie GP40-3 # 3805 and slug #805.

http://www.geocities.com/gwirailfan/rdslugroster.html

And here's a link to a shot of the coupling:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2003122119360618876.jpg&byrail%3A11%3ASt._Lawrence_&_Atlantic

[csxengineer98]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1

On some of the slugs, are the fuel tanks still used as fuels tanks or are they just for weights?

What kind of fuel transfer equipment might be used on those kinds of slugs?
Any pictures?

dont have a clue on what equipment... and it is all internal anyways... the only thing that you might see when you get up close to a mother and slug set is a hell of alot more cables and hoses going between the 2 units... along with the big air and the 3 smaller locomotive air hoses....so exactly which one is used to transfure the fuel...i personaly have no clue...someone in the shops might be able to tell you that.... but i cant... all i know about it is...crews are NEVER to cut a mother and slug apart.....and the slug is a quiter ride then the mother...
csx engineer

[Sterling1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Sterling1

On some of the slugs, are the fuel tanks still used as fuels tanks or are they just for weights?

What kind of fuel transfer equipment might be used on those kinds of slugs?
Any pictures?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cris Helt

On the photo with the St. Lawrance & Atlantic train, which model of locomotives are following the road slug? They look like either SD45s or GP40Xs.

Those are GP40X's.

[Anonymous]

On the photo with the St. Lawrance & Atlantic train, which model of locomotives are following the road slug? They look like either SD45s or GP40Xs.