Bad train pictures

[swknox]

I have to agree with the other post Nora. What you saw was probley a slug. To give you an idea if it was or not, a slug is usally as long as most Gp 38's or Gp 40's ( The smaller 4 axel locos you see on branch lines not the huge 6 axel units you see on busy mainlines) but the main exception is it has no cab for a crew although most do have steps on the front and rear porches like most trains with cabs. Most have 4 axels I don't ever recall one with 6 axels although I could be wrong with that. Most stand at about half the height as a nomal locomotive because they don't have a cab or a prime mover (motor) inside the long hood and like Wabash 1 said they get there power from the loco's they are hooked to.

[swknox]

I have to agree with the other post Nora. What you saw was probley a slug. To give you an idea if it was or not, a slug is usally as long as most Gp 38's or Gp 40's ( The smaller 4 axel locos you see on branch lines not the huge 6 axel units you see on busy mainlines) but the main exception is it has no cab for a crew although most do have steps on the front and rear porches like most trains with cabs. Most have 4 axels I don't ever recall one with 6 axels although I could be wrong with that. Most stand at about half the height as a nomal locomotive because they don't have a cab or a prime mover (motor) inside the long hood and like Wabash 1 said they get there power from the loco's they are hooked to.

[Anonymous]

Just wannah add something to the first two q's- as wabash1 said, these things ("slugs") are retired or wrecked engines. Traction motors help distribute power from other locos. Also, the top part is often filled with concrete to add more weight.(more weight - better traction) And another question- often, extra locomotives in consist are put there to help the front loco. They also might be placed in the end of the train or in the middle. Here in Alaska, an extra loco might also generate the power for passenger cars (heating, electricity and stuff)
Good questions, by the way. You have found the right place to get them answered.

[Anonymous]

Just wannah add something to the first two q's- as wabash1 said, these things ("slugs") are retired or wrecked engines. Traction motors help distribute power from other locos. Also, the top part is often filled with concrete to add more weight.(more weight - better traction) And another question- often, extra locomotives in consist are put there to help the front loco. They also might be placed in the end of the train or in the middle. Here in Alaska, an extra loco might also generate the power for passenger cars (heating, electricity and stuff)
Good questions, by the way. You have found the right place to get them answered.

[Anonymous]

Heres one:
How do you do an air test?

[Anonymous]

Heres one:
How do you do an air test?

[wabash1]

these are not silly questions to answer the first one the thing you saw as a butter dish was a slug. it at one time was a engine that was either wrecked or just beyond repair so they use the traction motors to help the other engines pull tonnage around the yard and in hump service. they get there power to operate from the other engines. ok for the second engine there is no good answer the engines if only 2 are probley running. but if there isnt much need for extra power they are either isolated or dead in tow. just being pulled around.

[wabash1]

these are not silly questions to answer the first one the thing you saw as a butter dish was a slug. it at one time was a engine that was either wrecked or just beyond repair so they use the traction motors to help the other engines pull tonnage around the yard and in hump service. they get there power to operate from the other engines. ok for the second engine there is no good answer the engines if only 2 are probley running. but if there isnt much need for extra power they are either isolated or dead in tow. just being pulled around.

[Nora]

Here's a bad train picture:



Seriously, though, who really needs a 60+ page thread of questions, dumb and otherwise? Nobody's ever going to read through all this and it's probably more effective to just start a new thread. Can't we just let this die? I'd delete the thread except I can't, since there are replies.

--Nora, 12/26/05





--------------

OK, I have a couple (probably silly) questions. I'm making a new thread for them so that I can come back and add to this thread if I have any more silly questions. I'm sure I will.

The first thing is about something I saw today. We were driving past a large yard and I saw, twice, two engines going around the yard together with this...thing in between them. It was painted like an engine but it was not as tall as an engine. The only way I can think of to describe it is that it looked like our plastic butter dish with the cover on -- that's the kind of shape it was. Does anyone have any idea what this THING was? I'm assuming it wasn't a giant butter car. [:D]

Also when there are two [or more] engines on a train are they both [all] running or is only the first one running and the others are being pulled around? What about the collections of 6-8 engines with no other cars I see going by the house now and again? And why are the engines always pointing in opposite directions instead of both facing the same way?

Thanks for taking the time to read my stupid questions. I hope someone can answer them. [:)]

--Nora

[Nora]

Here's a bad train picture:



Seriously, though, who really needs a 60+ page thread of questions, dumb and otherwise? Nobody's ever going to read through all this and it's probably more effective to just start a new thread. Can't we just let this die? I'd delete the thread except I can't, since there are replies.

--Nora, 12/26/05





--------------

OK, I have a couple (probably silly) questions. I'm making a new thread for them so that I can come back and add to this thread if I have any more silly questions. I'm sure I will.

The first thing is about something I saw today. We were driving past a large yard and I saw, twice, two engines going around the yard together with this...thing in between them. It was painted like an engine but it was not as tall as an engine. The only way I can think of to describe it is that it looked like our plastic butter dish with the cover on -- that's the kind of shape it was. Does anyone have any idea what this THING was? I'm assuming it wasn't a giant butter car. [:D]

Also when there are two [or more] engines on a train are they both [all] running or is only the first one running and the others are being pulled around? What about the collections of 6-8 engines with no other cars I see going by the house now and again? And why are the engines always pointing in opposite directions instead of both facing the same way?

Thanks for taking the time to read my stupid questions. I hope someone can answer them. [:)]

--Nora