Slugs?!
- Thread starter ish6
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Harry_James_Potter
General Thrash
goodell911
http://www.gaurc.us
Ah yes but how? So far I have found only two things, 1. slugs are unpowered helper engines that draw power off of a main engine, and 2. they are slimy disgusting things creeping over my flowers and garden railway that still don't taste good. Seriously, fry them in garlic oil or salt them they still taste pretty bad, and if you use too much salt they shrivel up and aren't at all juicy. That or I run them over with my bicycle.
WileeCoyote
2 things are better than none ...
Who in their right mind would name a sort of "helper engine" after an ugly, slimy, flower ruining, disgusting, bad tasting thing that no one would ever want in their garden? ...
WileeCoyote
According to Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, (College Edition, 1968) "slug" is from the Middle English "slugge", a slow or clumsy person or thing, and refers to a small, slow moving mollusc related to the land snail, or more loosely to any slow moving animal or vehicle. The same root gives the words "sluggish" and "slog".
An alternate source is from Middle Low German "slan", or slag, something struck off, as when forging metal. This is defined as a lump of metal, such as a bullet, or a plain metallic disk sometimes used in automatic coin-operated machines in place of money (don't do it!) and in this derivation would refer to a locomotive built as a motored weight which is otherwise inert until outside electricity is provided by the parent locomotive. This is my favorite theory.
The advantage of a slug is increased traction with lower operating and maintenance costs because of fewer engines to feed and repair. And without the engine, a slug can be built low enough to allow the engineer to easily see over the unit.
And that's definitely more than you wanted to know.
Claudegoodell911
http://www.gaurc.us
Harry_James_Potter
General Thrash
It's not that old...
Besides, it's an interesting thread. For example, the UK definition of a slug is a class 37/9. these locos had EE 12CSVTs when built but were re-engined as test beds for both Ruston Paxman and Mirrlees. six were converted in all. 4 mirrlees and 2 Ruston Paxman.
The ruston paxman slugs can be differentiated by the fact they sound like Sulzers at idling but sound like True EEs when they are run up to full power.
regards
Harry
As a FANatic about EMD's SW series of locomotives, I must correct this error.
The "COW" was the SW unit with the cab.
The "CALF" was a "B" unit, ie: a fully-functional locomotive, without a cab.
The Calf had a view panel that allowed the Cow's engineer to monitor it's engine, from his seat in the Cow.
Below this view panel was a control panel that could be used to start up the Calf seperately from the Cow.
Furthermore...
The Cow-Calf designations were only used in the "TR" or "transfer-locomotive" series.
The sets consisted of an "A" (cab) and "B" (cabless) units permanently coupled together.
(Although, they could be seperated for maintenance, or to utilize the Cow as a normal switcher.)
The models involved were:
TR1/2/3-NW2
TR4-SW7
TR5-SW9
TR6-SW8
The purpose of the "TR" series was to give railroads a "single" locomotive, that could replace some of the larger 8-wheeled steam switchers of the period.
The TR series could be ordered with dual-controls, which allowed the engineer to run the locomotive in either direction, with an appropriately facing set of controls.
With but one cab, the view would be unobstructed, as it would be if two switchers were mu'd together.
One little-known fact about EMD's switchers, they could be ordered with dynamic brakes, (Lehigh Valley's SW8's had DB's,) although I don't believe any of the TR series were ever delivered with them.
Last edited:
WileeCoyote
Eatibus Almost Anythingus
Mmmmm.... slugs.
That is more than I really wanted to know, especially when I just ate one of these buggers (fried in garlic oil, mmmmmm, tastes like chicken) that was leaving slime all over a switch on my garden layout. My definition of slugs: That which God hath created to be run over by bicycles and salted till it tastes like the contents of those colourful plastic bags with the word "Lays" on them.
WileeCoyote
According to Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, (College Edition, 1968) "slug" is from the Middle English "slugge", a slow or clumsy person or thing, and refers to a small, slow moving mollusc related to the land snail, or more loosely to any slow moving animal or vehicle. The same root gives the words "sluggish" and "slog".
An alternate source is from Middle Low German "slan", or slag, something struck off, as when forging metal. This is defined as a lump of metal, such as a bullet, or a plain metallic disk sometimes used in automatic coin-operated machines in place of money (don't do it!) and in this derivation would refer to a locomotive built as a motored weight which is otherwise inert until outside electricity is provided by the parent locomotive. This is my favorite theory.
The advantage of a slug is increased traction with lower operating and maintenance costs because of fewer engines to feed and repair. And without the engine, a slug can be built low enough to allow the engineer to easily see over the unit.
And that's definitely more than you wanted to know.
That is more than I really wanted to know, especially when I just ate one of these buggers (fried in garlic oil, mmmmmm, tastes like chicken) that was leaving slime all over a switch on my garden layout. My definition of slugs: That which God hath created to be run over by bicycles and salted till it tastes like the contents of those colourful plastic bags with the word "Lays" on them.
WileeCoyote
WileeCoyote
Eatibus Almost Anythingus
So close yet so far...
HA! You actually think I ate one of them?!?!?!? Pbslt, fat chance, I'll sooner eat some snails fried in garlic oil next time I go to France (which will probably never happen).
WileeCoyote
HA! You actually think I ate one of them?!?!?!? Pbslt, fat chance, I'll sooner eat some snails fried in garlic oil next time I go to France (which will probably never happen).
WileeCoyote