Explaining Train Slug Engines on Bellevue Train Yard Hump Tracks - Norfolk Southern - Rebuilt Loco 

It is sometimes amazing to realize that a modern day locomotive is a rebuilt, remodified engine built over a half century ago. And what is more amazing, is that these locomotives are being used 365 days a year.
Norfolk Southern has a reclassification yard in Bellevue, Ohio. What this means is that many of their freight trains come into town, and the cars of the train get broken up into different chunks creating new trains for different destinations. A Hump Yard allows a train crew to push the train over a hill, and separate the cars manually while constantly pushing the train in reverse. An operator in the train tower controls the track switches in the yard to allow the train cars to roll into the new train consists. The humped car is controlled by brake retarders, which can be heard in the video.
Engines #886 started life as Norfolk and Western #1583, an EMD SD40, in 1966. NS #869 was originally an Alco MT6 built as Nickel Plate #331 (RSD12). This engine was rebuilt at the Juniata shops in Pennsylvania.
In the background is the huge engine facility, and another hump engine on the loco tracks.
Copyright 2024 Brad Noyes Photo 39 Fire and Rail Photography