MU'ing

My crusade against that awful ****up word is paying off! I can die a happy man! 

Nicely done! 

Nice consist, Pete.

Rich, what was the origin of that offensive phrase improperly used for MU'd diesels?

I  first saw the term "lashup" used in 1995 in the TMCC operating manual. Later, when DCS was released, MTH also used the term in the DCS instructions. Some have claimed that the term was used in Trains magazine at some point in the past, but if that's true, I sure don't remember it. Then again, my memory ain't perfect.

I don't know where Lionel originally got the term, but the folks at MTH picked up on it and used  it, too. I absolutely abhor the word. The image which comes to my mind when I hear that word is a set of diesels tied together with several hundred feet of strong rope.

Nice video, enjoyed it

Thanks for sharing

THANKS, ALEX

You may never forgive me for this Rich, but from a Google books search, the earliest reference to "lash up" is at least back to 1968, "Pennsy power: steam and electric locomotives of the Pennsylvania Railroad, 1900-1957:"

This practice has been dubbed a lash-up by railroaders, because of the extra wiring necessary to achieve control over dissimilar locomotives. 

And also in 1968, "Bulletin of the National Railway Historical Society"

But the sight of a motive- power lash-up from two or three different roads is for the benefit of the lines involved, not primarily to gladden the railfan enjoying the sight of a mixture of locomotive liveries.

From 1969, "Business Week":

From the mainland, a dirt causeway will bring out the unit trains— Canadian Pacific lashups of as many as 13 locomotives, five or more run by remote control , powering 100 to 115 coal-hauling cars. 

Prior to that date, "lash up" seems only be used for something improvised or jury-rigged.  

The only term I've ever heard in this part of the world is double heading, triple heading. Is not that used as well in the US?

From my sailing experience, I agree, that's the only place I've heard "lash up". The connotation certainly involves rope.

I use the term double and triple heading for my steamers and MU for my double and triple MUs of diesels.  Is this the proper usage?

I can die a happy man!

I don't see how that combines with l***up.

Wait a minute -- Nelson Rockefeller...............

Gerry

Rich,

I had a post about a month or 2 ago, which got pooh-poohed by some as "here we go again" but that's another matter, citing the exact paragraph where TRAINS used the term. 

I did a search but can't find it.  I wish the new search had a "userid" field like the old forum had.

- walt

Actually, Walt, I do remember that....your post, that is.  I only recall it because it never fails to fascinate me the way this topic generates such strong opinions!!  

Peter, I thought "MU-ing"is what I hear when I drive through Lancaster County farmland on my way to York!!  

- Mike

Yes!!!!

Also remember, that just because Trains Magazine used/uses that dastardly term "%$&#-up", CERTAINLY doesn't make it correct either. I mean, they are all journalists/railfans at Trains too.

Peter

Cool video

I really like that Reading F-unit lash-up  

 I hate to say, but I've been reading railroad books and I keep seeing that term. Every time I see it, I also see some cringing faces in my head. I think it's like a weed that crops up over time until it gets chopped. It keeps coming back.

Now that Caterpillar is building EMD locomotives. we can look forward to yards full of MUing CATs.

I've been told the term "lash up" was originated by Dave Ingles of Trains Magazine fame.

Bob

Gerry I get it.  But was he MU'd, double headed, or ****ed up?

Marty,

That is one very impressive MU. Are you modeling the historic inaugural run of the Penn Central RR? 

Bill

here you go this is as close to the bad word as i get.its from Wikipedia under north america railroad terms

• Elephant-style: A lashup of multiple locomotives with all units facing forward; resembling the nose-to-tail train of elephants in a circus parade.^[57]

Wikipedia? Now THERE'S an unimpeachable source of information.   

Did you know that college and graduate students are not allowed to cite Wikipedia in their classroom and thesis work? There is a reason...

Marty, that's one of the nicest lashups I've seen in a long time. I hope you used EMD rope! 

British Railways had an EMU. (electric motor unit). So we could have MUed EMUs.

Just so we are clear, the term is pronounced like the letters "EM-YOU". It is not a "word" and is not pronounced "MYOO" or "MEW."

Having said that, I don't think I've ever heard an "em-you-ing" cat. 

For what it's worth, my older brother was an outside Hostler with the N&W from 1977 to 1981. While he knew what a "M-U" was, the term "Lash-up" meant absolutely nothing to him.

Gilly

 Humorous.   Enjoy another consist. Click on the following picture to access another video. (5) unit coal drag.  I've been told the old Pennsy GP7 was always run as lead unit.  The sound of this model consist seems pretty good, IMO.

Killian:  Here is another switching video I did some time ago. Click on the image to access the video.

Would a cow and calf unit be MOO'd? 

(You'll find me hiding in an udisclosed location for that one...)

Rusty

I thought this new system was built so you could not not place a post or replay using the "L-U" word!

Rich, I had never heard the word until I heard you using it in the DCS video.  I was thinking, lashup, what the heck is this guy talking about?

Ok, I don't know much about prototype operations.  Except that hostlers are not too happy to be called CAT herders.

Emma Ewing? Yeah, I loved her on DALLAS.

Belive me, I had to bite my tongue when making the DCS and TMCC videos. But since the manufacturer used the term, I had to use it, too.

But it really hurt...