diesel switcher recommendations

I have a MTH SW-1 diesel switcher. Good prime mover sounds and runs great.

If you want an MTH Proto 3-2 diesel, it would have to be from the Premier line. You might want to consider getting a 4-axle road switcher. Many (now most) roads use them in yards to make up trains, and send them out on locals.

 

MTH Had Premier 4-axle road switchers available with scale wheels and fixed pilots in the 2012 v1 and v2 catalogs and in the 2013 v1 catalog.

 

There are usually yard switchers (SW's) in the MTH Rail King line, most of which are scale, but they're hi-rail only with swinging pilots.

By PS2/3, I'm assuming you mean PS2 or PS3, and not necessarily the hi-rail vs. scale rail versions.  In that case, any of the SW switchers from MTH (SW-1, SW-8, SW-9, SW-1500) would be a good choice.  I have several of them and all are solid performers.  The Baldwin S2 is another of my favorites and one of them sees a lot of running time on my layout because they (MTH) made one in U.S. Army livery.

 

Just search "SW switcher" in the MTH product locator and you'll find many pages of listings.

Grandson's GP20.

Can't go wrong with a NW2:

 

 

It's a RailKing model with PS2, but looks nice and fits in with steam.  I run mine all the time and have had 0 problems on 054 and 072 RCS and GG track/switches.  Sounds are great.

 

The only issue is mine didn't come with a crew and I haven't put one in yet.

The Railking MP-15 and SW's are nice.

 

A Premier Alco S-2 is real nice too.

Premier Alco S-2 or the Railking RS-1.   You will love them both and go well with steam era engines.

I second Allan's comments about the SW switchers--my SW-9 is my most reliable runner; has chalked up thousands of scale miles in ten years.  My RS-3 isn't far behind in overall terms.  (Both are Railking engines)

I have a VO1000 that I'm very pleased with. As previously mentioned, MTH has numerous good switchers to choose from. If it were me, my primary concern would be the road name. Pick one you like and go with it.

 

Gilly

I'll also toss a ring to the MTH SW1. I've got one and it's a small little engine that sounds and runs great. It can really fit in places many engines cannot. 

Thanks for all the input. I noticed that the proto 2 units don't have remote couplers...so it will be a proto 3. Now to pick one

Not true...all MTH PS2 or PS3 engines have ProtoCouplers.

When i looked on the mth site only the proto 3 sw units i looked at had the remote couplers. The proto 2 listed only operating metal couplers.

MTH is releasing some SW-1s in a few months with PS3 and electro couplers.

 

Pete

PS2 locomotives as well as PS3 models DO have Proto-Couplers for remote uncoupling without the need for an uncoupling track section.

lilwick:

 

Is accuracy a consideration for you? I ask because some models are more accurate than others.

 

Bob

Just to back that up ALL PS-2 engines have remote couplers. There is not a big difference from proto-2 to Proto-3 other than no batterie in proto-3 .From what I've heard From my own PS-3 engine the sound is not a show stopper from PS-2 IMO there is no difference at all in the sound department. There are enough scale switchers available so don't let the name "Railking" scare you off. The new Alco RS-1's have a smoke unit which is cool.

Accuracy would be nice, but  i only want to spend about $300. I was hoping to get a premier model. Our steam locos are railking and are nice, but the premiers look great.

I'm sorry as I should have asked this before but do you have a roadname or region preference?

 

Bob

Pennsylvania or maryland. Grew up in MD and living in Erie currently. Have a reading sw with loco sound so dont want to duplicate that one.

Here ya go:

 

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/30-20147-1

 

You just have to wait a couple of months or so for it to be delivered, but that will give you time to save up the necessary $.  But it's still easily within your budget...street price will be less than MSRP if you shop around a bit.

 

The anticipation is part of the fun (for some of us, at least). 

That helps narrow things down. MTH has produced switchers of several types in Maryland and Pennsylvania roadnames. Here are just a few of the available options:

 

ALCo S-2/S-4:

 

 

EMD SW1 (RailKing):

 

 

Bob

I have a Weaver VO-1000 in the Western Pacific road name, which I really like!  In one of these pics, it's right next to my 0-6-0 steam switcher.  I also have an SP AS-616 in Black Widow paint.

Matt

Since the original poster indicated an interest in railroads of Maryland and Pennsylvania, here are two additional MTH units in the livery of Maryland railroads.

 

Canton SW1500:

 

 

Patapsco & Back Rivers VO1000:

 

 

Bob

I have the premier GP7 P&LE (20-20246-1) and this is a very nice model with lots of little detail.  I would recommend that if you are looking for lots of detail but I would be careful in the handling of it.

Any MTH loco with Proto 2 or 3 will work out fine.
I especially like the SW-1 because it’s small and can get into tight spaces.
The SW-9 and the NW-2 have hoods that are longer than scale. They were originally made with PS-1 and the electronics were larger. That also applies to some Steam engine tenders. Don’t forget the RS-1, many roads used them for switching as well for light road duty

I'm a big fan of the small SW-1 as well, and hope that someday MTH will offer it in the Alaska RR paint scheme (or, even better U.S. Army).  The Alaska RR had four of them, all inherited from the Army.

 

I currently have a Southern SW-1, and it is one of my favorites.

I agree with the recommendation for an Alco S-1 switcher.  I have one of those by MTH and really like it.  It has the best "start up" sounds I have ever heard on a model locomotive.  The old six cylinder prime mover diesel ran slowly and made some distinctive sounds.  When you first hit the start up button, the lights come on and you hear the diesel engine turn over slowly, at first, and then gradually pick up speed until it reaches an idle.  Never fails to elicit a smile from a visitor when they hear it.

 

In addition, it has a realistic sound, kind of a whistling sound, of a turbo charger that was characteristic of those engines, has a good smoke production, runs very smoothly and pulls better than you would expect for such a little lokie.

 

Paul Fischer

SW-1s didn’t have a turbocharger. No EMD,s had turbochargers until the GP-20s. However they did have roots superchargers and they would sometimes howl like a banshee.

I use the latest MTH Alco U-25 B for switching never a big fan of Alco until I heard this one

I have several small MTH switchers and they are all good runners!  

I own the Canton switcher...superb.

I'm actively searching for the Patapsco and Back Rivers road name. I grew up in East Baltimore in the shadow of these two lines and desire roadname O scale models of them for layout and nostalgic purposes.

I recently purchased the Ma and Pa SW1 and it's excellent. A new Canton model, MTH in an older paint scheme smokey blue and dark blue, is being released NOW...and I have one on order.

Another of my favorites, of course, given the livery.  Better be, because I have three of them.  But I tend to regard it more as a road unit than a switcher, and use the smaller stuff, like the S2s and SWs, for those lighter duties.

I love the Railking SWs and MP15.  The Alcos do have the best start up sounds.

 

Here is my new favorite SW1.

 

LilWick,

 

You have probably purchased your switcher by now.  If you purchased either the MTH RK scale VO-1000 or the SW-1, you know by now they are great runners.  However, they have a potential problem with Gargraves and some other remote uncoupler track sections.  The raised center of these track sections pushes the engine's pickup rollers up enough to hit the bottom of the truck and raise the wheels off the track.  If you are going at a slow speed, like when you are switching cars, the engine will stall.  One easy fix is to replace the engine's large pickup rollers with smaller ones.  I got mine from MTH's parts both at York for $10/pair.  They worked great and you do not have to mess with modifying the uncoupler track sections.

 

Ron

 

 

Is the current MTH NW2/SW7 still using the same body that was used in 1998? If so then the carbody is too long to be in scale proportion as the extra length was necessary to allow the PS1 circuit board to fit.