It's SWITCHER SATURDAY!!! April 13, 2024 Edition

My MTH Premier model of New York Central Railroad EMD GP-9 #6001 (20-20549-1 with PS3) was listed in the 2015 Volume 2 catalog at MSRP $479.95. It is highly detailed, runs very smoothly and the speed control is excellent. MTH specifies minimum O-31 curves. The full-sized locomotive could turn through a minimum curve radius of 273 feet, which corresponds to a radius of about 68 inches or O-136 track in O gauge.

EMD built 3,626 GP9s at LaGrange, Illinois between 1954 through 1959. 646 GP9s were built in Canada where production ended in 1963. GP9s had a 16-cylinder 567C turbocharged diesel engine with 1750 horsepower. Locomotive weight was 259,500 pounds and tractive effort was 64,750 pounds with a maximum speed of 65 miles-per hour.

The New York Central Railroad rostered 176 GP9 locomotives – class DRS-9. They were built between 1954 and 1957 and ran with long-hood forward.

I took the photos and videos on my 12’-by-8’ model railroad. New York Central P-2b electric motor #223 is running in the 4th video.

MELGAR

Happy SWSAT

Here's a PRR GP9 with a cut of tanks heading through town; being trailed by the Pennsylvania Limited.

The Engineer on the GG1 is fit to be tied. His new conductor wouldn't close it up because he got word that some famous singer was coming down the platform. Some guy named Elvis something or other. So they were 3 minutes late pulling out of the terminal and the dispatcher allowed this tank train to move in front of him. Hopefully the tanker will go in the hole at the end of town and they can be on their way. This new conductor is going to get an earful when they get to Pittsburg.

Happy SWSat!

Thanks for getting us started again Patrick. Happy hunting at York.

The competition between GE/ EMD and ALCO in the early diesel period extends to my railroad as well. Despite EMD's market dominance, my collection has become Alco heavy in the road switcher division. Gonna have to do something about that!
I'll add my Baltimore and Ohio GP9 and Western Maryland GP7 to the party this week.

The B&O is from Lionel with TMCC and Pullmor motor. Looks like they didn't get the memo from B&O for long hood forward. This is my favorite B&O paint scheme too.

WM # 23 is also from Lionel with TMCC/ Legacy

And an honorable mention to the ATSF Geep in the background which is a Lionel MPC.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Tiger is still prowling the grounds at Augusta so should make for some good golf watching.

Bob

Good morning, SwSat faithful!  Today I thought it would interesting to compare the largest and smallest switchers in the Steam Crazy fleet.

Southern Pacific Fairbanks Morse Train Master H-24-66 no. 8951 is a Lionel (MPC era?) model.  The prototype was the most powerful road switcher of its day, produced from 1953 to 57.  The brute measured 66’ in length, weighed 375,000 lbs and boasted 2,400 horsepower.

Denver and Rio Grande Western General Electric 44 tonner no. 42 is a Williams model.  It’s a good example of a light industrial switcher, built by GE from 1940 to 56.  This lightweight measured 28’ in length, weighed 44,000 lbs and developed 400 horsepower.

Let’s see your largest and smallest switchers!

John

Here are a couple overhead shots of my yard. First one, is the same GP9 dummy as Patrick's. The second is a B & O SW1 moving some local freight here near Lancaster.

Charlie

Lionel NW2 switcher from ‘77-78 in the GTW paint scheme.  Nothing modern or slow about this one!

Happy Switcher Saturday!

Nice start trumptrain on this fine SWITCHER SATURDAY,  a few GPs running the rails. God Speed all.

The photographer caught an old H10 doing some branch line switching.

The photographer tripped while doing the movie and asked the engineer to back in for another shot.  The engineer laughed and said he had a schedule to keep.

Weaver

First order of the day for the SW8: take an empty ACF hopper car to be filled with sand and returned later that day to the sand tower.

Gene

Happy Switcher Saturday!  We’re going conventional this week, with our RMT Bang S2 switcher running on the DCS variable track mainline while an MTA RS3 waits on a sidetrack -

O&W NW-2  No 116 shuffles empty hopper cars around the Scranton Pa yard in preparation for spotting at the coal breakers. This model is a General Models unit that was offered in a 1950 issue of Model Railroader for the whopping price of $29.95 in kit form. This unit was assembled by uncle. I had it repainted in NYO&W livery. On occasion you can still find one of these out there.

@trumpettrain posted:

While at West Yard the SW9 acquired a friend in the form of a GP 9.  Here the duo makes their way through the Brewtown section of Patsburg.

Patrick,

Would like to see more photos of the Brewtown section of Patsburg. Seems to me that you're usually on the other side of the tunnel.

MELGAR

Good morning gang, I am at work again this weekend.  Here's 2102 holding the fort at the north end of the yard.   Lately it's had the unfortunate assignment of re-emptying hoppers to get the last of the coal out.  An entire 110 car cut of rotary hoppers is getting scrapped as excess. ☹️

I guess environmental regulations are catching up with coal usage.

@coach joe posted:

I guess environmental regulations are catching up with coal usage.

You mean we are no longer burning American oil to ship the coal across the country; to load on ships bound for China?

A couple of switchers going to York this week.  Atlas RS-1 and a K-Line MP-15

Railking

@Steam Crazy posted:

Good morning, SwSat faithful!  Today I thought it would interesting to compare the largest and smallest switchers in the Steam Crazy fleet.

Let’s see your largest and smallest switchers!

John

My PRR FM and PRR Plymouth switchers.

The latest addition to my BEEP fleet. Used and weathered NH.

Good afternoon SWSAT crew!

Penn Central GP9 7180 (Atlas O) leads a train through an industrial area of my layout:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tom

@MELGAR posted:

Patrick,

Would like to see more photos of the Brewtown section of Patsburg. Seems to me that you're usually on the other side of the tunnel.

MELGAR

Mel - Here is a tour of Patsburg's Brewtown section.  The main road leading into Brewtown is shown in this  photo.  The first thing one sees when entering Brewtown is the Bada Bing Gentleman's Club.  

Brewtown is bordered by the FSJR locomotive servicing track.  To the left of this track is Butler Junction and to the right, of course, is Brewtown.  The one eyed fellow on top of the brewery building is Natty Bo of National Bohemian Beer fame which was brewed in Baltimore.  This is a Miller engineering neon sign which looks pretty cool at night.

A B&O SW9 does switching duty at the brewery.  The crew just set out a reefer of Baltimore American Beer.

A B&O Plymouth works the sidings shuttling freight cars to and fro in Brewtown.  Conductor Earl Hicksey and brakeman Boots Wylie discuss the next move.

Brewtown is a full service facility ... Brewery, wholesale, and retail.   Here we see some Budweiser trucks that have just been loaded.  These trucks are destined for retail establishments located in the Greater Patsburg region.

Of course junk is what one may expect in a back section of town.  Brewtown does not disappoint junk browsers.  Each year in late September special beer is brewed and shipped in reefers to retailers all over the nation.  Here we see a reefer load almost fully loaded.  Otis, the self appointed "quality control" man, is on top of the beer wagon announcing this beer as delightfully drinkable!

Another view of the brewery from Lower Patsburg, which is on the same level as Brewtown but in a classier section of the city.  

This photo of  Brewtown is taken from the Free State Junction Railway Office Building. Tower operator Wally Wallingford stands outside the tower and waves.

Exiting Brewton this tractor trailer will be in Lower Patsburg as soon as it crosses all the tracks.

A view of Brewtown and the upscale Westend section which sits at the higher elevation.  

The Silver Dollar Cafe is a great place to grab a burger and a beer.  Many kinds of beers are served here at the Silver Dollar which is Brewtown's beer retailer.  Fred Gleason stands on the loading dock of the keg warehouse.

One more photo captures almost all of Brewtown with the exception of Bada Bing Gentleman's Club.   I hope you enjoyed the tour.  Thanks for visiting Brewtown ... "where no beer is left undrunk."  .. so to speak.

Brewtown - you knocked this one out of the park, Patrick, great modeling and great post!  I'm thirsty now!

John

@trumpettrain posted:

Brewtown is bordered by the FSJR locomotive servicing track.  To the left of this track is Butler Junction and to the right, of course, is Brewtown.  The one eyed fellow on top of the brewery building is Natty Bo of National Bohemian Beer fame which was brewed in Baltimore.

@trumpettrain

Pat:

I grew up(?) in Baltimore (I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up). My grandfather who was employed by the Pennsylvania RR delivered Refrigerator cars to the National Brewery regularly and my father installed broken glass in National Brewery delivery trucks. So, in addition to second hand oral history, I also did some historical research on National Brewery when I was scratch building an O scale model of National Brewery for the Wise Avenue Volunteer Fire Department Christmas train display in Dundalk, Maryland.

So, in the interest of historical correctness, the one-eyed National Beer Mascot/trademark's original name was Mr. Pilsner, later referred to as Mr. Boh. Natty Bo is a relatively modern term for National Beer that I first heard in a Fells Point bar in the Late 1970's. It has become the popular vernacular term for the beer, no longer brewed in Baltimore.

@trumpettrain Thanks for the tour Pat.  Great pictures and narrative.

@Randy Harrison posted:

@trumpettrain

Pat:

I grew up(?) in Baltimore (I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up). My grandfather who was employed by the Pennsylvania RR delivered Refrigerator cars to the National Brewery regularly and my father installed broken glass in National Brewery delivery trucks. So, in addition to second hand oral history, I also did some historical research on National Brewery when I was scratch building an O scale model of National Brewery for the Wise Avenue Volunteer Fire Department Christmas train display in Dundalk, Maryland.

So, in the interest of historical correctness, the one-eyed National Beer Mascot/trademark's original name was Mr. Pilsner, later referred to as Mr. Boh. Natty Bo is a relatively modern term for National Beer that I first heard in a Fells Point bar in the Late 1970's. It has become the popular vernacular term for the beer, no longer brewed in Baltimore.

Randy,

My Grandfather also worked for the PRR. He was a freight manager on the Hudson River docks. One day he sent home a Coopers work bench. I am the current custodian, albeit my oldest son has his eyes on it.

@pennsyfan posted:

@trumpettrain Thanks for the tour Pat.  Great pictures and narrative.

So glad you liked it Bob.  Thanks for your kind words!

@trumpettrain posted:

So glad you liked it Bob.  Thanks for your kind words!

Once again, amazing story telling Patrick.

I'm heading to the fridge for a cold one now.....👍👍👍

@Randy Harrison posted:

@trumpettrain

Pat:

I grew up(?) in Baltimore (I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up). My grandfather who was employed by the Pennsylvania RR delivered Refrigerator cars to the National Brewery regularly and my father installed broken glass in National Brewery delivery trucks. So, in addition to second hand oral history, I also did some historical research on National Brewery when I was scratch building an O scale model of National Brewery for the Wise Avenue Volunteer Fire Department Christmas train display in Dundalk, Maryland.

So, in the interest of historical correctness, the one-eyed National Beer Mascot/trademark's original name was Mr. Pilsner, later referred to as Mr. Boh. Natty Bo is a relatively modern term for National Beer that I first heard in a Fells Point bar in the Late 1970's. It has become the popular vernacular term for the beer, no longer brewed in Baltimore.

Randy -  Your post piqued my curiosity.    As I'm one who also grew up in the Baltimore area, I had never heard of Mr. Pilsner and everyone I've known only refered to  Mr. Boh.  I did some research ...  In the spirit of historical correctness ; Mr. Pilsner and Mr. Boh are two separate mascots/logos of the National Brewing Co.  The National Brewing Company ( began in 1872 ) first brewed a beer called National Premium " The True Blue Pilsner" The Mascot for National Premium was Mr. Pilsner.  The Mr. Pilsner mascot/logo was : a round face with a monocle over one eye, a smile, wearing a blue hat, surrounded by blue background with white text.  Never was Mr. Boh called  Mr. Pilsner ... two separate gentleman indeed.

National Brewing Co began brewing National Bohemian Beer in 1885.  This became their more popular.   It was after the Prohibition ( ending 1933 ) in 1936 that the mascot/logo Mr. Boh was introduced by the National Brewing Co.  Since that time it's been Mr. Boh as the mascot/logo for National Bohemian Beer.  

Two mascots/logos for two different lines of  beers brewed by National Brewing Co.

You are correct that the term Natty Boh has become the popular nickname given National Bohemian Beer by its' fans in more modern times, as the beer has become widely popular again.   I tend to go with the modern terms.  As a kid I remember it being referred to as National Boh, which was always a staple at family get togethers. Of course too, it was the official beer sponsor of the Baltimore Orioles.  I used to hear the name all the time on while listening to games on the radio and watching on TV.

An interesting tidbit:  Guenther Brewing Co, as you will recall being another Baltimore brewing company and a competitor of National Brewing Co.  had a slogan; " "Guenther's got it!"  Folks would ask why Mr. Boh only had one eye and the standard reply was " Guenther's got it."

To keep this post switcher related:  My MTH B&O  H -10 -44 just arrived a few minutes ago by UPS from Mr. Muffin.  Time to go give it a test run!!!

@Steam Crazy posted:

Brewtown - you knocked this one out of the park, Patrick, great modeling and great post!  I'm thirsty now!

John

Thanks John!  I hope you quenched your thirst ... lol!

Well here are my largest and smallest, although that is hard to see with the pictures not being comparable in view, but anyway its the Lionel Southern Railway #8955 U36b and the Lionel  #8912 Amtrak Industrial Switcher.

Best wishes, hope your weekend is going well

Don

Better late than never, for this edition of this wonderful Switcher Saturday thread.

Thank you, Patrick, for getting us rolling down the line, and for mentioning my musical performances at the upcoming York show. My wife and I will be performing mostly train and sports related songs, including some originals, mid-morning and mid-afternoon on Thursday and Friday, and mid-morning on Saturday, in the lobby of the Orange Hall.

Now, for my switcher contribution this evening. The video below shows an MTH PS3 Boston & Maine diesel switcher (I believe it's a VO1000) hauling Lionel Postwar operating milk cars through My Little Town.

I find that the modern locomotives with speed control, running on DCS or Legacy, are best for pulling Postwar operating cars with sliding shoes on the bottom of the trucks. Such modern speed control engines run much more evenly, smoothly and slowly than conventional runners on my layout, which keeps the sliding shoes from snagging on switch tracks. Arnold

@trumpettrain

Pat:

I stand corrected. My father was wrong about Mr. Pilsner. I learned something new. Thank you very much! Also, your Brew Town post and narrative is GREAT!!!! I always considered your Brew Town as a major highlight of your layout.

@pennsyfan posted:

My PRR FM and PRR Plymouth switchers.

Got the same size range m'self, Bob:

CNJ Train Master is MTH PS1 with BCR from 1999, Southern Iron Plymouth is the same as yours. Put the Plymouth to work on a pretty big job hauling my project I hope to have done for next week:

Not workin' her too hard though:

See y'all next week! Keep safe and happy on the rails 'til then!

@Steam Crazy posted:

Good morning, SwSat faithful!  Today I thought it would interesting to compare the largest and smallest switchers in the Steam Crazy fleet.

Southern Pacific Fairbanks Morse Train Master H-24-66 no. 8951 is a Lionel (MPC era?) model.  The prototype was the most powerful road switcher of its day, produced from 1953 to 57.  The brute measured 66’ in length, weighed 375,000 lbs and boasted 2,400 horsepower.

Denver and Rio Grande Western General Electric 44 tonner no. 42 is a Williams model.  It’s a good example of a light industrial switcher, built by GE from 1940 to 56.  This lightweight measured 28’ in length, weighed 44,000 lbs and developed 400 horsepower.

Let’s see your largest and smallest switchers!

John

Good to see your 1979 SP Train Master rollin' down the rails, John! She is, indeed, MPC and was one of their most popular reissues.

@trumpettrain   Pat, thanks for sharing the pictures. Your layout has more variety of realistic action going on than I realized. And for the narrative, well, it speaks for itself!

Gene

@RSJB18 posted:

Once again, amazing story telling Patrick.

I'm heading to the fridge for a cold one now.....👍👍👍

Thanks so much Bob!  I LOVE the dancing Mr. Boh!!!  

@Randy Harrison posted:

@trumpettrain

Pat:

I stand corrected. My father was wrong about Mr. Pilsner. I learned something new. Thank you very much! Also, your Brew Town post and narrative is GREAT!!!! I always considered your Brew Town as a major highlight of your layout.

Randy - Actually we both learned something new!  Thank you! ... for prompting me to do some interesting research into the National Brewing Company!  

@Genemed posted:

@trumpettrain   Pat, thanks for sharing the pictures. Your layout has more variety of realistic action going on than I realized. And for the narrative, well, it speaks for itself!

Gene

Thanks Gene!  I'm so glad you liked it!

@trumpettrain Patrick, thank you for the wonderful tour of the Brewtown district of your fantastic layout. I can almost smell the wort and hops from the brew kettles wafting about!