IT's SWITCHER SATURDAY April 20, 2024 Edition

Good Saturday morning Patrick.

Glad you enjoyed the day at York and have two new locomotive models. I'm looking forward to seeing your photos of the switchers for sale at York. Since you posted your B&O Fairbanks-Morse H10-44 switcher, here is my New York Central version.

My switcher for this Saturday is one that I like very much.

New York Central SW8 diesel switcher #9620 is an Atlas O model (6105-2) delivered in 2001 with MSRP $349.95. It is accurate, highly detailed with a diecast shell, and is one of a series of EMD SW locomotive models by Atlas O. The model has a single horizontal motor with two flywheels and a smooth-running mechanism, even without speed control. I also bought Atlas O models of New Haven, Boston & Maine, Maine Central, and Conrail SW locomotives and would like to see them made again with MTH PS3 DCS electronics.

EMD built 309 SW8 locomotives for United States railroads and GMD built 65 for Canadian railroads between September 1950 and February 1954.

New York Central SW8 #9620 (NYC Class DES-18) was built in February 1953 and eventually went to Penn Central and Conrail. It had an 8-cylinder 800 horsepower GM 567B diesel engine and maximum speed of 65 miles-per-hour. New York Central data shows a continuous tractive effort of 31,200 pounds at 7 miles-per-hour which is equivalent to 581 horsepower at the rails. Other sources say 57,000 pounds starting tractive effort. Weight was 230,000 pounds.

The SW8 was designed for a 57.5-degree curve that corresponds to a track radius of about 104 feet – or O-52 in O gauge. So, in the pictures of #9620 on the O-54 curves of my 10’-by-5’ layout, the small pivot angle of the trucks (about 6 degrees with a 22-foot distance between pivots) is absolutely realistic. For me, running the numbers is almost as interesting as running the trains.

MELGAR

Percy and Jasper thought that they were done for the day; but there was time left on their shift and the dispatcher had other ideas. He sent them to the passenger yard to pick up a freshly cleaned consist and spot it in the station. The Baldwin VO 1000 handled the job effortlessly.

Great to see you, Patrick……..York was (and, is fun…….still have today).

I found something at York quite unique, and since manufacturers ALWAYS follow what is prototypical, had to be very rare in real life…….PennCentral steam!

……..and, it’s an 0-4-0. Obviously, I still haven’t run it……..stay tuned, next Saturday!

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

@trumpettrain

@Arnold D. Cribari

Pat, My loss  that I missed you yesterday; and also that I missed Arnold and his wife. I was only at the show for about 6 hours; and most of that time was in the Blue hall. Things move a lot slower when you’re on a scooter; but I had the pleasure of having my son with me. He volunteered to drive me to the show and walk around with me. We managed to pick up a few goodies. While making a purchase at one table the seller noticed my OGR button, and introduced himself. It was @Andy Hummell! Great to meet you in person Andy!

A pair of Alco, RS-3's heads a peddler freight toward Newburg NY .

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Y85SHgfFMJ7di7Wy7

Good morning #SwSat crew!  As usual, even though I live just north of York, I have to work.   I'm sorry I missed you guys.   

Not to be left out of the new goodies column though, I have something to show off too😃.

Here's a new to me K-Line Prr A5, cab #94.  With the swinging deal I got through TrainZ I couldn't say no.  I don't even have a track ready for it right now but I had to say yes!

I can't wait to put this compact brute to work, and I am really looking forward to York photos.   

Hi ho hi ho, off to work I go!

Good morning switcher fans.  Here is a B6 doing what it does best.

K-Line upgraded with 4 chuffs/rev.

Good morning Switcher Saturday fans.

Thanks, Patrick, for getting us started and for your kind words about the music my wife, Shawn, and I did at York yesterday. My original song about model railroading that I sang is entitled: Who Am I (Rollin' By).

Below is a video from my archives showing an MTH PS3  Maryland Midland diesel switcher hauling boxcars and a B&O caboose as it passes my Popsicle Stick Polo Grounds and crosses my George Washingmachine Bridge:

Arnold

Glad you enjoyed York, Patrick! I really wish I could partake, but I'm all the way out in CA and the airfare is ridiculous! Regardless, nice to see you had a nice find in your H-10-44. Speaking of finds, this little MTH PS-3 RK PPL SW-1500 showed up on Forum sponsor Mario's website during an Easter MTH clearance. Here she is moving some rotary gondolas to the unloader (you have to imagine, train room's a mess) at a stately nine and one-quarter mph.:

Ever since John @jhz563 posted about the prototype at his PPL plant many SWSAT's ago, I've wanted one. I came to love the mountains and valleys of PA as a grad student at PSU and this livery captures their essence perfectly for me. She took a little "tweaking" to get smooth low-speed operation and I restored the DCS/DCC switch. I got the PPL rotary gondolas from Forum sponsor Brady's Train Outlet for just over $60 each delivered (they needed a little work, too). So, thank you, John, for the inspiration for my new favorite switcher and consist. Rest assured, THESE gondolas aren't headed to the scrapyard!

Good morning, SwSat nation!  I’m happy to hear so many of you had a good time at York and I wish I was there to hear Arnold’s and Shawn’s performance!  If it was recorded and you have a link, please post it so we all can enjoy it.

The Yardmaster has designated this weekend as Jersey Central Lines weekend.  CNJ locomotives will be featured today and on StDaySun tomorrow.

We’ll kickoff with EMD GP7 no. 1524, a MTH Premier model.  No 1524 was delivered with 3 volt PS2, but has been converted to PS3.  An amateur technician- whose name shall remain unknown - pinched a wire replacing a cab light, causing a short that killed the PS2 board.

John

Good morning SwSat fans.  This former UP MTH H10-44 is pulling a few cars off to the paint shop.  Soon they will be ready for use.

Have a great Saturday!

@CAPPilot posted:

Good morning switcher fans.  Here is a B6 doing what it does best.

K-Line upgraded with 4 chuffs/rev.

Ron, Great video and demonstration of the B 6.

Happy switcher Saturday. York’s  on my bucket list but unfortunately not for this year.  Hope all attendees pick up some nice switchers! Here is my 44 tonner pulling some ballast for a track maintenance project -

In keeping with what seems to be today’s theme:

Good morning SWSAT crew!

Penn Central SW8 8616 (Atlas O) is moving a passenger car to the shops to have a bad wheel bearing repaired:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tom

Morning SWITCHER SATURDAY fans. Lionel 0-4-0 moving some empty hoppers.

Happy SWSat!

Glad all the York attendees had a good time and brought home lot's of goodies. I think it's safe to say that the talk of the end of York are behind us. I need to make the pilgrimage soon as well.

I'll keep the FM train rolling along too.

I have two FM models, 1st is a H-10-44 in PRR livery. This is a MTH PS1 model.

And the other is a H-16-44 in NYC livery. This one is from Lionel with TMCC.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Bob

@Bill Swatos posted:

Glad you enjoyed York, Patrick! I really wish I could partake, but I'm all the way out in CA and the airfare is ridiculous! Regardless, nice to see you had a nice find in your H-10-44. Speaking of finds, this little MTH PS-3 RK PPL SW-1500 showed up on Forum sponsor Mario's website during an Easter MTH clearance. Here she is moving some rotary gondolas to the unloader (you have to imagine, train room's a mess) at a stately nine and one-quarter mph.:

Ever since John @jhz563 posted about the prototype at his PPL plant many SWSAT's ago, I've wanted one. I came to love the mountains and valleys of PA as a grad student at PSU and this livery captures their essence perfectly for me. She took a little "tweaking" to get smooth low-speed operation and I restored the DCS/DCC switch. I got the PPL rotary gondolas from Forum sponsor Brady's Train Outlet for just over $60 each delivered (they needed a little work, too). So, thank you, John, for the inspiration for my new favorite switcher and consist. Rest assured, THESE gondolas aren't headed to the scrapyard!

Hey Bill!  thanks for the mention.  I wish I had some of the ppl rotary dumpers but I haven't ever found any at a price I was willing to pay!  So you inspired me right back this morning.

Here's the subject on the FCC (Filing Cabinet Central)

And since the crew was headed to break when I walked out to the job, here's some other shots I thought you'd like.

Here's a Sunny Side shot of 2102:

Horns horns horns!  I suggested more Horns and some remote operation side lights to Pat when he commissioned this custom run, but no luck.  He did however make some paint changes from the original concept sketches and we got a really nice model!

Those "little cats" parked in the corner are D10 dozers.  Honestly they're huge up close.

View thru the dumper

Republic locomotive unit staged in the thaw shed

View inside the thaw shed.

Controls for the dumper and all the belts.  (that shed controls in the same room, not pictured)

A little video action:

And the reason I'm at work this morning: A fifteen year overhaul on a 2 stage axial fan.  8000 hp at leisurely 720 rpm.

Regulating end hydraulic cylinder alignment