IT's SWITCHER SATURDAY!!! August 10, 2024 Edition.

Hi Patrick & all,

  Some sad news...the last remaining Standard Gauge 0-6-0 switcher (#3) remaining on the East Broad Top has been sold and shipped off to Alabama. For many years, this locomotive sat in an engine shed at Mount Union, PA.

  This switcher and I believe her sister switcher #6 (sold years earlier), both had dual couplers on the front and rear to interchange East Broad Top narrow gauge freight with the Standard Gauge Pennsylvania Railroad.

Tom

My switcher for today is New York Central 0-4-0 #901 – an MTH Premier model (20-3261-1, MSRP $599.95) with PS2 delivered in 2007 and listed as having 1:48 scale proportions.

MTH describes the model as a Pennsylvania A5s with its Belpaire firebox replaced by a standard radial firebox. The builder’s plate on the smokebox of the New York Central version even says “Juniata Shops” – not a manufacturer from which the NYC would have bought locomotives. Photos of PRR A5s in Pennsy Power, by Alvin F. Staufer, also suggest that the model’s tender is taller than scale, probably to accommodate electronics.

I don’t think the NYC ever had an 0-4-0 like this one – which is superheated. By 1900, the NYC had given up on 0-4-0 steam locomotives, a wheel arrangement that was regarded as outdated, and was buying more powerful 0-6-0 steamers, while the PRR continued to build A5s 0-4-0 steam locomotives until 1924, with some remaining in service until diesels arrived.

So, although not prototypical, this small locomotive is a good size for my 10’-by-5’ model railroad.

MELGAR

Happy SWSAT

MTH Proto2 LIRR RS3 with Kline C-69 Bay window smoking caboose,moving a cut of reefers off the Brooklyn waterfront heading East across Brooklyn to Bushwick Junction.

The RR ran through a cut across Brooklyn, although at times it was elevated. It also did some street running. I recall freight trains running on the trolley tracks on McDonald Avenue in Brooklyn. There was a connecting track that came up out of the cut and connected to the trolley line. The LIRR ceased freight operations in 1997 when the NEW YORK & ATLANTIC RAILWAY was formed.B

I could be off  running a diesel with this story; but as it’s been said before it’s my rail road  and bill run it as I please.

Today the USCG yard goat is moving a flatcar of supplies. The loco is a Lionel DC only switcher that was in OD green, I repainted and re-lettered it for the USCG yard in Curtis Bay Maryland. I also named it Thetis after the first Cutter I served on in the CG - USCGC Thetis WMEC-910. The loco also is equipped with a Blunami-2200 decoder for control and sounds.

@PRR8976 posted:

Hi Patrick & all,

  Some sad news...the last remaining Standard Gauge 0-6-0 switcher (#3) remaining on the East Broad Top has been sold and shipped off to Alabama. For many years, this locomotive sat in an engine shed at Mount Union, PA.

  This switcher and I believe her sister switcher #6 (sold years earlier), both had dual couplers on the front and rear to interchange East Broad Top narrow gauge freight with the Standard Gauge Pennsylvania Railroad.

Tom

Tom - thank you for this information.   Any word as to the Alabama destination of this switcher?  Hopefully it is going to a good home where it will be taken care of and perhaps displayed, or perhaps even operated,  for the public to view?  I'm sure many of us here in the SwSat community would love to know more about the future of this 0-6-0.  

@trumpettrain- Patrick, please check your email.

Tom

@MELGAR posted:

My switcher for today is New York Central 0-4-0 #901 – an MTH Premier model (20-3261-1, MSRP $599.95) with PS2 delivered in 2007 and listed as having 1:48 scale proportions.

MTH describes the model as a Pennsylvania A5s with its Belpaire firebox replaced by a standard radial firebox. The builder’s plate on the smokebox of the New York Central version even says “Juniata Shops” – not a manufacturer from which the NYC would have bought locomotives. Photos of PRR A5s in Pennsy Power, by Alvin F. Staufer, also suggest that the model’s tender is taller than scale, probably to accommodate electronics.

I don’t think the NYC ever had an 0-4-0 like this one – which is superheated. By 1900, the NYC had given up on 0-4-0 steam locomotives, a wheel arrangement that was regarded as outdated, and was buying more powerful 0-6-0 steamers, while the PRR continued to build A5s 0-4-0 steam locomotives until 1924, with some remaining in service until diesels arrived.

So, although not prototypical, this small locomotive is a good size for my 10’-by-5’ model railroad.

MELGAR

Mel, I just have to note that the running gear on this little switcher is amazing! What a treat to see!

Hello SwSat friends and devotees!  Patrick, thanks for the highball; I agree, Bob did a great job filling in for you!

It’s getting too easy to go to the archives for my post.  Here’s some classic Boston and Maine diesel switchers along with some B&M  “buggies”.

John

Well, Patrick, another great scene to start us off today! I have to ask, do you have a personnel list you keep, or are all of your characters memorized? Either way, your cast puts on a most enjoyable show!

To complement @pennsyfan's post, the theme of my post today is "reefer madness:"

My RMT "Bang S-4," an 027-scale model of ALCo's S-4 in PRR livery, is hauling a varied consist of "billboard" reefers. The first four are RK Diecast woodsides, the fifth (and most delicious, inspired by Patrick) is standard RK, the next three are Lionel MPC woodsides, one being a very rare 1st production version of the "Cracker Jack" livery and the last is my favorite, a 1987 reproduction of Lionel's PW operating milk car in Carnation/Union Refrigerator Transit livery making another morning milk delivery. A scale Lionel N6B woodside cabin is watching over everything from the rear.

I'm pretty sure the cabin car was originally MTH tooling. Also interesting is that this little RMT ALCo S-4 appears to be based on Marx's ALCo S-2 version of this switcher.

Strasburg SW8 has been assigned to help move some mixed freight for PRR. I purchased this engine in the fall of ‘21’. Other than the usual lube maintenance, it’s been trouble free.

Gene

For today an MTH PS3 Railking diesel switcher hauling boxcars as it rolls around the bend through town:

Thanks again,, Patrick, for getting us switcher maniacs off to another great start. Arnold

The Penn Central hard at work this morning on the North Branch & Lamington drilling a new caboose and some TOFCs for a new consist make-up while a B6 idly stands by

Good morning SwSat friends!

New trees planted & grass growing next to the engine track.

MTH SW1500 CSX pulling different generations of covered hoppers.

Have a great day in your train room!

@Bill Swatos posted:

Mel, I just have to note that the running gear on this little switcher is amazing! What a treat to see!

@Bill Swatos,

Bill,

Here's a close-up view of the running gear.

MELGAR

Happy SWSat!

Welcome back Patrick. It's been my pleasure to keep the switchers rollin'. Thanks

A few shots from the archives this week. New Haven RS-1 (MTH RK w/ PS2-3V) and a Plymouth switcher fit with a snow plow (K-line). Neat feature that K-line added. No snow these days but gotta keep the equipment in tip-top shape.

And one of my RS-11's in the background (Lionel TMCC/ Oddessy)

Finally a peak at my next project. It's a ALCO S-2 from MTH that will be getting ERR CruiseM installed.

Have a great weekend.

Bob

Happy Switcher Saturday!  Here is our LIRR  VO1000 working around the pike -

Here is the Bulington Junction in Montgomery yesterday. They were going backwards across the road so fast I barely got a picture. I wouldn't want to be the guy hanging on the back car at 30+MPH.

Another fine start trumpettrain PW Lionel Erie Alco looking for work

Good morning #swsat fans.  Congrats to all for keeping this awesome thread going.

Here's a link to an article on the EBT 0-6-0.

And something from the archives for a picture contribution.

Hello Switcher Fans, Patrick (Trumpettrain) welcome back !  Bob (RSJB18) did a great job in your absence.  For today, here is my Williams by Bachman , UP 44 T switcher.  Here she is headed for the yard with a freight consist just picked up from the Savannah Wharf area.

Here is a "train fan" close up of her passing by

Here is the full side view.

Best Wishes everyone, hope you have a great weekend.

Don

Hello switcher fans!   Great content up so far today!!!!  You all are amazing!!!  Let's keep the posts coming!!  

Bill Swatos - I just make up the characters on the spot ... lol!  ... most of the time anyway.  I do have a listing of characters but most of the time the names just come to me in the exact moment I'm typing.   I then add them to my list.  Glad you find the stories entertaining!    

Thanks Tom Pantierre for posting the sad news regarding the EBT 0-6-0 switcher.   John ( JHZ563 ) thanks for posting the link to the article regarding the EBT 0-6-0 switcher!  Such a loss for the EBT!   Everyone please read it when you have time.  

A follow up to my SwSat post for today.   The Western Maryland road units have pulled their train out of the yard and are on the road taking it to its' desitination as a Virginian Train Master at the point of a mail and express train overtakes the road freight.  

Lionel NYC LC+ A5 0-4-0 #1662

Southern Pacific FM H-12-44 switcher on a whisker track in the engine facility area.