It's SWITCHER SATURDAY August 24, 2024 Edition

My model of Boston & Maine GP7 #1562 was made by Sunset Models/3rd Rail in 2021 with MSRP $699.95. It is highly detailed, has fixed pilots, and is powered by a horizontally-mounted Canon Motor that drives the wheels through a toothed belt. It has ERR Cruise, TMCC, EMD GP Prime Mover sounds and a smoke system. I run it conventionally on Atlas O-54 curves and switches. Slow-speed operation and acceleration are very smooth.

The Boston & Maine Railroad had 23 GP7s. #1562 was delivered in 1950. These engines had 1500 horsepower, ran short hood forward, and were configured specifically for freight or passenger service. Passenger versions, such as B&M #1562, had an extended compartment at the rear of the long hood that housed train lighting equipment for commuter service. They also had a steam generator under the short hood for train heating. Freight versions did not have the extended compartment. Sunset’s version of B&M #1562 is unique among O gauge GP7s by modeling the extended compartment at the rear of the long hood (see photo). As the B&M acquired its fleet of Budd Rail Diesel Cars during the 1950s, its passenger GP7s were assigned to freight service.

General Motors Electro-Motive Division produced 2,729 GP7s between October 1949 and May 1954. They were powered by an EMD 567B V16 2-stroke diesel engine that turned between 275 and 800 RPM. Their weight was 246,000 pounds and maximum speed was 65 miles-per-hour. Continuous tractive effort was 40,000 pounds at 9.3 miles-per-hour, and 65,000 pounds for starting.

Photos and videos taken on my 12’-by-8’ model railroad.

MELGAR

Beautiful B&O steam switcher, Patrick, and thanks for getting us off to another great start.

My show and tell is the MTH PS3 Long Island 0-6-0 steam switcher hauling Madison Heavyweights past my new illuminated Yankee Stadium facade in the video below:

In many ways that steam switcher is my best locomotive considering the kind of layout I have. It has never derailed and it’s always on my layout either running on a main line or parked on a siding. I obviously love it. Arnold

Great looking engines all! Another fine start trumppetrain Lionel Lehigh Valley GP-9 with a string of coal hoppers.

Being a Pittsburgh guy myself, these 2 Pittsburgh Brewery switchers were my all time favorites until I sold them off.   the cream colored one was very exclusive - MTH was only selling them to people going to the brewery and was limited to just 500.  I got on the list and when they came out with trailing cars I bought them all.

- walt

subsequently a bobber and an operating reefer were added and I got my hands on those too.

Good morning, SwSat friends!  The Steam Crazy Lines president noticed the positive response to the declaration of last weekend as CNJ weekend, so he’s decided to name another railroad this Saturday.  The mighty New York Central System is the railroad of the weekend!

NYC BP7 no. 5903 is the yard switcher of the day.  She’s seen working a variety of jobs, including hauling some side dump cars full of ballast to a siding upgrade project, pulling a test weight car from the shop to the scale house, hustling the ailing shop switcher 0-6-0T no. X-8688 back to the roundhouse and hauling the big hook with crane tender back to the MOW tracks.

John

Happy SWSat!

Moving our son back to campus today so only time for a quick stop by the yard. Caught a New York Central ALCO RS1 on the siding while it's eventual successor, the Penn Central, EMD SW1200 passes with a short freight.

Have a great weekend!

Bob

@trumpettrain That’s a sweet looking engine Pat, good luck with it.

Gene

Burlington Northern by MTH.

My dad passed last October and it’s getting time to dissemble his layout and distribute his collection.  So I figured I would post his favorite steam and diesel switchers.  

Great pics everyone! On the road this weekend so here is a video of our 44 tonner from the archives -

Well @Steam Crazy made my selection easier for today by naming NYC as the railroad of the weekend!  Here is the Marx #588 GE 70 Ton switcher, made in this gray color in 1962-1964.  Also in the picture is the Marx 176893 "deluxe" NYC box car from the same era and the #18326 Tuscan NYC caboose.  

Best wishes Saturday Switcher Fans!

Don

The Lionel CSX genset doing some evening time switching.

Here's one model and one real.

My stand in for Grasse River #33

ou

NOTE:  Prototype photo deleted due to copyright.  REVIEW our TOS!!!

New York Ontario & Western 116 moving some cars to Maybrook to interchange with the New Haven......

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

Greetings, everyone! Another great SwSat! Going to my grandson’s third birthday party today; how fast they grow…

Speaking of which, several weeks ago his folks took him to ride thru the redwoods on the Roaring Camp & Big Trees RR in Fenton, CA.

And since I have Lionel’s  beautiful version of their two-truck Shay, I put together an all-Lionel logging train which we ran together last week. What fun!

Some switchers sitting in the Fresno UP yard, including two Helm Leasing Services GP-38s.  From a family visit several years ago.

Happy SwSat

Here’s my MTH LIRR RS-3 at the head end of a short train running in from the point, with a fresh load of milk and passengers anxious to get to the city.

Once again we have a terrific Switcher Saturday!!!  Wonderful content showing toy, model and real switchers  Great historical info courtesy of MELGAR & Don McErlean  Certainly keep on posting all week long 

Here's a follow up clip to the photos I posted to start off last week's SwSat.   The B&O Docksider is still assigned to switch vat cars during the harvest season.   Here's number 97 shoving a vat car down the tracks.  

Happy Switch Sat, here is my Maine Central BEEP

Take care, Ray

Thanks for "firing us up" this SWSAT with your new Baldwin 0-6-0, Patrick! Those Weaver brass models are wonderful!

I'm starting off the Sunday edition of SWSAT with another "Soo Line Sunday" entry featuring my Lionel Legacy ALCo RS-27 operating under Legacy control just starting a run:

The RS-27 features a 2400 hp prime mover, the highest hp engine ever used in ALCo's RS series. #415 was one of two RS-27's produced for the Soo, the other being #416. As I have mentioned before, these two locomotives came to be known as "The Dolly Sisters" among the Soo crew that worked with them. Interestingly, these locomotives were the very first to be delivered to the Soo in this bold livery developed in 1961 by their then public relations director, Wallace W. Abbey. Ironically, 27 total examples were built between 1959 and 1962. There are only two remaining today, in storage at the Minnesota Commercial Railway.

The all-Soo boxcar consist features 4 cars (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th) from our friend, Tom Markert ( @Krieglok) and the 4th car, a "club car" commemorating the centennial of the Soo Locks, was kindly sold to me by our friend and Boxcar Sun host, Dave Ripp ( @Dave Ripp.). The extended vision caboose is MTH from Forum sponsor Trainz. The RS-27 was purchased at a very reasonable price from Forum sponsor, Mario's.

@Bill Swatos posted:

Thanks for "firing us up" this SWSAT with your new Baldwin 0-6-0, Patrick! Those Weaver brass models are wonderful!

I'm starting off the Sunday edition of SWSAT with another "Soo Line Sunday" entry featuring my Lionel Legacy ALCo RS-27 operating under Legacy control just starting a run:

Nice engine and cars Bill.

Her sibling approves. Mine's from MTH w/PS-1

Bob

And here is my NYC entry per @Steam Crazy:

I featured this ALCo 0-6-0 saddle tank last week in a work train but here she is again with the little red caboose I bought for her. She seems to be a favorite of we "switcherites." She is the first switcher I acquired in 3-rail O scale and is the only NYC switcher I have.

Your post is “Soo” nice, Bill!

John

@Bill Swatos posted:

Thanks for "firing us up" this SWSAT with your new Baldwin 0-6-0, Patrick! Those Weaver brass models are wonderful!

I'm starting off the Sunday edition of SWSAT with another "Soo Line Sunday" entry featuring my Lionel Legacy ALCo RS-27 operating under Legacy control just starting a run:

The RS-27 features a 2400 hp prime mover, the highest hp engine ever used in ALCo's RS series. #415 was one of two RS-27's produced for the Soo, the other being #416. As I have mentioned before, these two locomotives came to be known as "The Dolly Sisters" among the Soo crew that worked with them. Interestingly, these locomotives were the very first to be delivered to the Soo in this bold livery developed in 1961 by their then public relations director, Wallace W. Abbey. Ironically, 27 total examples were built between 1959 and 1962. There are only two remaining today, in storage at the Minnesota Commercial Railway.

The all-Soo boxcar consist features 4 cars (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th) from our friend, Tom Markert ( @Krieglok) and the 4th car, a "club car" commemorating the centennial of the Soo Locks, was kindly sold to me by our friend and Boxcar Sun host, Dave Ripp ( @Dave Ripp.). The extended vision caboose is MTH from Forum sponsor Trainz. The RS-27 was purchased at a very reasonable price from Forum sponsor, Mario's.

Sharp engine Bill! not sure what I like better that SOO or that table full of trains

@trumpettrain - Thank you for the kind comment Patrick.  @Bill Swatos - Cool SOO line switcher, great horn!

Don

My switcher in the yard, at my club

@Sitka posted:

Sharp engine Bill! not sure what I like better that SOO or that table full of trains

Thanks, Mark! I'm at "peak trains" now and have begun the dreaded process of storing some pieces. BTW, I like your power setup; it must run your electric bill up

@Steam Crazy posted:

Your post is “Soo” nice, Bill!

John

Thanks, John!

@Bill Swatos posted:

Thanks, Mark! I'm at "peak trains" now and have begun the dreaded process of storing some pieces. BTW, I like your power setup; it must run your electric bill up

LOL Bill might have to get a windmill, don't store put up some shelfs in the back of your table so we can see your empire grow! Mark

After a cordial discussion with Mr. Arnold, the issue with my photo is that I didn't state explicitly that it was taken by me.

So, here it the NW5 photo that I had posted, plus one more, both of which I took.

I will add two more pictures I took in North Dakota in early 80's

@Ross posted:

After a cordial discussion with Mr. Arnold, the issue with my photo is that I didn't state explicitly that it was taken by me.

So, here it the NW5 photo that I had posted, plus one more, both of which I took.

I will add two more pictures I took in North Dakota in early 80's

Great photos.

Of note, that NW5 was one of a total of only 13 produced between 1946 -1947 by EMD, 10 of which went to Great Northern. Rara avis, indeed!

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Of note, that NW5 was one of a total of only 13 produced between 1946 -1947 by EMD, 10 of which went to Great Northern. Rara avis, indeed!

Pretty interesting looking locomotive by EMD.   It has a close similarity to ALCO's RS 1,2,3 etc.    I can't help but to wonder if any model train manufacturer/importer has ever produced a NW5?  

@Ross posted:

After a cordial discussion with Mr. Arnold, the issue with my photo is that I didn't state explicitly that it was taken by me.

So, here it the NW5 photo that I had posted, plus one more, both of which I took.

I will add two more pictures I took in North Dakota in early 80's

Thanks for posting these terrific photos!!   I'm glad you got to the bottom of why your original post was deleted and was able to re-post.  

The Mass Central Railroad has an NW5.  I have seen it in Palmer, MA.

https://hawkinsrails.net/shortlines/mcer/mcer.htm

John

@Steam Crazy posted:

The Mass Central Railroad has an NW5.  I have seen it in Palmer, MA.

https://hawkinsrails.net/shortlines/mcer/mcer.htm

John

Reminds me of a Mullett.....

ALCO in the front.....EMD in the back......

Would be a neat kit-bash take a RS-1 and swap the long hood for a SW hood.......hmmmmmmm......

Bob

Bob, the seed has been planted.  I’m looking forward to seeing your NW5!

John

Picked this TMCC C&O 0-8-0 up a month ago for less than $300.   Truly a great little engine that will do a great job in my yard.   https://youtube.com/shorts/hyx...?si=w9CxRwyYymwLTbzQ

What a great find for that price!