It's SWITCHER SATURDAY!!! August 31, 2024 Edition

New York Central 0-8-0 steam locomotive #415 is an MTH Railking model (30-1123-1, MSRP $399) with PS1 that was delivered in 1997. It’s been running trouble-free on my layouts for twenty-six years with a BCR and has been a bargain in terms of initial cost per hour of operation. Also, it still looks brand new with perfect paint. I think of it as a postwar Lionel engine with sounds, a smooth-running mechanism, and a DC motor. It doesn’t have the low-speed smoothness of a PS3 engine but it can run quite slowly if the throttle is finessed…

The United States Railroad Administration designed 12 types of standardized steam locomotives between 1917 and 1920, one of which was the 0-8-0 heavy switcher. 175 locomotives were built to the 0-8-0 design during the administration of the USRA and 1,200 more were built afterward, which made it the most common steam engine design in the United States. The combined engine and tender weighed 364,000 pounds and the engine developed 51,042 pounds of tractive effort. New York Central had 25 USRA 0-8-0 locomotives in its U-3b class with road numbers 415 to 439.

Photos and videos taken on my 10’-by-5’ layout.

MELGAR

Happy SwSat

@trumpettrain  Thanks for getting us started today and thanks for the tribute to RR workers for Labor Day. My paternal Great grandfather ran a  0-4-0 switcher at a factory; and my maternal Grandfather worked for the PRR. My son is currently an Engineer for NJT. My contribution for today is a MTH Proto 1 PRR H10-44.

Thanks, Patrick, for getting us switcher-maniacs rolling today.

This video shows an MTH PS3 Philadelphia Bethlehem and New England SW1 switcher hauling beer reefers through my little town:

Arnold

What’s Labor Day weekend without a little labor. The MTA assigned one of its old RS3s to clean up the mainline track before the annual corporate BBQ kicks off -

Happy Labor Day, SwSat Nation!  Steam Crazy Line’s president is having such a good time designating a “railroad of the weekend”, he’s doing it again.  This weekend it’s MELGAR’s favorite line, the New York, New Haven & Hartford.

MTH Railking ALCO RS3 no. 538 (5v PS2, still going strong) and EMD GP9 no. 1205 (dummy) are representing the NH today.  They are seen hauling a freight that originated in East Providence, RI, up the NH’s Providence and Worcester branch.  The destination is Worcester, MA, where some of the cars will be forwarded to the B&M or B&A/NYC to complete their journey.

John

Good morning SwSat friends!

Canadian Alco S2 gets a clear track ahead & ready to move a single hopper down the busy mainline.

Have a great weekend!

Here is a Williams Rock Island BL-2

Happy SWSat!

If you missed it, I started a topic earlier in the week about a pair of Alco RS-3's that have returned home.

Alco units 4103 and 4118 were purchased by the D&H in 1952, and have passed through several owners. They recently returned home to the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson RY and are now running on a section of the original D&H trackage through the Adirondacks in upstate New York.

I have to say that the original black and gold paint scheme is very nice and needs to be produced in O scale.

Here's my fleet to salute the occasion.

Hope everyone has a great Holiday weekend.

Bob

An Eire Lackawanna poking its nose out

- walt

Have a great SWITCHER SATURDAY   A Lionel SD-9 S.P. chasing a Lionel GP-9 Lehigh Valley, Keep America Free!

Williams GP-9 Boston and Maine with a dummy Lionel GP-9 making the rounds

Happy SWSAT everyone enjoy your weekend and Holiday. Here’s some pics of my favorite shots of my Weaver RS-3s.

Attached is a old video of my Legacy B6 switcher bring out the last few cars of my military train:

@lee drennen posted:

Happy SWSAT everyone enjoy your weekend and Holiday. Here’s some pics of my favorite shots of my Weaver RS-3s.

Once again you've made me look twice Lee !

Great  ( modeling ) photo  ! ?  ! ?

@trumpettrain posted:

Hello fellow switcher fans!!!!  Welcome to Switcher Saturday, one of the finest threads on the OGR Forum!!! 

      ..........." one of the finest threads  "   .......and one of the finest pieces of artwork .   Gonna hafta see if dis un shoes up at da ART GALLERY dis holiday weekend. 😎

Great scene  Patrick. 

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Once again you've made me look twice Lee !

Great  ( modeling ) photo  ! ?  ! ?

Thanks Dallas I appreciate your complement.

@JohnB posted:

Attached is a old video of my Legacy B6 switcher bring out the last few cars of my military train:

@JohnB,

There is a two-rail track (looks like O scale) at the left side of your video. Do you also run 2-rail?

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

@JohnB,

There is a two-rail track (looks like O scale) at the left side of your video. Do you also run 2-rail?

MELGAR

Melgar,

    This video was taken at the Black Diamond Society of Model Engineers in Bethlehem Pa. On our first floor layout we ran 3 rail O, 2 Rail O, On30, and S Gauge. On the second floor we had a HO layout and a small 3 rail O gauge layout that children visiting could operate.

JohnB

Sticking with my O&W switcher again this week……now taking a different consist of milk and coal on the New York Central’s West Shore……the O&W had West Shore trackage rights from Cornwall on the Hudson into Weehawken…….

Have a great and safe week, folks!

Peter

Well before getting started on "Switcher Saturday" I have to support @Steam Crazy 's weekend railroad.  Sorry no locomotives but I do have 2 boxcars.  A double door Lionel 6468-25 New Havel automobile car from 1956-1958.

The Marx, 3/16" Scale 0 gauge NY, NH,&H box car from 1941 and also available post war 1945 on.

Now to the subject of the post.  Two Lionel 0-4-0 switchers pose ready for their daily assignment.  The Lionel #2295 tank switcher from recent times and the Lionel 1615 switcher from 1955-1957.

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone.  Hope your weekend goes well

Don

Thank you, Don, for your support!

John

@Steam Crazy posted:

Thank you, Don, for your support!

John

I'm with you John.....

Thanks, Bob!  Mt SwSat friends are the best!

John

My latest 0-4-0s…both MTH PS2/3v…

Tom

@Krieglok posted:

My latest 0-4-0s…both MTH PS2/3v…

Tom

Tom,

     I hoped that Lionel had purchased the A5 switcher modes from MTH. The current Lionel A5 is from former K-line molds which to be seem a little larger than 1/48. A Legacy A5 from the MTH molds would be terrific. I already have a Legacy I1 with the long tender and a L1 Mikado both are great. There are more molds I hope Lionel purchase such as the Q2 but I am getting ahead of myself.

JohnB

BL2 499 recently restored to all it's GM EMD Demonstrator Glory by Progress Rail assembling a hot shot stack train down at the intermodal yard.

This is a Williams BL2.  I believe Williams was the first to produce a model of the BL2.

@JohnB posted:

Tom,

     I hoped that Lionel had purchased the A5 switcher modes from MTH. The current Lionel A5 is from former K-line molds which to be seem a little larger than 1/48. A Legacy A5 from the MTH molds would be terrific. I already have a Legacy I1 with the long tender and a L1 Mikado both are great. There are more molds I hope Lionel purchase such as the Q2 but I am getting ahead of myself.

JohnB

The K-line molds are a bit over sized. MTH's molds are closer to correct scale.

I think @CAPPilot Ron had posted side by side pix of both models not too long ago.

@JohnB posted:

Tom,

     I hoped that Lionel had purchased the A5 switcher modes from MTH. The current Lionel A5 is from former K-line molds which to be seem a little larger than 1/48. A Legacy A5 from the MTH molds would be terrific. I already have a Legacy I1 with the long tender and a L1 Mikado both are great. There are more molds I hope Lionel purchase such as the Q2 but I am getting ahead of myself.

JohnB

John,

I am a big Pennsy collector. Most of my PRR steam is MTH, except for a K-Line 0-6-0. I have never seen the Legacy I1 but I have the MTH I1s and  L1s. Two of the I1s are the PS2/5v versions that may need upgrading someday.

I am curious about the various molds that made it into Lionel’s hands. Interesting.

Tom

Railking RS3 out in front of Weaver 3 bay hoppers

@Steam Crazy posted:

Happy Labor Day, SwSat Nation!  Steam Crazy Line’s president is having such a good time designating a “railroad of the weekend”, he’s doing it again.  This weekend it’s MELGAR’s favorite line, the New York, New Haven & Hartford.

John

I can usually manage to come up with a photo of a New Haven locomotive - so here is New Haven Alco S-2 #0615. However, I'm not sure I can match some of Steam Crazy's other railroads...

MELGAR

@Krieglok posted:

John,

I am a big Pennsy collector. Most of my PRR steam is MTH, except for a K-Line 0-6-0. I have never seen the Legacy I1 but I have the MTH I1s and  L1s. Two of the I1s are the PS2/5v versions that may need upgrading someday.

I am curious about the various molds that made it into Lionel’s hands. Interesting.

Tom,

    So far the L1 and I1 molds are the only Pennsy emgines that were from MTH molds. As far as other molds the Greebrier, Russian Decapod, 0-6-0 USRA Switchers, Triplex, Santa Fe 4-8-4s that’s about all so far that came from MTH molds. Don’t take this as official as that’s my best guess. If anyone has others let us know as there are some diesels too but I am only naming steam engines. Lionel never said what was everything they bought so they will keep us guessing. Like I said before I hope they got the Q2 and A5 molds.

   They also used Kline molds they purchased L2 Mikados, K4 Pacific, A5, and B6. Plus Berkshires and Hudsons

John

Down at the intermodal yard the Conrail SD60 scheduled to head up that stack train 499 put together couldn't answer the bell.  With no other motive power available the yardmaster, Connie Hooper, put her neck on the line one more time, saddled up Frank Barnes and Will Colson in that 499 and sent them down the road.  Everyone in the yard took videos of 499 moving the hot shot out onto the main and Frank wasted no time notching her out because he doesn't run late.  Alas all the videos are to long to get posted here.

Thanks for setting the theme of rail workers this Labor Day SWSAT, Patrick. For my Sunday entry, I'm featuring my newly-lighted CRI&P BEEP:

The four LEDs, two in front and two in the rear, are universal 7-19 volt kits from Forum sponsor Evan Designs and they're simply soldered to the leads for the original directional front and rear incandescent bulbs. If I ever find ERR mini-commander and sound boards it'll be an easy swap over for the LEDs.

And here she is hauling a string of MPC & Modern era billboard reefers advertising some Labor Day picnic favorites. My favorite reefer, a 1987 reproduction of the PW Carnation operating reefer, is bringing up the rear with the milkman making his usual morning delivery:

Happy Labor Day all and may we all remember the folks who do the work we sometimes take for granted.

@Sitka posted:

Have a great SWITCHER SATURDAY   A Lionel SD-9 S.P. chasing a Lionel GP-9 Lehigh Valley, Keep America Free!

Williams GP-9 Boston and Maine with a dummy Lionel GP-9 making the rounds

Looks like you got that Espee GEEP running, Mark! Does the horn work, too?

@Bill Swatos posted:

Looks like you got that Espee GEEP running, Mark! Does the horn work, too?

Well Bill its running the reverse board reacts slow to forward and reverse, also sometimes no neutral, runs like a horse in reverse and slow in forward, so have to look at brushes and the springs, will start with new brushes, the horn didn't work so I tested it and did work maybe past owner took apart, will find out, nice looking Beep!! Mark