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Hello switcher fans!!  Welcome to Switcher Saturday!!!  Switcher Saturday ( SwSat)  is THE thread which celebrates with discussion, photos, and videos all things related to switching locomotives both in model form and real.     It doesn't matter what gauge you model in, for SwSat welcomes your photos and/or information for  all gauges from Z- G and real 1:1 gauge as well!  

We ask that you abide by OGR Forum Terms of Service found by clicking on TOS at the top of this page.  As a reminder please post only photos/videos  you have taken.  If you post someone else's photo/video/information be sure to have their express written permission.  Posting copyrighted photos/ videos/ material is a violation of copyright law and violators are legally liable.  

As always, I'm excited to see what you all post!  We greatly learn from one another and you all have so much to share from rehab and upgrade projects, historical and technical information of both model and real switchers and switching railroads, to terrific photos of the latest high tech switchers, post and prewar switchers.  AND of course we as a community learn from all the content you provide.  So please feel free to post your photos and/or information!    

Have a terrific and safe weekend everyone!  Keep those switches aligned, attend to your switch lists, and green signals to all!

.This week I have a video showing three switchers ( and a trolley ) earning their keep on the the Free State Junction Railway.   A B&O GP9 is at the point of a passenger extra.  A Washington Terminal Co.  RS 1 drops off a junk gondola, and a Pennsy A5 is at the point of a way freight.  All three would be found coexisting on the rails during the era I model .. The Transition Era.  The GP 9 is a MTH Railking with Proto 2 and is set up as a dual purpose locomotive outfitted with steam generator and air reservoirs relocated to the roof.   The RS1 is an Atlas O model, and the A5 is by K line.  All three of these locomotives have proven to be good runners and are  very reliable.  

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Not a great photo but here are the three locomotives on another part of the layout. IMG_5826

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Long Island Rail Road B-6 0-6-0 steam switcher is an MTH Railking Imperial model (30-1710-1) delivered in 2017 with PS3 at MSRP $449.95. MTH Imperial steamers are upgraded Railking models with a real coal load, legible builder’s plate, engineer and fireman figures, and tender truck safety chains.

The MTH model represents a superheated B-6sb, of which 238 were built between 1916 and 1920. The engines weighed 180,300 pounds (tender not included), developed 36,140 pounds tractive effort, and had 56-inch driving wheels.

After the Pennsylvania Railroad purchased the Long Island Rail Road in 1900, the PRR leased and sold various types of locomotives to the LIRR. However, only one or two superheated B-6s locomotives, including B-6sb #2015, are known to have run on Long Island. Instead, the PRR sent to the LIRR at least twenty less powerful B-8 0-6-0 locomotives that were not superheated.

Why was this MTH model numbered #170? Records show that #170 was an 0-6-0 Class B-53sb steam switcher built by Baldwin for the LIRR in 1913. It was not a PRR design and did not come from the PRR. #2015 would have been a more realistic number, and that is what K-Line and Lionel used on their B-6sb models.

Photos and videos show this smooth-running engine on my 10’-by-5’ layout.

MELGAR

MELGAR_2025_0113_07_LIRR_170_10X5_SOUTH_PORTALMELGAR_2025_0113_21_LIRR_170_10X5_SOUTHMELGAR_2025_0113_22_LIRR_170_10X5_SOUTHMELGAR_2025_0113_24_LIRR_170_10X5_DOWNTOWNMELGAR_2025_0113_41_LIRR_170_10X5_STATIONMELGAR_2025_0113_54_LIRR_170_10X5_BRIDGEPORT_METALSMELGAR_2025_0113_75_LIRR_170_10X5_TRESTLE

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Happy SWSat!

Thanks for getting us started as always Patrick. I like the different view of Patsburg.

This week the crew on NYC 0-6-0 #223 have been given a very special assignment to run a scrap load out to Patterson New Jersey for a special event.

2025-01-17 20.52.522025-01-17 20.52.212025-01-17 20.52.44

Meanwhile on the Highline, Reading Shops # 1251 is on the point of the Yuengling Excursion to Trainstock.....I hear there's one big party going on today.

2025-01-17 20.52.13

I'm planning to be at the club around noon. Hope to see SWSat Nation out in force!

Bob

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Hello, SwSat fans!  Welcome to day two of New Haven RR weekend on the Steam Crazy Lines!

Today the SCL company photographer has found two NH first generation diesel workhorses on NH’s Worcester, MA - New London, CT line in Auburn, MA.  A local freight is led by Alco RS3 no. 538, followed by EMD GP9 no. 1205.  This duo appears to be more power than needed on this short freight, but there will be many more pick ups than set outs on the trip to New London.

John

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Well perhaps from your boyhood (or girlhood) comes the Marx #112 Lehigh Valley, GE-70T switcher from 1974-1976 or about 50 years ago.  Now, perhaps with the tree coming down, its on its way back to the attic or storage location until next year.  It is accompanied by a # 95050 matching SP type 4 wheel caboose.  Bright red all around to celebrate the season


Lehigh Valley Switcher and caboose edit 1

Best wishes to all...Happy Holidays...back to work this week for me!!

Don

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@Steam Crazy posted:

Bob, I give up, I’ve been staring at my D&H RS11, what is a “puzzle truck”?

John

@MELGAR posted:

John,

It's an O gauge truck that you can easily take apart but is impossible to put back together.

MELGAR

+ @Genemed

John- not my phrase- GunnerJohn came up with it- but it refers to Lionel's 2 piece trucks. The have to be removed half from the bottom and the other half from the top.
I had to repair a power pick up on my D&H model and I never did get the top half apart. Fortunately I could make the repairs though.
More reading here.....

Bob

Last edited by RSJB18

Thanks for starting us off in a "festive" mood with your PE "Bump & Go" trolley, Patrick! I needed the lift. For my SWSAT Sunday Supplement, I'm featuring my RMT "Bang S4" in PRR DGLE livery on the point of an all-PRR 027 freight:

Here are a few more views of this ALCo switcher model:

20250119_035833

20250119_035848

20250119_035908

20250119_040001

This ALCo switcher model was first offered in 1956 by Marx as their "1998" ALCo S-2 switcher in red and black ATSF livery. Soon after, they offered her in UP livery, as well. She featured Marx's super-reliable 4-wheel "dual gear reduction" drive positioned at the center of the loco with pivoting 2-wheel leading and trailing trucks. Front and rear swinging steel frames with die-cast side details nicely created the impression that there were separate front and rear 4-wheel trucks as she would easily negotiate tight 027 curves.

The next stop for this little gem was K-Line, whose parent, MDK, acquired the tooling for Marx's product line in 1980 as part of the settlement of Louis Marx Company's bankruptcy in 1978. By the late 1980's K-Line had issued their first S-2 using this shell with their considerably upgraded dual-motored chassis under it. After MDK's bankruptcy in 2005, she was sold under the "K-line by Lionel" brand between 2006 and 2010.

The final stop for this switcher is the featured RMT "Bang S-4." After 2010, RMT/Aristocraft acquired the K-Line dies for this model, changed the designation to "Bang S-4," upgraded the lighting and, lastly, added their famous/infamous "diesel engine sound." Mechanically, she is exactly the same as the K-Line version, right down to the "K-Line" and part number imprints on the underside of the trucks.

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@coach joe posted:

The S4 does have a front to the pilot.  K-Line had the steps and the railing and just the "pilot" on the truck.

Indeed, Joe! It appears that the specification for the chassis base diecut and stamping at Sanda Kan was changed by RMT to turn the folded upward end railings for the K-Line S-2 into the folded downward pilots for the S-4. I like the S-4's pilot and separately-applied end railings and stanchions MUCH better.

Also interesting is that RMT saw fit to take ownership of this classic shell mold with their imprint:

20250120_194032

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@Bill Swatos posted:

Indeed, Joe! It appears that the specification for the chassis base diecut and stamping at Sanda Kan was changed by RMT to turn the folded upward end railings for the K-Line S-2 into the folded downward pilots for the S-4. I like the S-4's pilot and separately-applied end railings and stanchions MUCH better.

Also interesting is that RMT saw fit to take ownership of this classic shell mold with their imprint:

20250120_194032

+ @coach joe

Here's the K-line for comparison.

2018-05-04 14.22.18

Bob

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Last edited by RSJB18

I have two of the K-Line S2s, one in Alaska livery from the Alaskan Husky work train set and one that started out wearing SP Black Widow paint that I converted to US Air Force.  I re-painted and ground off all the molded in grab rails and replaced them with staples.  I also replaced the fuel tank with a foam "marshmallow" from a craft store.  It needs to be bigger but the other side has the air tanks.  Oh, I threw on a winterization hatch I had just to make it look different.

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I cut off the stamped steps and added Atlas GP9 pilots.  Not want to drop trucks the pilot were attached using mounting squares, which have sagged over time so it's time to drop the trucks and affix the pilot correctly.

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You can evidence of my grinding abilities over the window.  I tried to delete the rolled up shades and it looked like I did a good job until I painted it.  You can see the staple grab rails on the right and my engineer, picture on plastic container motor shield.

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@coach joe posted:

I have two of the K-Line S2s, one in Alaska livery from the Alaskan Husky work train set and one that started out wearing SP Black Widow paint that I converted to US Air Force.  I re-painted and ground off all the molded in grab rails and replaced them with staples.  I also replaced the fuel tank with a foam "marshmallow" from a craft store.  It needs to be bigger but the other side has the air tanks.  Oh, I threw on a winterization hatch I had just to make it look different.

IMG_1206

I cut off the stamped steps and added Atlas GP9 pilots.  Not want to drop trucks the pilot were attached using mounting squares, which have sagged over time so it's time to drop the trucks and affix the pilot correctly.

IMG_1207

You can evidence of my grinding abilities over the window.  I tried to delete the rolled up shades and it looked like I did a good job until I painted it.  You can see the staple grab rails on the right and my engineer, picture on plastic container motor shield.

IMG_1208

Nice job, Coach! How did you make the holes for the staples? They look great!

Thanks Bill. It took some time.  I've got a pin vice that came with about 8 tiny drill bits in the handle.  I chose an appropriate size and went to town.  I could still see where the ends of the molded in grab rails had been so I drilled a small hole on each end.  The staples are not regular sized staples.  Swingline used to make a small pocket stapler, the Tiny Tot if my memory is correct, I haven't seen one in years.  Due to it's compact design it used smaller staples, just the right size for grabrails.  Finding those smaller staples for it is hard.  I finally found a similar small stapler and staples in Walmart.  This was several years ago so I don't know if they're even available anymore.  I don't plan on doing this too often so the box of staples I have now should last me awhile.  I also used them as tool box handles on this home made crane tender.

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@Bill Swatos posted:

Nice job, Coach! How did you make the holes for the staples? They look great!

Pretty good job on the staple side grabs! Now that's some good improvising right there!

Looks like you did okay on the removal of the cast-on folded up canvas visor. Gloss paint is always less forgiving than flat paints.

The folded canvas visor on the casting:

Actually, I'm impressed Marx modeled such a feature. That's some serious tool and die work right there and they did it well, all things considered. (This WAS a toy train, after all!) I figure painted and weathered that little detail feature would be very cool.

I've always liked the lines of the little Marx S-type switcher and think it meshes well with traditional sized 3 rail. Shame about its scissors couplers. (Doesn't easily interact with Lionel-type knuckles.)

Marx_UP_1998

Andre

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Last edited by laming

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