IT's SWITCHER SATURDAY!!!! July 20, 2024 Edition

The steam locomotive on my 10’-by-5’ layout this week is a model of Boston & Maine Class B-15 2-6-0 “Mogul” #1455 (Lionel Trains 6-38019). It was listed in the 2005 Volume 1 catalog at an MSRP of $599.99 with TMCC and a Pittman motor.

I strictly observe the definition of “switcher” in what I post on Saturdays. Moguls were road engines – technically not switchers. However, on rural branch lines, B&M Moguls also delivered freight cars onto industrial sidings where they were small and light enough to double as switchers. Next week, I will go back to posting engines that unequivocally are switchers. But, for this week it’s the Mogul…

B&M 2-6-0 steam locomotives pulled freight and passenger trains on main and branch lines in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and in commuter service around Boston. So, my photos and videos show #1455 at the head-end of two trains, one with wood-sided passenger cars and the other with wood-sided refrigerator cars. The coaches are B&M #1268 and #1243 (Lionel L2227100). The freight cars are B&M ice storage car #13266 and Brookside Milk MTC 1835, both by Atlas O. The only information I’ve found on the ice cars is a photo of B&M #13212 parked on the tracks near North Station in Boston.

Locomotive #1455 was built by ALCO in Manchester, New Hampshire in November 1907. After being superheated, the total weight of engine and tender (including coal and water) was 220,890 pounds, with a weight of 128,000 pounds on its 63-inch-diameter driving wheels. It produced about 25,000 pounds of tractive effort at 200 pounds-per-square-inch boiler pressure. The railroad sold #1455 in July 1956. It is now preserved at the Danbury Railway Museum in Connecticut.

MELGAR

Well my little Plymouth is no match for Patrick’s H10-44 or Melgar's Mogul; but here it is a NYC Plymouth Swicher spotting a NYC baggage car back to the trainset awaiting assignment at Harmon yards. Note the white steps on the front and rear of the engine. What were they thinking?

🧐

This road switcher is one of my first smoking diesels, an MTH Proto1 Jersey Central FM Trainmaster, which is hauling 11 boxcars and a caboose in the video below:

As you can see, it’s a very good smoker and puller. Arnold

Good morning, SwSat fans!  I occasionally surf You Tube for train videos; recently I saw some Delaware & Hudson videos showing diesels in the road’s beautiful blue and gray paint scheme.  That inspired me to go to the archives to post my Lionel Alco RS11 no. 5001, my only D&H engine at this time, but I’d sure like to get another!

MELGAR, I thought you’d like to know I accept your Mogul as a switcher.  I own a B&M video that has a scene with a Mogul pulling two RS3’s in the yard.  The narrator said the Mogul was “the switcher of the day”.  I can’t find a photo I took of my 1455 with my two RS3’s, but I’ll post it later if I can locate it.

John

Happy Switcher Saturday!  Here’s #410 moving some box cars around the layout -

Another fine start trumpettrain PW Lionel Lehigh Valley moving a lone coal hopper God Speed all!

Happy SWSat!

I'll follow John's Delaware and Hudson RS-11 with my own collection. I have 3- D&H, NYC, and New Haven. All are Lionel models with TMCC/Odyssey. They are very well done and nicely detailed too.
The interesting, and somewhat frustrating part is that they have Lionel's two-piece trucks (GunnerJohn calls them puzzle trucks).  Taking one apart is like doing a puzzle.....don't ask me how I know.

The RS-11 was built by ALCO in Schenectady NY starting in 1956. Over 400 models were built and owned by railroads across the country. Unfortunately for ALCO, the far more popular EMD GP-9 had been on the market for a couple years which dampened sales of the engine. It's distinctive sloped corners give it a unique look.

Have a great weekend!

Bob

Here is a relatively new addition to my fleet.  The PRR (PC has not yet got around to painting her yet) helps out in the yard by assembling an AMTRAK train and adding a baggage car to the consist.

Here is a front view showing the motorman.

Happy Saturday, hope your weekend goes well

Best Wishes

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

For some time I have thought those little motors to be pretty nifty, and also figured they would be GREAT for an urban industrial setting switching layout in 3 rail.

Yours looks great, especially the motorman!

Andre

New Lionel Legacy C&O NW2. Just unpacked it.

@laming- Andre thanks for the kind words. I can tell you that she is not fancy but she runs smooth and works well over tight turns.

Best Wishes

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

Here is a relatively new addition to my fleet.  The PRR (PC has not yet got around to painting her yet) helps out in the yard by assembling an AMTRAK train and adding a baggage car to the consist.

Here is a front view showing the motorman.

Happy Saturday, hope your weekend goes well

Best Wishes

Don

Don - great looking boxcab switcher!!  Thanks for posting!   Is this the Kline/Lionel version?  If so did you install additional weight to the locomotive?

@trumpettrain- Thanks for your kind comment.  Mine is the KLINE version and my layout is rather small and flat so I never had to install any additional weight. She runs smooth as is.

Don

Our 0-6-0 New Haven LC switcher is showcasing our Raffle today…..

Have a great and safe weekend, everyone!

Peter

Trying again……WiFi here is a little weak…….

Torrential rain down here……safe travels to all…..

Peter

@Don McErlean posted:

Here is a relatively new addition to my fleet.  The PRR (PC has not yet got around to painting her yet) helps out in the yard by assembling an AMTRAK train and adding a baggage car to the consist.

Happy Saturday, hope your weekend goes well

Best Wishes

Don

These are great little engines Don. I have the K-line model. Watch the front pilot truck, it needs some extra weight.

@JimFMB posted:

New Lionel Legacy C&O NW2. Just unpacked it.

Cool. The bluetooth option with the Cab3 app is fun to use.

Bob

@Putnam Division posted:

Trying again……WiFi here is a little weak…….

Torrential rain down here……safe travels to all…..

Peter

Those are all great sets Peter. I might just have to run down there to drop some tickets in the box.......

Bob

@trumpettrain posted:

Here's a video of my N&W 0-8-0 number 244 pulling 15 cars and not breaking a sweat.

Patrick your video failed.

Here's a video of my N&W 0-8-0 number 244 pulling a short mail train.  

Putting my newest addition to my Penn Central roster through its paces… Lionel SW 1200. Stumbled on a great price for this loco from Local hobby tool supplier. Of course I bent a corner of the handrail unpacking it.

@DaveP posted:

Putting my newest addition to my Penn Central roster through its paces… Lionel SW 1200. Stumbled on a great price for this loco from Local hobby tool supplier. Of course I bent a corner of the handrail unpacking it.

I have the same engine Dave. It's a nice runner. The shaft drive will allow it to really crawl along.  I bought mine from a Forum member, I had to drop the trucks and replace the grease. It was stalling on motor overload (cab light blinks).
And I've bent a few handrails too.....

Bob