IT's SWITCHER SATURDAY July 6, 2024 Edition

Norfolk & Western #244 was the first Railking model of a USRA 0-8-0 steam engine made by MTH – product number 30-1111-1. It was delivered in 1997 at MSRP $379.00 with PS1. It doesn’t have speed control and runs fast but – unlike more expensive locomotives – I don’t mind putting runtime on it. The box says it was made in Korea – probably by Samhongsa – the manufacturer of MTH Premier steam locomotive models.

The USRA 0-8-0 steam engine was one of 12 locomotive types designed by the United States Railroad Administration during World War 1 when it controlled American railroads between 1917 and 1920. USRA 0-8-0s became the most widely-used design for heavy steam switchers. 175 were built during the period of USRA control and some 1200 more were constructed afterward. The loco and tender had a combined weight of 364,000 pounds and tractive effort was about 51,000 pounds.

Norfolk & Western #244 was the last reciprocating steam locomotive built in the United States for an American Class 1 railroad and also the last steamer built by the N&W at its shops in Roanoke, Virginia. It was completed in December 1953.

MELGAR

Patrick, it sounds like you are having a great week. Thanks for taking time out to launch another great Switcher Saturday!

Engineer Ernie and his Conductor Pete are beside themselves. They won’t have to buy a beer all  W/E; because everyone will want to hear about this Extra Move that they were called out for. They were assigned Farmingdale Traction Co.  Steeple cab #42. They picked up a modified work caboose that came with 3 RR police officers. They went out to the Team track and met a Fast Mail train that dropped an armored precious metal transport. They were assigned to move this car to a local Gold and Silver dealer; A1 Scranton Gold & Silver Buyers.

Their orders stated that they would stand by while a load of silver pieces were loaded onto the car.

When the transaction was completed; the dispatcher gave orders to move the armored car back to the team track and wait for the next Fast Mail. They were not to uncouple before the Fast Mail train crew was ready to accept the armored car. Once the transfer was completed they dropped off the RR Police and returned to the yard.

Thanks for taking time out from playing great music to give us a great start to SWSAT, Patrick!

Finally got an "Orange Juice Train" reefer consist for my WbB 70-tonner in Tropicana livery:

We won't be running short of OJ this morning! These are Lionel "Standard O" cars from 1995. I've reworked the center pins and plates on the trucks as they were a bit stiff and brought the weight of each car up to the NMRA standard of 16 oz.

I even got out of my "dispatcher's chair" for a bit of trackside action:

So, enjoy a glass of OJ and SWSAT, too!

NYO&W 116 moving milk and passengers on this hot weekend.....

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

Lionel

P&LE and NY Central.  Looks like Scott Smith (He of weekend photo fun fame) monitors conditions

- walt

Greetings on this steamy SwSat!  You know it’s muggy out when the A/C is on and your windows fog up on the outside!

Third in my Western switcher series is Denver and Rio Grande Western GE 44 tonner no. 42.  No. 42 has been assigned to bring the Big Hook, companion work caboose and two side dump cars filled with ballast to a wreck site.

No. 42 is seen passing a Santa Fe EMD F3 A-B-A combo on a siding.  The lead A unit is numbered 2343, the B unit is numberless and the trailing A unit, curiously, is also numbered 2343.  This powerhouse will soon couple on to the “Chief” to complete the journey from Los Angeles to Chicago.

John

Lionel LC+ Delaware & Hudson diesel switcher hauling boxcars past the old ball park:

Arnold

Happy Switcher Saturday this wonderful Independence Day weekend! Here are a couple of shots of my RS1 and Vo-1000 working the rails -

Happy SwSat from the UP.  Carmeuse Limestone outside of Cedarville, MI has a switcher that moves the rock from the mine to the dock for loading on freighters. They are moving toward a greener footprint & going to use TugVolt autonomous cars in the near future.  
Here is the switcher tacking empties back to be loaded again.

Have a great Saturday!

Thank you Patrick for another enjoyable SWSAT, especially during a busy time. Trying out the new NE track cleaning car with the Lionel SW8 RI 818. I’m in the process of kit bashing a Labelle boxcar kit for it.

Gene

Happy SWSat!

Off to another great start. Hope you are enjoying your trip Patrick.

A couple Williams switchers featured above by Bill (nice start to your juice train), and John (assuming the Rio Grande is WbB).
I have both of their more recent offerings, a PRR 44-ton, and Rutland 70 ton. I like the scale size and fixed pilots, and both are nicely detailed for the price. The only complaint I have are the plastic hand-rails. A couple bucks more for metal would have been worth it.  I bought both from Trainworld in Lynbrook.
Anyway- my fleet is missing a command controlled 44 tonner, and the MTH models are crazy expensive, so this one will be getting upgraded to Lionchief/ Flyerchief soon.

Might do the Rutland eventually but I don't run it as often as the PRR which is usually on the layout all the time.

Anyway- enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend.

Bob

Good morning SWSAT crew.  I hope everybody had a fun and safe Independence Day!

Here is one from the archives:

This Fairbanks-Morse H12-44 is housed at the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum in Bellevue, Ohio.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tom

Wow, I simply love this topic, and  @Trumptrain thanks for starting our day with Switcher Saturday… Beautiful pictures everyone…

@leapinlarry posted:

Wow, I simply love this topic, and  @Trumptrain thanks for starting our day with Switcher Saturday… Beautiful pictures everyone…

Pure joy!

Another fine start trumpettrain PW Lionel 622 Santa Fe picking up some cattle cars.

Bob, yes, my 44 tonner is a WbB unit.  Like you, I'm a fan of WbB, but I worry Big B is in the process of divesting itself from Williams (based on today's limited product offerings).  If Big B does discontinue Williams, let's hope someone steps up to the plate and buys the Williams tooling.  We need more, not less, quality, reasonably priced trains.  A buyer like Menards comes to mind.

John

Lionel, Post war, 44-ton switcher.

Happy Switch Sat.!  Today I'm posting pics of my Railking SW 9 N.H. switcher.

Take Care, Ray.

WOW!!!  As usual you all have done it again ... You've created another fantastic Switcher Saturday with home run after home run!!!!  Bravissimo everyone!!!!  Please keep posting throughout this weekend and into the coming week!   I got into Roanoke this evening and will visit the O.W. Link Museum in the morning!  I'm looking forward t it!!

MELGAR - A truly great historic narrative of the N&W 244, the last steam loco built in America in Dec. 1953!  Also terrific accompanying photos/video too!  

Pennsyfan - I hope that steeple cab switcher has several armed guards riding shotgun!  Nice pics and video!!

Bill Swatos - got to love that Tropicana 70 tonner!!  Very nice looking engine!!

Peter - Love your milk train and those rather tall passengers are quite interesting ... lol!

Mark Spadaro -  Your Lionel GP9 looks awesome!!

Walt Rapp -  Your postwar NW2 looks great as does the miniature Scott Smith!!

Steam Crazy - That's one sharp looking Rio Grande 44 tonner you have!!

Arnold - Your D&H RS3 is absolutely beautiful!!

Strap Hanger - Nothing says first generation diesel like a VO1000 and a RS1.  Yours look terrific!!

RSJB - Very nice Pennsy 44 tonner by WbB as is your Rutland 70 tonner.   Please share videos of your upgraded 44 tonner once the conversion is completed.  

Sitka - I really dig how you're running the Santa Fe postwar 622!!  I love running my own end cab switchers backwards too!  

Tom Densel - You have a very sharp looking Fairbanks - Morse H 12 44 in Milwalkee Rd livery!!  

tnkMarx - you bring the real switcher dimension to our thread!  Lovely pics!!

Genemed - I love your Rock Island SW8 towing the track cleaning car!!  Only a switcher can handle a job such as that!

Leapin Larry - thanks for sharing photos of your switcher collection!  That is one super happy young lady running trains!!

Randy Harrison - thanks for sharing your Lionel postwar 44 tonner!!  I believe that locomotive has been in your family for quite some time if my memory serves me correctly.

Ray Kay - Your NH switcher looks really sharp!!

Here's a short switcher movies of a Western Maryland BL2 pulling a work train on the Free State Junction Railway.