It's SWITCHER SATURDAY !!! ... March 2, 2024 Edition

Good morning Patrick and Happy Switcher Saturday. It looks like you posted SWSAT only 3 minutes ago (at 12:44 AM). I was able to play your video but on my computer, all the pictures are blank and the words "image not found" are where the pictures should be.

In 1937, railroad labor unions negotiated the “90,000 Pound Rule” that required locomotives weighing more than 45 tons to have a two-man crew – engineer and fireman. To skirt the rule and avoid having to pay firemen, General Electric introduced its 44-ton diesel switcher locomotive in 1940, which could be operated legally by just an engineer.

GE produced 386 44-ton diesel switcher locomotives between 1940 and 1956. They were used on at least 26 Class 1 railroads and by many industrial operators. Most were powered by two Caterpillar D17000 V8 diesel engines, each developing 180 horsepower, with an electric traction motor on each axle of the two-axle trucks.

The MTH Premier scale model of the GE 44-ton diesel switcher (item 20-20470) was delivered in October 2016 at a list price of $449.95. As a fan of the New Haven Railroad, I purchased two examples with road numbers 0807 and 0815. With dual motors, these small die-cast models are heavy, excellent runners, and have loud and realistic engine sounds. They are a perfect size for my 10’-by-5’ model railroad. Videos show them running double-headed at 21 scale miles-per-hour under conventional control, trailed by New Haven NE-6 caboose C-681 built in 1950 (model by Atlas O 6671, April 2003, MSRP $69.95).

GE 44-ton 0807 and 0815 were delivered to the New Haven Railroad in 1945 and geared for a maximum speed of thirty-five miles-per-hour. Both were off the New Haven roster by 1961.

MELGAR

Good morning fellow switcher lovers.

Patrick, I had the same experience with your photos that Melgar had, with Image Not Found showing  in lieu of the photos, but the video you posted was OK.

Melgar, those MTH Premier PS3 New Haven 44 ton center cab diesel switchers are gorgeous.

Below is a video of my MTH PS3 Railking NY Central RS3 diesel switcher, purchased from Forum Sponsor JR Junction Hobbies, hauling 4 Lionel NY Central passenger cars through My Little Town:

Arnold

Good morning everyone!   Thank you so  much Arnold and Mel for letting me know about my photos not showing.  AND great posts by the both of you too!!!

As I'm now about to leave for Baltimore for teaching, I will do a quick edit and fix the rest upon my return around noon ... ish.  Frustrating!  I spent several hours preparing this weeks SWSAT ... However in the larger scope of life things could be worse.  When I posted early this morning everything looked fine with all text and photos showing on my computer.  Anyway ... Here's a couple photos of number 70 lending a helping hand ( coupler ) to Ma & Pa doodlebug 62.  I'll circle back around noonish.

One from the archives.  2016, on the old garage layout in NJ.  

Good morning folks, looking Good so far!

Here's a Southern RS3 as a late lionel mpc Era offering.

Have a great day!

Happy SWSAT,

I thought I would join in this morning.  Early postings for sure.

Lionel GP7 Baltimore and Ohio is a LionChief Plus 2.0 locomotive.  It has somewhat of a postwar look and I am running it with postwar cars today.  The photos are of the annex that I finished last year, however, the cabinet underneath is a recent addition.

John

A tail of 2 Canadian Alco S2 switchers.  

CN 8112 is moving a 40’ car with CN 79575 caboose at the end(all MTH).

Little brother CN 8017 is moving a 40’ car with CN 79713 caboose at the end(Atlas/Kato & Athearn).

Have a great Switcher Saturday!

Good Morning SWSAT people. Thanks Patrick getting us kicked off. Sorry it’s reruns again no train time this week and I’m getting ready to go off to work. Enjoy your weekend.

Good morning, SwSat nation!  It’s a particularly good SwSat for me, because I have a new switcher to show you!

Bangor & Aroostook EMD BL2 no. 51 is a Williams model I purchased from my favorite dealer and friend, Peter.  While new, it’s an older model he had in stock, so it lacks the prime mover sounds of newer Williams offerings.  This doesn’t bother me, because, at times, I just like to hear the sounds of wheels on rail.  I also find if I run another engine with sound, I don’t notice one lacks sound.

EMD built just 59 BL2s before it was replaced by the more practical (for switching, due to better visibility) GP7.  Thanks to our friend from Finland, Johan, I learned BAR owned eight,  second only to C&O (fourteen).  Johan has a goal of collecting all eight BAR BL2s.  Wouldn’t you love to see a picture of all eight parked in his yard?

Next up is finding a BAR caboose to go with the engine.  They are rare birds, so I may have to have a caboose custom painted.  In the meantime, the crew will be housed in Canadian Pacific caboose no.438707.  The CP colors - red body with yellow ends - is the same as many BAR cabooses, so the BAR crew will feel right at home.

John

Lionel Legacy RS-27.

Gene

I guess this New York Central electric fits the bill as a switcher....here she is moving some passenger cars around....

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

@Steam Crazy posted:

Good morning, SwSat nation!  It’s a particularly good SwSat for me, because I have a new switcher to show you!

Bangor & Aroostook EMD BL2 no. 51 is a Williams model I purchased from my favorite dealer and friend, Peter.  While new, it’s an older model he had in stock, so it lacks the prime mover sounds of newer Williams offerings.  This doesn’t bother me, because, at times, I just like to hear the sounds of wheels on rail.  I also find if I run another engine with sound, I don’t notice one lacks sound.

EMD built just 59 BL2s before it was replaced by the more practical (for switching, due to better visibility) GP7.  Thanks to our friend from Finland, Johan, I learned BAR owned eight,  second only to C&O (fourteen).  Johan has a goal of collecting all eight BAR BL2s.  Wouldn’t you love to see a picture of all eight parked in his yard?

Next up is finding a BAR caboose to go with the engine.  They are rare birds, so I may have to have a caboose custom painted.  In the meantime, the crew will be housed in Canadian Pacific caboose no.438707.  The CP colors - red body with yellow ends - is the same as many BAR cabooses, so the BAR crew will feel right at home.

John

Nice looking engine John. It has a unique shape that’s eye catching. I like how you had 562 idling in the background.

Gene

Morning Switcher Saturday fans,, Great start again trunptrain great looking trains all.  Lionel New Yorker Freight Set from 1994  #6-11744.

@Steam Crazy posted:

Good morning, SwSat nation!  It’s a particularly good SwSat for me, because I have a new switcher to show you!

Bangor & Aroostook EMD BL2 no. 51 is a Williams model I purchased from my favorite dealer and friend, Peter.  While new, it’s an older model he had in stock, so it lacks the prime mover sounds of newer Williams offerings.  This doesn’t bother me, because, at times, I just like to hear the sounds of wheels on rail.  I also find if I run another engine with sound, I don’t notice one lacks sound.

EMD built just 59 BL2s before it was replaced by the more practical (for switching, due to better visibility) GP7.  Thanks to our friend from Finland, Johan, I learned BAR owned eight,  second only to C&O (fourteen).  Johan has a goal of collecting all eight BAR BL2s.  Wouldn’t you love to see a picture of all eight parked in his yard?

Next up is finding a BAR caboose to go with the engine.  They are rare birds, so I may have to have a caboose custom painted.  In the meantime, the crew will be housed in Canadian Pacific caboose no.438707.  The CP colors - red body with yellow ends - is the same as many BAR cabooses, so the BAR crew will feel right at home.

John

John,

Congratulations on a wise choice. I'm really happy to see the Bangor & Aroostook BL-2 locomotive on your layout. 👏

It's very hard to find BL-2 locomotives for O scale and if I'm missing six of them, it could take years. But I'm not in a hurry about it, because my module layout won't be ready for years either.

Johan.

Good Morning. Motivated by John's great photos and video of the Bangor & Aroostook BL-2, I also want to post a few photos of the Maine railroad companies that are important to me.

With a nod to Mark above, here’s my Lionel NYC Passenger/Freight set, headed up by a Railking RS3. The RS3 is, by far, MTH’s worst smoking engine. Instead of diesel exhaust, reminds me of a log cabin chimney.

Good morning SWSAT crew!

An Army surplus switcher is now employed at the local grain elevator:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tom

Happy SWSat!

Off to a great start as always gents!

@Steam Crazy- Congrats on the BL-2 John. I'm a big fan as well. I have 3 B&O, WM, and Demo, but I don't have the BAR models...yet!

I'm also sharing a 44 tonner today. The Pennsylvania Railroad owned 46 of these engines, classified as GS4 or GS4M, #'s 9312-9357. Mine is a WbB model with Tue-blast sounds. The bodies are well done including fixed pilots,  and are comparable to the MTH model Mel shared. The sound set couldn't carry water for Proto-sound. Still, at $169.00 (Trainworld), these engines are a great value for a reliable conventional diesel.

The crew on #9331 is on commuter duty this week running a local shuttle. Here they are at the station connecting up to a RPO car and loading up for the days run.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'm debating whether or not to start on some track work on the layout.......

Bob

LEHIGH & NEW ENGLAND switches the massive Alpha Cement mill in Martin's Creek, PA. on my layout.

Walter

@Walter Matuch posted:

LEHIGH & NEW ENGLAND switches the massive Alpha Cement mill in Martin's Creek, PA. on my layout.

Walter

I'll send in the reinforcements Walter!

Bob

Marx 1998 Santa Fe Alco S-3 switcher from 1962 (in black) available from 1955 in other colors.

Low angle shot of her moving a small consist away from the main depot.

A more clear shot of a caboose run through the suburban station.

Best wishes

Don

Currently on the layout is a lash-up of RF&P GP and SW1200 #81.  RF&P ordered 3 of these switchers that were geared to be able to used as mainline power and 81 was one of them.  It was primarily used as a switcher in the ACCA yard in Richmond, but was occasionally pressed into service as a supplemental power on the run to DC.

All of the MTH units in the consist play well together.  Nice change of pace from prior lash-up attempts.

  A K-line S-2 Santa Fe 2313 is moving cement hopper to the maintenance area, to replace a broken knuckle.

@jstraw124 posted:

Currently on the layout is a lash-up of RF&P GP and SW1200 #81.  RF&P ordered 3 of these switchers that were geared to be able to used as mainline power and 81 was one of them.  It was primarily used as a switcher in the ACCA yard in Richmond, but was occasionally pressed into service as a supplemental power on the run to DC.

All of the MTH units in the consist play well together.  Nice change of pace from prior lash-up attempts.

Great looking train.

CSX just released a RF&P Heritage unit.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Great looking train.

CSX just released a RF&P Heritage unit.

Bob

Thank you for the link Bob.  I really like the selection of the logo they used instead of the block letters option.  I preordered the Chessie Heritage unit out of the recent Lionel catalog.  That would be a great addition if Lionel makes it in the future.

@Steam Crazy posted:

Bangor & Aroostook EMD BL2 no. 51 is a Williams model I purchased from my favorite dealer and friend, Peter.  While new, it’s an older model he had in stock, so it lacks the prime mover sounds of newer Williams offerings.  This doesn’t bother me, because, at times, I just like to hear the sounds of wheels on rail.  I also find if I run another engine with sound, I don’t notice one lacks sound.

Always liked this engine.  Maybe I’ll look for one someday.  And I more or less agree about the sound thing.

Working on the Pier 18 Jersey City coal yard. When finished with 14 yard tracks will handle about 150 coal cars with 2 Lionel 97 dumpers. Original Lionel #611 bodyshell on a LionChief chassis. Entire yard is RMT super snap + 0-31/0-72 RMT switches and lighted RMT bumpers. All trackage later re-laid onto homasote instead of styrofoam panels.

RMT S-4 switcher trying out future passenger station trackage.

Walter

@jstraw124 posted:

Currently on the layout is a lash-up of RF&P GP and SW1200 #81.  RF&P ordered 3 of these switchers that were geared to be able to used as mainline power and 81 was one of them.  It was primarily used as a switcher in the ACCA yard in Richmond, but was occasionally pressed into service as a supplemental power on the run to DC.

All of the MTH units in the consist play well together.  Nice change of pace from prior lash-up attempts.

Gotta love the Juice Train!

Peter

Hello SWSat members.  A little late today.  Found these old photos laying around so I thought I post them.  I think they are from around 1949 when a local photographer got some photographs of Pennsy’s new GS4 shifters.  This GS4 would be less than a year old and probably still a novelty to the locals.  Before then, they saw A5 and occasional B6 engines.

The GS4 is a Williams by Bachmann 44 tonner.  GS4 stands for GE Switcher 400 hp.  The B28 is AtlasO.

Happy Switch Sat.!

Today I'm showing my Railking PRR B-6, 0-6-0 (30-1170-1) w/PS 2.

Take Care,

Ray

https://ogrforum.com/...6#183734183365588016

Very pretty layout. Love your cabinetry work

@Brad J - Hey, I have the same Kline S-2 and I love it!!  Twin motors, pulls like mad.  Hope you like yours

Don

@RayKay posted:

Happy Switch Sat.!

Today I'm showing my Railking PRR B-6, 0-6-0 (30-1170-1) w/PS 2.

Take Care,

Ray

Hi Ray is that B&O time saver car a 6464 Lionel type thanks

Happy SWSAT!

Lionel Legacy EMD Demonstrator SW8 #801 awaits train 63 on the main.

The crew of train 63 separates their train and moves ahead. The dispatcher aligns the interlocking and #801 proceeds to move the 4 piggy backs onto the main, then clears the interlocking. The dispatcher realigns the interlocking for the main and train 63 reassembles their train  

https://youtu.be/6pgv4rMfyMY?si=exwehvUxrIS-wORS

@lee drennen posted:

Hi Ray is that B&O time saver car a 6464 Lionel type thanks

@lee drennen Its a Railking 30-7445!

A Beautiful car, Ray

@trumpettrain posted:

…At any rate I decided to share in this post what I had prepared for my SWSAT staring post for today…

Nope! Whatever you’re doing isn’t working.
POSTING PICTURES FROM YOUR COMPUTER

@trumpettrain- 0 for 2 Patrick.........

FWIW I had to re-post a photo today on another thread. Might be a system problem.

Bob

Here's a test post with 2 photos.  Hmmm - frustrating.  Thanks Bob and  Training Wheels.  I'm doing just as Rich Melvin posted in POSTING PICTURES FROM YOU COMPUTER,  which is the way I've done it for years.  Posting here is not my first rodeo ... LOL!    Please let me know if you can see the two photos in this post.  Many thanks!  

@trumpettrain posted:

Here's a test post with 2 photos.  Hmmm - frustrating.  Thanks Bob and  Training Wheels.  I'm doing just as Rich Melvin posted in POSTING PICTURES FROM YOU COMPUTER,  which is the way I've done  it for years.  Posting here is not my first rodeo ... LOL!    Please let me know if you can see the two photos in this post.  Many thanks!

Third time’s a charm