IT's SWITCHER SATURDAY!!! May 18, 2024 Edition!

New Haven Railroad Alco S-2 diesel switcher #0615 is an MTH Premier model (20-20587-1, MSRP $449.95) delivered in 2016 with PS3.

Twenty-two Alco S-2s were built for the New Haven Railroad (Class DEY-5) during 1943 and 1944. They had a 1,000 horsepower, turbocharged 6-cylinder 539T engine and a tractive effort of 57,500 pounds. On the New Haven, S-2s were used for heavy switching and to replace 2-6-0, 2-8-0 and 2-8-2 steam locomotives on local freights. Many New Haven S-2s were still running when Penn Central took over in 1969 and three made it into the 1976 formation of Conrail.

Photos and videos show #0615 running on the O-36 (inner) loop of my 12’-by-8’ model railroad. I rarely run trains on this track but I always leave a New Haven train – locomotive, boxcars and caboose – parked there. This track passes through a narrow cut between two hills that I spent a lot of time constructing when I built the layout more than twenty years ago. Third video shows the train running northbound on the east side of the layout.

MELGAR

In the distance, NYO&W switcher 116 backs out of the engine house…..

Have a great and safe weekend, everyone….

Peter

A pair of New Haven Alco RS-3's head a peddler freight toward Newburgh on the New Haven section of my layout .The RS-3's are first generation Weaver models.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/igCJ9rMCuQfV2vEY7

Hello, SwSat Nation!  The topic of my last couple of posts has been “oldies, but goodies” in my collection; I have another that easily fits the theme, my Lionel no. 53 Denver & Rio Grande Vulcan model with snowplow.

This switcher was gifted to my brother for Christmas in 1957 or 58.  He wasn’t interested in trains then or now, so it has always been part of my collection.  She still runs well as you’ll see, but required replacement of the main gear (twice).  Let’s say she’s not equipped with Lionel’s most robust drivetrain!

MELGAR, I think your four car freight is the longest I’ve seen on your layout.  I know you’re concerned about running trains on your layout that are too long, but I think you could a at least a couple more cars and it would look fine.  Just one man’s opinion!

John

Hello Switcher Saturday friends.  Canadian National MTH SW9 is moving a few cars today.

Have a great Saturday!

Happy Switcher Saturday!  It’s time to clean the mainline track and there is no better way to do it than with my RS3 switcher -

Have a great weekend!

Happy SWSat!

Nothing new this week. Been running my Weaver/ Lionchief RS-3. Here's a few more shots from around the layout.

After the local was finally cleared from the main, the evening excursion train could make its run. PRR 44  tonner (WbB) is on the point. The D&H coaches are from a 4 car set by MTH.

Have a great weekend.

Bob

Railking WM 0-8-0 on NJHR

Good morning, SWSAT crew!

Penn Central GP9 7180 (Atlas O) does some industrial switching this morning:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tom

Here's me at 61 years young and a SW7 at the Illinois Railway Museum.

Mth PS2 NY Central GP7 diesel switcher hauling heavy freight:

Arnold

Happy SWSat!

Old pics from the archives showing an early RailKing 0-6-0 steam switcher W/PS2

Take Care, Ray

@Steam Crazy posted:

MELGAR, I think your four car freight is the longest I’ve seen on your layout.  I know you’re concerned about running trains on your layout that are too long, but I think you could a at least a couple more cars and it would look fine.  Just one man’s opinion!

John

John,

I've got this thing about seeing the entire train straightened out as it goes around the layout. In other words, at one point, none of the train is on a curve. On both my layouts, the longest straight is five feet, so the trains are shorter than that. You're right - they could be longer. I'm also partial to small and mid-size engines pulling short trains. On freight trains, I'm even happy with one boxcar and a caboose. Here's a photo of an entire train...

MELGAR

Not sure if this would be considered a switcher?

Well I am going to follow on to MELGAR's preference for "short trains pulled by small engines"  This is a 1950's late postwar offering by Karl Bub of Germany.  She is a clockwork 0-4-0 switcher that has been fitted (why?) optimistically with air deflector plates although its doubtful she could go fast enough for it to matter, but maybe the German State Railroad just liked the look!

Here she is with her entire little train...just one revenue car and a tender.

Happy Weekend everyone!

Don

@Brad J posted:

Not sure if this would be considered a switcher?

Brad - Sometimes locomotives that were not specifically intended by their builders to be switching locomotives were indeed given switching assignments at times.  I've read and seen in magazines where occasionally E8 road diesels were given switching assignments in their down time between commuter passenger runs.

I'm sure that given the intended use of Shay locomotives on short logging and coal railroads ( most with fragile road beds/rails )  those locomotives were the "do all do anything" motive power.   In view of this your photo certainly qualifies as a switcher.  Thanks for posting!  Nice looking engine too!

Great posts everyone!!  Keep em coming!!

A FM H - 10 - 44 makes its' way through Butler Junction.    

I’ll also follow Melgar’s “small engine(switcher) pulling a short train.

Gene

Genemed, I wish I was a passenger on that train!

John

K-line switcher working the rails

To continue the theme of "short trains pulled by small engines," here's my small 8902 ACL 2-4-0 (ca. 1986) pulling a short train of short cars:

I posted about this loco a few SWSAT's ago, but, as I mentioned then, I finally got the stock "slider" collectors swapped out for rollers so I could run her without wearing out the "sliders:"

She's running at only about 2VDC on my "old school" MRC Throttlepack (ca.1976) here. She's pulling her "Townhouse TV and Appliances" boxcar along with a few other S-scale cars capped off with her ACL 9341 caboose. I've really come to enjoy this little loco, first reissued in 1979, that was a staple of many low-cost Lionel starter sets of the day.

@Strap Hanger posted:

Happy Switcher Saturday!  It’s time to clean the mainline track and there is no better way to do it than with my RS3 switcher -

Have a great weekend!

And just a car or two! Talk about "revenue service..."

@Steam Crazy posted:

Genemed, I wish I was a passenger on that train!

John

John, it’s funny you mentioned that. On a few occasions while running trains, I’ve thought about how cool it would be to temporarily experience the peaceful and quaint scenes I modeled by being there. When I mention that to anyone they think I’m crazy 🤪!

Gene

@Bill Swatos- Bill nice job, you have that 8902 loco running like a champ, she looks good!

Don

Well I didnt realize how big steam switchers can be!

All photos are mine as I was there!

@trumpettrain, Thanks for leading our OGR Forum folks with Switcher Saturday, a fantastic topic for all. Your pictures coupled with your eye for scenery are always fun to review, as is @MELGARR’s layout and pictures, also the history of his engines, and @RSJB18 Bobs layout and pictures of small but beautiful switchers. Happy Switcher Saturday, even if I’m late, simply a fun topic. Today, these Sante Fe switchers are getting ready for duty. The GP30 Sante Fe just arrived, the SW1200 Sante Fe is a memory for me if my friend Charles Lentz, who passed away a few weeks ago. Happy Railroading Everyone

Arnold the chains of the tell tale are dragging across the top of you GP.  You may want to check the height of that tell tale.

@Don McErlean posted:

@Bill Swatos- Bill nice job, you have that 8902 loco running like a champ, she looks good!

Don

Thank you, Don! Your informative presentations of your numerous "true" toy trains has gotten me in the spirit! I'm even looking for a little Hornby windup now. I just saw one in a silent film entitled "The Kiss" from 1929 starring Greta Garbo and Lew Ayres.

@leapinlarry posted:

@trumpettrain, Thanks for leading our OGR Forum folks with Switcher Saturday, a fantastic topic for all. Your pictures coupled with your eye for scenery are always fun to review, as is @MELGARR’s layout and pictures, also the history of his engines, and @RSJB18 Bobs layout and pictures of small but beautiful switchers. Happy Switcher Saturday, even if I’m late, simply a fun topic. Today, these Sante Fe switchers are getting ready for duty. The GP30 Sante Fe just arrived, the SW1200 Sante Fe is a memory for me if my friend Charles Lentz, who passed away a few weeks ago. Happy Railroading Everyone

That's a sharp looking pair of Switchers Larry.

Bob

@Bill Swatos- Bill thank you  for your comment.  I am happy you are going to try to find a Hornby loco.  The most common post war loco's were the M0 and M1.  The M0 line was O-gauge but smaller in scale than the normal line of Hornby, much like Lionel's 0-27 line, however Hornby did produce a full line of M0 accessories etc properly scaled.  The lines of loco's offered both  tender locos and tank locos (Tank loco number 101) and although I have no actual production numbers, my experience is that the Tank loco type was more common.  All these three were available from '47 through middle 50's.  In the 1950's Hornby introduced the Number 20,30,40&50 locomotives with the higher numbers being somewhat more elaborate but all basically the same.  For example the #30 & 40 (which came as both a tank and a tender type) were equipped for reversing and automatic braking while the #20 was not. In rolling stock the #20 and #30 wagons, both freight and passenger, had tab/slot type couplers while the #40 & #50 wagons had automatic couplers (still mechanical).  Hornby trains were produced up until about 1962 when various items were dropped from production, esp engines.  All new gauge O production was done by about 1967 although existing stock was sold until exhausted.

There is also a Mecanno of France that sold items under the French Hornby name.  Many of the items were common but there were some exclusive to France.  French Hornby seemed to offer more electric engines but that may but just how it looks today.  Both companies were successful in their time.

Best Wishes hope this helps your search.

Don

@coach joe posted:

Arnold the chains of the tell tale are dragging across the top of you GP.  You may want to check the height of that tell tale.

I like the tell tale the way it is...adds dramatic effect. LOL

Don, thanks for the Hornby education.  I primarily like scale trains and realistic scenery (as I'm sure you can tell from my posts), but I gain a greater appreciation for toy trains every time I read one of your posts  Bill isn't the only person you have influenced!

John

@Steam Crazy- John, thank you for that very nice compliment.  Glad you enjoy the posts as I enjoy looking at the real artistry that you scale folks produce.

Don

Arnold, I haven't had my tell tales installed on a layout for many years.  I didn't remember if the drag the top of diesels or if maybe yours had gotten broken along the way and was shorter than original.  I guess I'll find out when I get my set back on a layout t warn that brakeman to duck.

@Don McErlean posted:

@Bill Swatos- Bill thank you  for your comment.  I am happy you are going to try to find a Hornby loco.  The most common post war loco's were the M0 and M1.  The M0 line was O-gauge but smaller in scale than the normal line of Hornby, much like Lionel's 0-27 line, however Hornby did produce a full line of M0 accessories etc properly scaled.  The lines of loco's offered both  tender locos and tank locos (Tank loco number 101) and although I have no actual production numbers, my experience is that the Tank loco type was more common.  All these three were available from '47 through middle 50's.  In the 1950's Hornby introduced the Number 20,30,40&50 locomotives with the higher numbers being somewhat more elaborate but all basically the same.  For example the #30 & 40 (which came as both a tank and a tender type) were equipped for reversing and automatic braking while the #20 was not. In rolling stock the #20 and #30 wagons, both freight and passenger, had tab/slot type couplers while the #40 & #50 wagons had automatic couplers (still mechanical).  Hornby trains were produced up until about 1962 when various items were dropped from production, esp engines.  All new gauge O production was done by about 1967 although existing stock was sold until exhausted.

There is also a Mecanno of France that sold items under the French Hornby name.  Many of the items were common but there were some exclusive to France.  French Hornby seemed to offer more electric engines but that may but just how it looks today.  Both companies were successful in their time.

Best Wishes hope this helps your search.

Don

Thank you, Don! I've saved this in a Word document for easy reference.