Some fair shots of New York Central and New Haven electrics.
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Dan, do you know what the little engine is pulling the 2 NY Central passenger cars in the YouTube video?
initially, I thought it was a 44 ton center cab switcher, but i think the little engine in the YouTube video is smaller than that.
Arnold
Nice film, but the music, not so good.
Arnold D. Cribari posted:Dan, do you know what the little engine is pulling the 2 NY Central passenger cars in the YouTube video?
initially, I thought it was a 44 ton center cab switcher, but i think the little engine in the YouTube video is smaller than that.
Arnold
Looks like an S-2.
Arnold D. Cribari posted:Dan, do you know what the little engine is pulling the 2 NY Central passenger cars in the YouTube video?
Looks like an "S Motor", i.e.an electric. Try doing a Google search for NYC electric locomotives, and you will find all sorts of information on the "S Motor", which is larger than a "44 ton center cab". Also, I'm pretty sure Lionel made models of the "S Motor" prior to WWII.
initially, I thought it was a 44 ton center cab switcher, but i think the little engine in the YouTube video is smaller than that.
Arnold
Thanks Richard and Hot Water. I did the Google search which confirmed your opinion.
At one point an S-2 is apparently pulling what appears to be the 20th Century! Those little suckers had some horsepower! 
Yup. They did. They’re going back to The Bronx for turning, cleaning, and reprovisioning.
Jon 
Tinplate Art posted:At one point an S-2 is apparently pulling what appears to be the 20th Century! Those little suckers had some horsepower!
More like tractive effort, as all it was doing was taking the train to be turned. High horsepower would be required to maintain 90 MPH.
Tinplate Art posted:At one point an S-2 is apparently pulling what appears to be the 20th Century! Those little suckers had some horsepower!
I saw the 20th Century Limited at 125th Street being pulled in to Grand Central Terminal a number of times in preparation for its outbound trip in the afternoon. It always had an S motor pulling it.
In that era, the S motors were used to pull the 20th Century and other trains both ways between Grand Central and the Mott Haven coach yard in the south Bronx where they were assembled and serviced as Jon said.
Those were the days in the late 50s and early 60s that spoiled me as far as train watching was concerned. From my usual spot on Morris Ave a few blocks south of 161st in the Bronx, there was a train of some sort (either NH or NYC) passing every minute or two, plus yard switching (also by S motors) going on in the coach yard. Seen were every type of self-powered commuter car as well as trains pulled by FL9s and the big electrics of both railroads.
A view near my favorite spot back then. It's all been replaced by housing projects now.
Deleted per Alan's request.
Jim
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Just a few short blocks from where I grew up. I spent lots of time on 161st and saw these trains frequently. Sigh . . those were the days.
Hot Water posted:Tinplate Art posted:At one point an S-2 is apparently pulling what appears to be the 20th Century! Those little suckers had some horsepower!
More like tractive effort, as all it was doing was taking the train to be turned. High horsepower would be required to maintain 90 MPH.
I don't know much about the operations and track layout of Grand Central territory. It would be interesting to learn more about how trains were moved around in the area. Also, where was the motive power switch made ?
On another note, watching the S2s and box cabs, it's easy to see the inspiration for most of Lionel;s motive power in the early part of the century.
Dan Padova posted:Hot Water posted:Tinplate Art posted:At one point an S-2 is apparently pulling what appears to be the 20th Century! Those little suckers had some horsepower!
More like tractive effort, as all it was doing was taking the train to be turned. High horsepower would be required to maintain 90 MPH.
I don't know much about the operations and track layout of Grand Central territory. It would be interesting to learn more about how trains were moved around in the area. Also, where was the motive power switch made ?
I don't know much about Grand Central either but, I do know that the New York Central changed from steam/diesel power to electric locomotives at Harmon, NY (north on the Hudson River).
On another note, watching the S2s and box cabs, it's easy to see the inspiration for most of Lionel;s motive power in the early part of the century.
Been through the Harmon changeover several times in my youth, once behind a what seemed like a gray Niagra, a very impressive steam engine! We were returning to GCT from upstate NY.
Tinplate Art posted:Been through the Harmon changeover several times in my youth, once behind a gray Niagra, a very impressive steam engine!
A "gray Niagara"????? Please elaborate on THAT.
HW: The engine front seemingly was painted gray - I distinctly remember the off center headlight as it pulled into the Poughkeepsie, NY station. I must have been 9-10 years old.
I distinctly remember the smokebox front and the smoke deflectors being gray as it slowly pulled along the platform. Not sure about the rest of the loco?
Tinplate Art posted:HW: The engine was painted gray - I distinctly remember the off center headlight as it pulled into the Poughkeepsie, NY station. I must have been 9-10 years old.
Well, I'll wait for the expert on NYC steam power, i.e. HUDSON5432, to settle this issue, but I would be willing to bet that NYC never had any "gray Niagara" steam locomotives.
Hot Water posted:Tinplate Art posted:HW: The engine was painted gray - I distinctly remember the off center headlight as it pulled into the Poughkeepsie, NY station. I must have been 9-10 years old.
Well, I'll wait for the expert on NYC steam power, i.e. HUDSON5432, to settle this issue, but I would be willing to bet that NYC never had any "gray Niagara" steam locomotives.
Did they ever have any grey conventional Hudsons? Lionel seems to think so...
Saw one of these in person last week. Absolutely gorgeous, BTW. 
Mitch
The steam engine in Mitch's above reply reminds me of a beautiful Lionel steam engine that Phil Klopp ran on his layout in June 2015. It's color was gunmetal gray, I believe it was a Hudson, and it was O Scale running in 3 rail track. The most unique thing about it, which I had never seen before, is that when Phil activated the bell, the little bell on top moved back and forth by remote control. I also believe Phil told me it cost about $1,500.
I bet some of you either have, or are familiar with, the above Lionel steam engine.
M. Mitchell Marmel posted:Hot Water posted:Tinplate Art posted:HW: The engine was painted gray - I distinctly remember the off center headlight as it pulled into the Poughkeepsie, NY station. I must have been 9-10 years old.
Well, I'll wait for the expert on NYC steam power, i.e. HUDSON5432, to settle this issue, but I would be willing to bet that NYC never had any "gray Niagara" steam locomotives.
Did they ever have any grey conventional Hudsons? Lionel seems to think so...
Saw one of these in person last week. Absolutely gorgeous, BTW.
Mitch
Nope. Lionel seems to think that a LOT of fantasy schemes existed, such as Daylight painted SP cab forwards and AC-9s!
My memory from 65 years ago may be a little fuzzy, but I do remember the front of the engine being gray (and not what I now know to be graphite) and the smoke deflectors were the same color. I do not remember the color of the rest of the engine. I hope the resident NYC expert (HUDSON5432) will chime in!
Hello Arnold... you saw a grey Vision Line Hudson... $1500 was the going price
john in western pa posted:Hello Arnold... you saw a grey Vision Line Hudson... $1500 was the going price
Thanks John. It's a terrific engine.
