Switcher Saturday 01-07-23

LC+ Erie Camelback, a beautifully detailed steam switcher, hauling Atlas and other scale cars:

Arnold

Happy Switcher Saturday!  Here is the best switcher value in Ogauge - the MTH RS1 -

Good morning, SwSat faithful!  Your Yardmaster hasn’t done any train watching on the New Haven recently, so he headed to that road’s Providence & Worcester branch.

He was rewarded with an unusual sighting, at least for NE.  New Haven 0-6-0 no. 2334 was seen hauling a train of empty ore hoppers, cars that are usually found on the Iron Range.  Why are they in NE?

The train is headed to Provincetown, Cape Cod to pick up sand!  Some of the sand will be delivered to rebuild beaches that have been eroded by our region’s famous Nor’easters and some will be used for industrial purposes.  Some folks, like your Yardmaster, use it as a scenery material on their layouts!

John

Happy New Year to all on this first Switcher Saturday of 2023.

Lionel produced its #1615 die-cast 0-4-0 switcher with a slope-back tender between 1955 and 1957. I own two such locomotives. I purchased them because they are genuine Lionel engines “Made in U.S. of America” when Lionel Trains was still owned by its founder, Joshua Lionel Cowen. They are my only postwar Lionel engines. The first one I bought (1615A) was represented by the seller as having been run very little and he told me not to run it to preserve its value. The second (1615B) had been run and has had some minor paint touch-up. I regard both of these engines primarily as display pieces.

My collection consists entirely of modern scale-sized O gauge trains purchased since I returned to the hobby in 1997, so I don’t often run the 1615s. But I recently gave both engines their annual run for my first SWSAT post of 2023. 1615A ran better than 1615B and maintained its speed reasonably well on the O-72 curves of my 12’-by-8’ layout. 1615B slowed more on the curves. Surprisingly, 1615A drew more current (2.5 amps) than 1615B (1.8 amps), both at about 11 volts. These runs made me realize how smoothly and well my modern O gauge trains run – even including my oldest MTH PS1 locomotives that don’t have automatic speed control.

Both of my 1615 locomotives were run with Pennsylvania N5C porthole caboose #6437, a model produced by Lionel from 1961 to 1968 and given to me by forum member Apples55. Thanks Paul.

MELGAR

Happy Switcher Saturday.

@Strap Hanger posted:

Happy Switcher Saturday!  Here is the best switcher value in Ogauge - the MTH RS1 -

Looks like a whole lot of activity this morning with the lights and train movements.

Great video .

A GOOD SWITCHER SATURDAY TO YOU ALL.

After 20-20002-1 had the Christmas paper removed and headlights swapped out for LEDs it was put to work getting the coal hoppers off to the inner mainline loop.

I guess if you are having FUN these Saturdays are going to continue to FLY BY .   Stay healthy and God bless all. 

LC+ D&H diesel switcher hauling freight and MTH PS3 NY Central diesel switcher hauling heavyweight passenger cars:

Arnold

Happy SWSat!

Off to another great start today. I moved some trains around the layout the other day. My PRR 44 tonner (WbB), was assigned to spot a car at the warehouse.

Meanwhile, PRR 8977 B6 (Lionel PWC) stopped at the tower awaiting orders from the dispatcher.

Have a great weekend!

Bob

Good morning SWSAT crew!

Close-up of a tank car being retrieved from an agri-business:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tom

Melgear! I knew I was missing my favorite caboose! Thanks for reminding me...... next on my list "Go Find IT",

Always fun photos, thanks for posting YOUR Pennsy Porthole6437

MTH Premier PS3 New York Ontario & Western 44 ton center cab diesel appears on the photo below.

The Put, which is a railroad that interests me, had a Wellesville Addison & Galeton centercab diesel with a similar looking livery.

The Achison Addison & Galeton, which I would have preferred, is a light orange (covering most of the sides of the engine) instead of yellow, and off-white (covering the top, front and back of the engine) instead of light gray.

Was doing some switching yesterday with my MTH A5, so I thought I would try a video.  Still need to practice more, plus get a smoother moving tripod.

@CAPPilot posted:

Was doing some switching yesterday with my MTH A5, so I thought I would try a video.  Still need to practice more, plus get a smoother moving tripod.

I don't know Ron , the tripod movement seems to be working pretty darn well in this video .    Looks good .

From what I’ve read and heard these gensets weren’t to big of a hit with the major freight railroads. As far as the reliability and power. But this Lionel built one sure gets the job done. Delivering cars from one side of the  living room to the other. Have a great weekend everyone!

PW Lionel and MPC Switchers on the run

PW Lionel and MPC switchers on the run

Looking great today crew!

With the tree down but an important regular season game tomorrow,  the Steelers RS-3 has been dispatched to mantle for now.

Well Melgar and Sitka have brought out their Lionel 1615's today, so how can I not continue that action for my contribution today.

Well here is my 1615 working hard moving some box cars into the yard. She has in the last 75 years or so lost a marker light, but she still runs well and works hard on the Leonardtown and Savannah.

Here she is with her somewhat older sister, Lionel 2295T working the Yard entrance from the main.  (note 2295T is a much newer acquisition but an older prototype).

Here are the girls "lookin at ya!"

OK, if we go back a few decades, here is the Lionel 152 getting ready for a caboose hop.  Both loco and caboose are  from the 1920's - yes I know they look it!  I don't restore, I like my trains as I found them and showing the love / wear of some young person nearly a century ago.

@Don McErlean posted:

OK, if we go back a few decades, here is the Lionel 152 getting ready for a caboose hop.  Both loco and caboose are  from the 1920's - yes I know they look it!  I don't restore, I like my trains as I found them and showing the love / wear of some young person nearly a century ago.

Old trains are not my interest to have, but seeing photos like this of original tinplate is great.  I think not restoring the trains is the perfect way to save them.  Mint looking trains from a 100 years ago just doesn't seem right.

LC+2.0 B.E.D.T (Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal) steam switcher pulling a very special cargo:

LOL, Arnold

Wow, so many great pictures today, great videos, old, new, it’s all here. Happy Railroading Everyone

@CAPPilot-Thanks for your comment

Best Wishes

Don

Picked up a pair of Railking switchers recently. Coming from 30 years in HO and N scale, I've still got so much to learn about O- until very recently, I though the entire Railking line was semi-scale and had fairly crude detail. Then I came across their RS1 and It looked pretty good! So I bought one and was so impressed I then got an SW1. Both with Protosound 3, good runners, pretty decent detail, and they're full scale. Good deal!

@Rob W. posted:

Picked up a pair of Railking switchers recently. Coming from 30 years in HO and N scale, I've still got so much to learn about O- until very recently, I though the entire Railking line was semi-scale and had fairly crude detail. Then I came across their RS1 and It looked pretty good! So I bought one and was so impressed I then got an SW1. Both with Protosound 3, good runners, pretty decent detail, and they're full scale. Good deal!

Great picks !

@leapinlarry posted:

Wow, so many great pictures today, great videos, old, new, it’s all here. Happy Railroading Everyone

Some folks takin' the '57 Bel Air out for a nice train spotting excursion!

@jhz563 posted:

Looking great today crew!

With the tree down but an important regular season game tomorrow,  the Steelers RS-3 has been dispatched to mantle for now.

Neat! A Terrible Towel would make a perfect backdrop for them!

@Sitka posted:

PW Lionel and MPC switchers on the run

Is that your mom's tribute switcher, Mark?

@Strap Hanger posted:

Happy Switcher Saturday!  Here is the best switcher value in Ogauge - the MTH RS1 -

Great loco on a great multi-level layout! I LOVE your Miller signage. I've got a bunch of them but only display the signs as I don't have any buildings on my layout yet to display them on. I'm having too much fun running trains now that I'm off the coffee table!

Let's not forget all of the "4" legged switchers that worked mines and industry before we had electric or steam switchers.

Harold

Summit hill mines

Williamstown

@Bill Swatos posted:

Is that your mom's tribute switcher, Mark?

Yes, that's number 1931 MPC with added features and weathered, Somehow the posting got added twice first time didn't load God Speed Bill

@Rob W. posted:

Picked up a pair of Railking switchers recently. Coming from 30 years in HO and N scale, I've still got so much to learn about O- until very recently, I though the entire Railking line was semi-scale and had fairly crude detail. Then I came across their RS1 and It looked pretty good! So I bought one and was so impressed I then got an SW1. Both with Protosound 3, good runners, pretty decent detail, and they're full scale. Good deal!

I have both as well.

LIRR is PS3 and the Reading is PS2 (3v).

Here are a couple of photos of Mr. Muffin's custom run of the Milwaukee Road SW-1 in the as-delivered scheme, about 1939.

Jim

Good Sunday morning fellow switcher fans!   I'm late to the party this weekend due to being on the road.  Here are a few pics of a C&O  0-8-0.  This is a Lionel model with TMCC which I bought in the mid 2000s.  It's a great puller and is one of 3 steam switchers in my fleet.  

Brakeman Travis Evans stands on the front step at the tender is topped off with water.

Gatemen Ned Larson and Lex Morden protect the grade crossing.

A view through the windshield of a 1953 Chevy pickup.

@HSD68 posted:

Let's not forget all of the "4" legged switchers that worked mines and industry before we had electric or steam switchers.

Harold

Summit hill mines

Williamstown

got to love those 1 authentic one horse power switchers!!

@Jim Brenner posted:

Here are a couple of photos of Mr. Muffin's custom run of the Milwaukee Road SW-1 in the as-delivered scheme, about 1939.

Jim

The SW-1 looks really good Jim.

I especially like the lighting in your good looking layout .     The indirect warm lighting gives a feeling of an overcast day early in the morning or late in the  afternoon .   NICE.

Another view of the New Haven sand train.

John

I usually post in the Scenic Sunday area, but over winter break finally got enough layout together to get trains on track.

Here, my postwar switcher is picking up reefers on Atlantic Avenue...