Switcher Saturday 02-18-'23

Good morning fellow switcher fans!  Thanks JHZ 563 for getting notching out the throttle and getting us rolling this morning!  I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone posts today!  Have a most wonderful weekend everyone!!

The company photographer was busy yesterday capturing switcher action, in particular a Pennsy 44 tonner, a Washington Terminal RS1 on the Patsburg Division , and a B&O Dockside on the Mountain Division.  The RS1 is an Atlas O model with TMCC, the 44 tonner is a Williams by Bachman model, and the Docksider is by MTH ... all of which are very reliable locomotives here on the FSJR.   I used to see the real Washington Terminal number 63 at the Ivy City Engine Terminal in Washington DC quite often as I travelled in and out of DC several times weekly.  The Washington Terminal Co. who serviced Washington's Union Station for many years, even into the AMTRAK era, rostered about 25 ALCO RS1's over the years.  

Pennsy 44 tonner pulls a Pennsy tank car as the WTC RS1 rolls forward with a freight train.

That's brakeman Spence Simmons riding the deck of the RS1.

Brakeman Simmons is about to enter the cab as the WTC RS1 pulls a freight through Patsburg.

A Pennsy 44 tonner earns its' keep.  

Mean while up on the Mountain Division young Rusty Richardson and Peppy Brawnley  are just about to the top of the steep trail that leads to the rails of the Mountain Division.  They are thrilled to catch a glimpse of a B&O Docksider hard at work!

Happy Switcher Sat!  Here’s my little B6 on passenger duty smoking up the room -

Yay SWSat is on! Thanks @jhz563. It is always good to see time lords getting around and keeping us safe. Patrick @trumpettrain nice to see you are up early this weekend. @Strap Hanger I always like those near scale B6s and that one sure put out some smoke.

This week I’m posting some shots of switchers at the New York Society of Model Engineers layout. We are an 2 rail O scale layout and have just begun steps towards DCC operations now with new Blunami control via Bluetooth. The first club engine to get dragged into the 21st century was a huge Santa Fe 4-10-2 decidedly not a switcher so I’m just showing some of those.

This is an Ikein IR/Alco boxcab. It is a heavy early bronze cast beast.An Atlas Lehigh Valley Pup with a short train.

Last up another Atlas SW in EL paint about to join up with some hoppers in the Yard near Hoboken NJ.

Thanks for letting me add some 2 rail O scale in here on occasion. Have a great weekend! I can’t wait to see what you guys post.

Boston & Maine GE 44-Ton #117 with PS3 (20-20717-1) was shown in the MTH Premier 2017 Volume 1 Catalog at an MSRP of $449.95 and delivered in July 2017.

B&M #117 was built in August 1942 at Erie, PA. It was powered by two Caterpillar V-8 diesel engines each with 180 horsepower. With a maximum operating weight of 44 tons, Federal regulations did not require it to have a fireman on board. Its maximum allowable speed was 35 MPH.

The locomotive is running at 12 scale miles-per-hour in the video.

MELGAR

Good morning Switcher Saturday friends!  

Today, 0-4-0 PRR 8310 is moving an empty hopper back to to mainline to be picked up.  Shortly after, 0-6-0 PRR 8977 moves a couple loaded hoppers in for delivery.

Have a great day!

Good morning SwSat fans from Augusta, ME!  It’s 14 degrees outside, but sunny, so your Yardmaster is still ready for a train show this morning and a ride on the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington RR this afternoon.

It seems appropriate to feature the MEC in today’s post.  MEC GP7 no, 562 is seen hauling a freight while a B&M freight passes on the opposite track.  The presence of equipment from the two roads suggest the location is near the B&M/MEC interchange in Portland, ME.

John

Happy SWSat!

Great pix and posts so far this morning. Our local railfan was able to spend some time down by the tracks this week and caught some great switcher action.
NYC 8010 was on duty this week handling some inbound and outbound freight. 8010 is a Lionel TMCC model of an ALCO RS-11 in NYC Lightning stripes. I have 3 of these models (New Haven, and Delaware and Hudson), they are very well done with nice detailing. All 3 have fan-driven smoke but I don't run them.

The ALCO RS-11 is a class of diesel-electric locomotive rated at 1,800 hp (1.34 MW), that rode on two-axle trucks, having a B-B wheel arrangement. This model was built by both Alco (327 units) and Montreal Locomotive Works (99 units). Total production was 426 units. First produced as a demonstrator set in 1956, built to complete with EMD's GP9, the RS11 was available in high and low hood versions. While the RS-11 benefited from the increased power and reliability offered with ALCO's new 251B engine, and was arguably a more advanced product than the GP9, its market acceptance was disappointing against the reputation EMD's locomotives had made for superior reliability.
The New York Central owned 9 RS11's # 8000-8009 (So why does Lionel number this one 8010?)

(apologies for the blurry video, still trying to figure out the camera on my new phone)

Have a great weekend.

Bob

@Steam Crazy posted:

Good morning SwSat fans from Augusta, ME!  It’s 14 degrees outside, but sunny, so your Yardmaster is still ready for a train show this morning and a ride on the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington RR this afternoon.

It seems appropriate to feature the MEC in today’s post.  MEC GP7 no, 562 is seen hauling a freight while a B&M freight passes on the opposite track.  The presence of equipment from the two roads suggest the location is near the B&M/MEC interchange in Portland, ME.

John

John,

I fell in love with the Augusta and Wiscasset railroad scenery last summer, it's a shame I didn't get to photograph even one train on the shores of Wiscasset, well that's already a reason to go back some day. Now, if I were to start building a new layout, I would make a section of these places, not forgetting the scenery of Bangor & Aroostook and Boston & Maine.

Johan

@RSJB18 posted:

The New York Central owned 9 RS11's # 8000-8009 (So why does Lionel number this one 8010?)

Have a great weekend.

Bob

Bob,

Other manufacturers do this too. I've also seen it on a Bachmann On30 caboose. In this case, I can understand it if they've previously issued ten models with road numbers #8000 to #8009, but otherwise, why do it? Nice RS-11...

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

Bob,

Other manufacturers do this too. I've also seen it on a Bachmann On30 caboose. In this case, I can understand it if they've previously issued ten models with road numbers #8000 to #8009, but otherwise, why do it? Nice RS-11...

MELGAR

My only guess is copyright permissions....... just a guess......

Thanks

Happy Switcher Saturday. Boston & Maine ALCO S2 #1264 working around on my layout.

You’ve seen this picture before, but, I love stories, such as Mel, Pat, and now RSJB18, are adding. Mine is not as interesting, but, I find it mildly amusing.

1201 is my wife’s birthday, and, as many times as I’ve been less than subtlety directing her attention to this loco, she still hasn’t recognized her birthdate, unless she is playing me. I rotate engines in a Lionel plexiglass and wood case in the dining room, monthly, and, every other month, I put this custom painted (thanks again, Ron045) Conrail 44 tonner on display. She finally asked me why I keep bringing this one up to display, and I told her it reminds me of something I don’t want to forget. Nothing, no further questions, deadpan.

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

You’ve seen this picture before, but, I love stories, such as Mel, Pat, and now RSJB18, are adding. Mine is not as interesting, but, I find it mildly amusing.

1201 is my wife’s birthday, and, as many times as I’ve been less than subtlety directing her attention to this loco, she still hasn’t recognized her birthdate, unless she is playing me. I rotate engines in a Lionel plexiglass and wood case in the dining room, monthly, and, every other month, I put this custom painted (thanks again, Ron045) Conrail 44 tonner on display. She finally asked me why I keep bringing this one up to display, and I told her it reminds me of something I don’t want to forget. Nothing, no further questions, deadpan.

Excellent!!!!

Let us know if she figures it out.

Always moving coal on the (On30) Utacolzona Railroad.

Traffic moves through the yard while coal is loaded into a waiting Standard Gauge car.

It's great to see a busy day on the Utacolzona R.R.

Thanks for looking.        Dennis

Utacolzona Railroad in On30 (built 2020 - 2022) Last Update 2/18/23

Good morning SWSAT crew!

Its a busy day at the yard.  Penn Central SW8 8623 (Lionel) shoves a train past a couple of freight cars:

Have a great weekend everyone!

Tom

Jhz, thanks for getting us started once again.  I love how you change the lead-in every week.  Keep up the good work.

Mel, sharp little 44 tonner.  I remember before MTH produced it A forum member, Chris Lonero I believe, turned a Williams PRR version into a B&M one in that scheme.

Bob way in the back of what's left of my mind, behind the dust and cobwebs I seem to remember the Lionel catalog saying something about an order of locos that the Central never accepted from the mfr.  I think it was in reference to the RS11.  That could explain the number.

Johan, wonderful artistry as usual from your modelling and photography.

A quick google search shows articles that say the Central refused an order of six RS-11s that sat at AlCo for a year before the D&H took them.  I don't know how true the following is,

"Alco had built five RS-11s for New York Central, without any actual order from the the NYC, and even painted them in NYC lightning stripes, and then the NYC refused delivery of them. Between the NYC's poor financial condition and likely the issues with the earlier 244-powered machines, the NYC wanted nothing to do with them. They sat at Selkirk Yard, and then the D&H was in the market for more power and Alco put them in contact with the NYC. D&H cut a deal for the them, and was so impressed with the NYC livery that they decided to change theirs (at the time a simple black with yellow chevrons) to the new lightning stripe look."

Classic Motorsports, Grassroots Railroad Sports, p263, NickD

@coach joe posted:

A quick google search shows articles that say the Central refused an order of six RS-11s that sat at AlCo for a year before the D&H took them.  I don't know how true the following is,

"Alco had built five RS-11s for New York Central, without any actual order from the the NYC, and even painted them in NYC lightning stripes, and then the NYC refused delivery of them. Between the NYC's poor financial condition and likely the issues with the earlier 244-powered machines, the NYC wanted nothing to do with them. They sat at Selkirk Yard, and then the D&H was in the market for more power and Alco put them in contact with the NYC. D&H cut a deal for the them, and was so impressed with the NYC livery that they decided to change theirs (at the time a simple black with yellow chevrons) to the new lightning stripe look."

Classic Motorsports, Grassroots Railroad Sports, p263, NickD

So by that logic, my NYC RS11 and D&H RS11 could be the same engine........

Bob

UPS just delivered my MTH MP15DC switcher from Berwyn’s Trains about an hour ago, so I immediately put it into service to switch some refrigerator cars. This is a real nice engine. I already had 5 of these in different road names so this is number 6 with one more coming next week.😊

Bob, indeed it could.  Some research may answer that question but if they are the same engine then you can't have them both on the layout at the same time.

@coach joe posted:

Bob, indeed it could.  Some research may answer that question but if they are the same engine then you can't have them both on the layout at the same time.

I'm trying to wrap my head around the time space continuum.

I think its a "Don't cross the streams" moment.......

Really like the RK C&O RS1. IIRC, this was a custom run for Dixie Union Station.

Have a Great Switcher Saturday, PW Lionel GE 44 Tonner from 56,57 Lehigh Valley 627 Picking up empty hoppers.

@coach joe posted:

Jhz, thanks for getting us started once again.  I love how you change the lead-in every week.  Keep up the good work.

Mel, sharp little 44 tonner.  I remember before MTH produced it A forum member, Chris Lonero I believe, turned a Williams PRR version into a B&M one in that scheme.

Bob way in the back of what's left of my mind, behind the dust and cobwebs I seem to remember the Lionel catalog saying something about an order of locos that the Central never accepted from the mfr.  I think it was in reference to the RS11.  That could explain the number.

Johan, wonderful artistry as usual from your modelling and photography.

Joe,

Thank you very much. 🤝

Johan

MTH PS3 Long Island B6 switcher gathering a head of steam and hauling oil tankers and heavy loads in gondolas:

Arnold

Here is a NH RS-3 pulling the Dinosaur Train on the G&O.  It is a K-Line engine.  NH Joe

Well, I’m late, but just wanted to compliment those of you who have posted pictures of beautiful switchers and fun to review videos. Happy Railroading Everyone

Larry,

No one is ever late for Switcher Saturday including posting on Sunday.

Here's my new reefer - an Atlas "Natty Boh" plug door car. I know it's not as nice as the one done by @VaGolfer1950, but I like it. The Canton SW1500 switcher was a gift from Paul Strickland  (vagolfer1950) back in 2017. He had Harry Heike create it.

Charlie

@cpowell posted:

Larry,

No one is ever late for Switcher Saturday including posting on Sunday.

Here's my new reefer - an Atlas "Natty Boh" plug door car. I know it's not as nice as the one done by @vagolfer1950, but I like it. The Canton SW1500 switcher was a gift from Paul Strickland  (vagolfer1950) back in 2017. He had Harry Heike create it.

Charlie

Nice reefer; I love the "Natty Boh" bartender mascot. Miller Engineering's "natty Boh" lighted sign would complement it perfectly (if you don't have one already).

@RSJB18 posted:

I'm trying to wrap my head around the time space continuum.

I think its a "Don't cross the streams" moment.......

I believe you could have the same switcher on both (or more) layouts simultaneously in the absolute elsewhere. Or, alternatively, such an instance would validate the principle upon which "infinite improbability drive" is based, for all you Douglas Adams fans out there. Or, 42.

@Bill Swatos posted:

I believe you could have the same switcher on both (or more) layouts simultaneously in the absolute elsewhere. Or, alternatively, such an instance would validate the principle upon which "infinite improbability drive" is based, for all you Douglas Adams fans out there. Or, 42.

Well...I think I know what my SWSat post will be next week.

Prepare to have life as we know it turned upside down.....

Got an early start today and accompanied my son down to Westernport, MD who was helping his Uncle who purchased some traction motors for his RS-1.  Sorry, I don't have pics of the RS-1 but here is an S-6 that was on the property.  It is for sale if anyone has a lot of time and money.

Ron

@cpowell, thank you for the vote of confidence, Switcher Saturday is one of my most favorite threads, and your Canton switcher is really nice, and the box car, “Natty Boh” is also nice. I’ve never seen that particular switcher. Question, are using K-Line track? You have a neat layout. @Bill Swatos, thanks for chiming in with kind words on many of the poster’s pictures, your layout is also nice. @Arnold D. Cribari, I always love seeing your layout and the video of the MTH steamer is so cool., @Sitka, wow, I’ve always loved the Lionel 44 toner, especially the red one, wow, nice layout to., @Mark V Spadaro, I like you C&O RS1, it’s cool, tell Rocky I said hi when you see him, mist of my Atlas O track, Ross Switches came from Dixie Union Station, small world, also you have a neat layout, Everyone nice work. Happy Railroading Everyone

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

You’ve seen this picture before, but, I love stories, such as Mel, Pat, and now RSJB18, are adding. Mine is not as interesting, but, I find it mildly amusing.

1201 is my wife’s birthday, and, as many times as I’ve been less than subtlety directing her attention to this loco, she still hasn’t recognized her birthdate, unless she is playing me. I rotate engines in a Lionel plexiglass and wood case in the dining room, monthly, and, every other month, I put this custom painted (thanks again, Ron045) Conrail 44 tonner on display. She finally asked me why I keep bringing this one up to display, and I told her it reminds me of something I don’t want to forget. Nothing, no further questions, deadpan.

Mark,

That is a great paint job and a great story. I think it goes to show that (some, most, all?) women have a very casual interest in trains and model locomotives and don't bother to absorb the details when one appears in front of them. Perhaps you could mention that this is your "December 1st" locomotive. My advice is just don't forget when December 1st rolls around...

MELGAR

One of my first O scale purchases, an Atlas SW9 in NJDOT colors. Originally Erie, then EL, this engine served well into the NJ Transit era…

Here is the sister engine, the 438, in Hoboken 1987. Photo by me…

@jhz563 posted:

Good morning Switcher Saturday faithful!  Welcome back to our favorite weekly thread.   This is our recurring homage to the backbone of railroading,  the Switcher locomotives.   These machines and their crews handle the first and last mile of most railroad shipments,  sort the yards, are the visible face to the customer,  work all hours to make the magic happen.   Then on the weekend the Same machines maybe assigned tourist duty.

Switchers are made in all scales and gauges,  can be super specialized or built for general purposes.   Powered by steam,  gasoline,  diesel,  batteries,  over head wires, gaseous fuels, compressed air, whatever, but the key is they are all welcome here!

For today's kickoff image we have W&LE USRA-design 0-6-0, paused in alley behind Brickerville.  For reasons not well understood the blue British police box in the picture seems to relocate around town all by itself.

So please,  share your Switcher stories,  photos and videos.   Have a great day everyone!

The TARDIS! Now I understand the time-space theme that has wound through today's SWSAT! Looking forward to the "upside-down" Bob is promising for next week!

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

You’ve seen this picture before, but, I love stories, such as Mel, Pat, and now RSJB18, are adding. Mine is not as interesting, but, I find it mildly amusing.

1201 is my wife’s birthday, and, as many times as I’ve been less than subtlety directing her attention to this loco, she still hasn’t recognized her birthdate, unless she is playing me. I rotate engines in a Lionel plexiglass and wood case in the dining room, monthly, and, every other month, I put this custom painted (thanks again, Ron045) Conrail 44 tonner on display. She finally asked me why I keep bringing this one up to display, and I told her it reminds me of something I don’t want to forget. Nothing, no further questions, deadpan.

I think she might be playin' ya, but, either way, adorning ol' 1201 with a nice piece of jewelry this coming December might just help you find the answer!

Here are some of my Atlas SWs

@Ron045 posted:

Got an early start today and accompanied my son down to Westernport, MD who was helping his Uncle who purchased some traction motors for his RS-1.  Sorry, I don't have pics of the RS-1 but here is an S-6 that was on the property.  It is for sale if anyone has a lot of time and money.

Ron

Now that takes "going to see your uncle's trains" to 11.... Very cool Ron.

Bob