Switcher Saturday 07-01-23

Delighted to see that jhz563 got us started in the wee hours, so I will join in during the  graveyard shift for the week's Switcher Saturday.

This short video features one of my favorites: the LC+ D&H RS1 (or maybe RS3) diesel switcher hauling boxcars across the George Washingmachine Bridge and passed the Polo Grounds.

Love the look of the D&H livery. Arnold

A sneak preview from Photo Fun next weekend, when I will post layout tour photos from the convention.......the venerable 0-4-0 switcher, with the military load cars.....

Peter

Happy 4th of July weekend!

Two road-switchers have been running on my 12’-by-8’ layout this week.

On the O-54 middle loop is Boston & Maine GP7 #1563, an MTH Premier model (20-2211-1, MSRP $299.95, PS1, 1999). The #1563 was built in April, 1953 and was one of 23 GP7 locomotives on the B&M. B&M GP7s had 1500 horsepower and a maximum speed of 65 miles-per-hour. The MTH GP7 model is generic and has dynamic brakes – a feature not present on the B&M’s engines.

On the O-36 inner loop is New Haven Alco RS-3 #531, an Atlas O Trainman model (20033012, MSRP $399.95, TMCC, 2012). The #531 was one of 20 Class DERS-2c locomotives delivered to the New Haven Railroad in 1950. They had 1600 horsepower and a maximum speed of 80 miles-per-hour.

MELGAR

This is my favorite diesel switcher, purchased 2 or 3 years ago from Forum Sponsor, JR Junction Hobbies from Syracuse, NY:

This MTH PS3 NY Central RS3 was an exclusive for JR Junction, who donated part of the sales proceeds to an upstate NY historical society.

Looks, sounds and smokes great and runs flawlessly on DCS on my layout. Arnold

TALES OF THE DOCKSIDER

Happy Fourth, SwSat fans!  Next up in your Yardmaster’s “hit parade” - and coinciding with JHZ’s saddle tanker theme - is a fan favorite, NYC shop switcher X-8688!

DOCKSIDER fans will recall one of X-8688’s primary assignments (and a favorite of her crew) is hauling disabled motive power back to the shops.  This Saturday’s offering is a selection of photos from the archives showing X-8688 shoving a wide variety of locomotives, some from very foreign roads, to the shop for service.

John

Happy Switcher Saturday! Here’s an overview shot of my favorite little steamer, an MTH B6, traversing the layout -

For those starting the celebration a little early, have  a great 4th of July weekend!

Happy SWSat!

The yards are quiet this week......the Yardmaster was in a generous mood and gave the whole crew the holiday weekend off to enjoy with family and friends. So fire up the grill, chill a few brews and sit back and relax.

Earlier in the week the LIRR took delivery of a new caboose. Quite a departure from what the crew usually sees and everyone seems to like the new paint scheme.

Have a great weekend and a Happy 4th of July!

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat!

The yards are quiet this week......the Yardmaster was in a generous mood and gave the whole crew the holiday weekend off to enjoy with family and friends. So fire up the grill, chill a few brews and sit back and relax.

Earlier in the week the LIRR took delivery of a new caboose. Quite a departure from what the crew usually sees and everyone seems to like the new paint scheme.

Have a great weekend and a Happy 4th of July!

Bob

Nice photos great looking FLAG

@Sitka posted:

Nice photos great looking FLAG

Thanks- I took a Lionel flag monument apart and used it up on top of the hill over the tunnel.

PW Lionel #41 U.S. Army Switcher getting ready for a big bang on the 4th of July, God and Country have a good weekend.

Good afternoon fellow switcher fans!!  Thanks so much JHZ 563 for being in the engineers seat, notching out the throttle, and getting us rolling today! .   I love what everyone has posted so far!!  As always I learn so much from all of you!  

Here are some various pics from around the Free State Junction Railway.  I wish everyone a great Independence Day Weekend!!  If you are traveling this weekend ... I wish you safe travels in whatever mode of transportation you choose.  

As I walked along the tracks this morning I spotted this consist of locomotives, all end cab switchers,  from all the Maryland short lines ( circa 1950 ) Baltimore & Annapolis, Patapsco & Back Rivers, Canton, and Maryland & Pennsylvania.

A short climb up the steps of  the tower to say hello to the guys, revealed this Western Maryland power and their crews. That looks like Flip Waters and Jake Hanley on the back deck of the BL2 and Ronan Woods and Jitterbug McCauley on the center cab unit.  

Later as I walked down the tracks I see the center cab is getting ready to pull these Western Maryland coaches to the coach yard.

Even further down the tracks I spot this Washington Terminal RS1 number 63 doing its' thing on a siding.  Brakeman Rip Masterson stands on the back deck wiping his brow on this hot humid day.

Ran by ESPN 1701 again in my travels this afternoon.

@Sitka posted:

PW Lionel #41 U.S. Army Switcher getting ready for a big bang on the 4th of July, God and Country have a good weekend.

Looks like you got a little "zoom" there to go with the "bang," Mark! As Ralph Kramden said, "You want the world of tomorrow, Alice? I'll give you the world of tomorrow! You're goin' to the moon!"

BTW, I've got a #41 coming from Trainz. I hope I can get it looking as good as yours!

Mr. Cranston, the yard foreman, was getting his family together to leave for the 4th of July fireworks show at the town's fairgrounds.  He was planning on getting there real early to find a good spot and have a picnic. He decided it would be good to call the dispatcher on duty before leaving to make sure everything was okay since he would not be available for the rest of the day. He immediately knew something was wrong by the panic in the dispatcher's voice.

The tracks run through the fairgrounds, so the railroad was to deliver the fireworks.  The dispatcher said the boxcar with all the fireworks is stuck on the south run-around track because the 44-tonner moving it went to ground.  Because of the holiday, many of the wreck crew were given a few hours off and not immediately available.    Mr. Cranston gathered up the family and drove out to the yard to see what was going on.

Mr. Cranston knew the people who worked for him.  They were hard working, hard partying men who did not have families, at least any that they would acknowledge.  He drove over to the nearby pub and found his wrecking crew enjoying a few beers.

He got them out to the yard's B6 shifter and they picked up the wreck train, took the crane over and set the little diesel back on the track.  The fireworks display was a little late that year, but everyone said it was the best.

I hope everyone is able to celebrate our Independence with their families.  However, not everyone can.  Please remember those that are standing guard that day protecting our great country so that we have many more Fourths.

@CAPPilot, Ron, that’s a cool ladder yard track, and it looks like you’re using Ross switches? Neat story, beautiful box car and ditto, Happy Fourth of July, Independence Day for sure. We are so blessed to share this great hobby together and the OGR Forum is a great way to connect with others around the world. Happy Railroading Everyone

Larry,

Thank you.  Maybe someday I will have a layout that looks at least half as good as yours.  Tore down the old one several years ago and between age, illness, family, and maintaining my emergency services qualifications I have not done a lot on mine.  Finishing that yard is my next goal.

Thank you for the kind words @CAPPilot , Ron, If it weren’t for good friends that knew art work, scenery ideas and technics, fellows with electrical knowledge, and my knowledge of building the table work, track work, and layout wiring. Your layout will be very nice. Happy Railroading Everyone (Take a look at this special diesel, owned by my great friend Captain Will Porath, made for LegacyStation exclusively.)

Thought about Tail End Tuesday, then Front End Friday, but decided to save this update for Switcher Saturday.

Do you remember this SW9 from a while back?

Well, it's all torn apart and slowly getting upgrades and paint.  Spring and Summer are severely reduced train time due to outdoor activities, but I do a little here and there. 

This is the end goal.

And I've been working on these pilots for what seems to be forever.  I actually did them twice.  I did not like the first go around, so I tore them apart and started again.  I purchased NYC decals specifically to use the chevrons, but the decals were not tall enough, so masking and paint was decided.

I thought this version came out a little better.  I still have some details to add.

And just as I posted this last picture, I noticed the bottom corners of the pilot are dog eared and the top corners are rounded, not 90 degrees like mine.  I'll have to see if I can file it down without ruining it.

The SMS pics belong to my son.

Ron

Ron045 writes:

”And just as I posted this last picture, I noticed the bottom corners of the pilot are dog eared and the top corners are rounded, not 90 degrees like mine.  I'll have to see if I can file it down without ruining it.”

Ron - the enemy of good is better. Pretty nice work as it is.

MTH RK SF H10-44 - really like the zebra stripe scheme.

@Bill Swatos posted:

Looks like you got a little "zoom" there to go with the "bang," Mark! As Ralph Kramden said, "You want the world of tomorrow, Alice? I'll give you the world of tomorrow! You're goin' to the moon!"

BTW, I've got a #41 coming from Trainz. I hope I can get it looking as good as yours!

Looking forward to see that PW #41 pulling some freight cars have a great 4th Bill

@jhz563 posted:

Ran by ESPN 1701 again in my travels this afternoon.

Any chance the horn goes "BA-DA-BA----BA-DA-BA.......

Since Switcher Saturday is one of my favorite threads, I think it's nice that it often extends to Sunday like it has today. Maybe it could be called Switcher Saturday & Sunday, which would have a triple alliteration.

I think this MTH PS3 Pennsylvania diesel switcher has an awesome look. Not sure, but I think it's an RS1 or RS3, if someone knows which one, please chime in.

It has a lot of heft and is a great puller, sounds and smokes great and runs flawlessly on DCS through my 031 curves.

Switchers like this are irresistible to me. When I first saw it at a hobby shop about 18 months ago, I had to have it. I suffer from the affliction known as Switcheritis.

LOL,Arnold

Arnold, your PRR switcher looks like an RS1 to me.  The cab roof, which extends beyond the edges of the cab, is the clue.  BTW, I always enjoy seeing your trains and layout!

John

SWSATSUN it is! And here's one of our favorites hauling an all 027 "multi-generational" consist:

I like the size match of the ALCo saddle tank to the 027 boxcars and caboose, even if the old girl wouldn't get very far with her little coal load

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Since Switcher Saturday is one of my favorite threads, I think it's nice that it often extends to Sunday like it has today. Maybe it could be called Switcher Saturday & Sunday, which would have a triple alliteration.

I think this MTH PS3 Pennsylvania diesel switcher has an awesome look. Not sure, but I think it's an RS1 or RS3, if someone knows which one, please chime in.

It has a lot of heft and is a great puller, sounds and smokes great and runs flawlessly on DCS through my 031 curves.

Switchers like this are irresistible to me. When I first saw it at a hobby shop about 18 months ago, I had to have it. I suffer from the affliction known as Switcheritis.

LOL,Arnold

@Steam Crazy posted:

Arnold, your PRR switcher looks like an RS1 to me.  The cab roof, which extends beyond the edges of the cab, is the clue.  BTW, I always enjoy seeing your trains and layout!

John

Arnold- I'm with John- The ALCO RS1 has the roof overhangs on the front and back, the RS3 does not. Too bad ALCO changed the cab, the 1's cab has always been a favorite of mine.

Bob

Thanks to John and Bob, I now know the difference between the RS1 and RS3 diesel switchers. I like them both, a lot.

Here's another question for you diesel switcher experts out there: what is the difference between an NW2 and a VO1000?

They look similar to me.

Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Here's another question for you diesel switcher experts out there: what is the difference between an NW2 and a VO1000?

They look similar to me.

Arnold

Do you perhaps mean an S12 vs a VO1000?  An NW2 has some immediate difference just in the hood.

Can't wait for next SWeekend. 😉

Ah heck as long as we are bleeding into Sunday, here is what I did today.

I ordered these metal sunshades from KV Models for the SW.   Man they were difficult to bend without a metal etch bender.  The rail had to get bent 90 degrees and the  lip on the shade had to get bent 90 degrees to fit in the rail.

Ron

@Steam Crazy posted:

Arnold, your PRR switcher looks like an RS1 to me.  The cab roof, which extends beyond the edges of the cab, is the clue.  BTW, I always enjoy seeing your trains and layout!

John

Indeed it is an RS1. Here's my ESPN version(BA-DA-BA----BA-DA-BA):

And, for those interested, a couple of shots "under the hood:"

Die cast frame, 2 motors w/speed sensing and fan-driven smoke say it all! Only problem is if you want to run DCC, you've got to cut "the grey wire" now. I'm going to reinstall the switch as the opening for it is still cast into the frame. I just have to find the proper size SPST switch.

@Ron045 posted:

Do you perhaps mean an S12 vs a VO1000?  An NW2 has some immediate difference just in the hood.

Can't wait for next SWeekend. 😉

I would like to know the differences between all 3 diesel switchers: S12 (do you mean S2?), VO1000, and NW2.

I can probably find the answer on the Internet.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I would like to know the differences between all 3 diesel switchers: S12 (do you mean S2?), VO1000, and NW2.

I can probably find the answer on the Internet.

Well you said, "They look similar to me".  So I assume you mean looks and not internal components or performance specifications.

So let's see if I can post links to pictures without getting in trouble of posting actual pictures.

Here is a Baldwin V01000.  And there were different types of these, most notably to the eye are the different smoke stacks and the round curve vs 90-degree angle of the front of the cab by the door.
VO 1000

Then there is the S12.  Also a Baldwin.  A couple of ascetic differences but most likely the differences are what we can't see.
S12

Then there is the NW2 made by EMD.  Other that the fact that it is a switcher and has a cab in the rear, it really does not look like a V01000.
NW2

I could understand if you thought the NW2 looked like the SW7, 8, 9 or even the SW1200.  Those are similar EMD products.

Ron

@Ron045 posted:

Ah heck as long as we are bleeding into Sunday, here is what I did today.

I ordered these metal sunshades from KV Models for the SW.   Man they were difficult to bend without a metal etch bender.  The rail had to get bent 90 degrees and the  lip on the shade had to get bent 90 degrees to fit in the rail.

Ron

Wow!

@Ron045 posted:

Ron

Impressive paint work and an excellent fixed pilot conversion to boot!

I have been working on track laying and wiring of my switching layout for quite awhile now and seems I have it operational, other than automating the switches.  This is my representation of the Union Freight Railroad running through Boston, with just a few structures built and in place to get a feel for running.  I knew I had to get the track running smoothly before I went to far on building structures and city.

https://ogrforum.com/...nionFreightSmall.MP4

Note the "run around" move in the end for you real switching geeks.  Union Freight ran through city streets and had little space to work with.  The breaks in the video are because although I have uncoupler tracks in there I have not gotten auto coupling and uncoupling to work reliably.  Has anyone built a switching layout with auto uncoupling that works well and have tips?

@Ron045 posted:

Well you said, "They look similar to me".  So I assume you mean looks and not internal components or performance specifications.

So let's see if I can post links to pictures without getting in trouble of posting actual pictures.

Here is a Baldwin V01000.  And there were different types of these, most notably to the eye are the different smoke stacks and the round curve vs 90-degree angle of the front of the cab by the door.
VO 1000

Then there is the S12.  Also a Baldwin.  A couple of ascetic differences but most likely the differences are what we can't see.
S12

Then there is the NW2 made by EMD.  Other that the fact that it is a switcher and has a cab in the rear, it really does not look like a V01000.
NW2

I could understand if you thought the NW2 looked like the SW7, 8, 9 or even the SW1200.  Those are similar EMD products.

Ron

Thanks, Ron, and thanks to the others who have shared their diesel switcher knowledge.

@Ron045 posted:

Well you said, "They look similar to me".  So I assume you mean looks and not internal components or performance specifications.

So let's see if I can post links to pictures without getting in trouble of posting actual pictures.

Here is a Baldwin V01000.  And there were different types of these, most notably to the eye are the different smoke stacks and the round curve vs 90-degree angle of the front of the cab by the door.
VO 1000

Then there is the S12.  Also a Baldwin.  A couple of ascetic differences but most likely the differences are what we can't see.
S12

Then there is the NW2 made by EMD.  Other that the fact that it is a switcher and has a cab in the rear, it really does not look like a V01000.
NW2

I could understand if you thought the NW2 looked like the SW7, 8, 9 or even the SW1200.  Those are similar EMD products.

Ron

One more thing Ron: the diesels in the photos accessed from the links you provided are beautiful looking locomotives IMO.

I love when #SwSat rolls into Monday!

Just for fun here's a trackmobile getting ready to do some wading.