Switcher Saturday 07-08-23

Good morning jhz563!

My model of New York Central 0-8-0 #415 was made by MTH Railking (30-1123-1, MSRP $399.00, PS1) in 1997. It is an early version of the Railking die-cast USRA 0-8-0 steam engine that followed Norfolk & Western #244 (30-1111-1, MSRP $379.00) – which had been the first – in 1996. I had planned to run a different locomotive for today’s Switcher Saturday but NYC #415 was already on the layout so it became my subject for today – as it has been frequently before. I find steam engines more interesting than diesels and this is the one that I run the most. It’s been trouble-free for 26 years. Both of these models usually can be bought for less than $200 from Forum sponsor Trainz.com.

The USRA 0-8-0 steam engine was a standardized design developed by the United States Railroad Administration during World War 1. Alco, Baldwin and Lima produced a total of 1375 engines to this design.

New York Central Class U-3a #415 was built by Alco’s Brooks Works in October 1918 and retired in 1952. It ran at 175 psi steam pressure with 51-inch driving wheels and produced 51,040 pounds of tractive force. Total weight (including loaded tender) was about 374,200 pounds. #415 was renumbered to #7815 in 1936. The locomotive could negotiate a 19-degree curve – equivalent to a radius of 303 feet and O-151 in O gauge.

MELGAR

Thank you, JHZ563, for once again getting us switcher aficionados started.

For heavy loads, one of my switchers of choice is this MTH PS3 Pennsy RS1 diesel that reeks of awesome power, IMO. Here it is hauling freight across my George Washingmachine Bridge:

I particularly like the camera angle of this short video showing my favorite steam switcher, an MTH PS3 Long Island B6, pulling a short freight train on my down and dirty layout:

Happy SwSat, switcher nation!  Today your Yardmaster is featuring MTH Railking B&M Alco RS3 no.1509 and sister 1518, heading up the “Gull” after departing North Station in Boston.  This train is normally handled by one of B&M’s EMD E7s or its lone E8, but a shortage of serviceable power led to assignment of the RS3s.  If it was winter, not summer, the RS3s could not be used because they lack steam generators to heat the passenger cars.

Your Yardmaster is including a photo of his MTH Railking B&M Madison observation car.  The tail sign is a tie tack he purchased at the railroad station in Bellows Falls, VT!   He also installed the Beep People passengers.

John

@MELGAR posted:

Good morning jhz563!

My model of New York Central 0-8-0 #415 was made by MTH Railking (30-1123-1, MSRP $399.00, PS1) in 1997. It is an early version of the Railking die-cast USRA 0-8-0 steam engine that followed Norfolk & Western #244 (30-1111-1, MSRP $379.00) – which had been the first – in 1996. I had planned to run a different locomotive for today’s Switcher Saturday but NYC #415 was already on the layout so it became my subject for today – as it has been frequently before. I find steam engines more interesting than diesels and this is the one that I run the most. It’s been trouble-free for 26 years. Both of these models usually can be bought for less than $200 from Forum sponsor Trainz.com.

The USRA 0-8-0 steam engine was a standardized design developed by the United States Railroad Administration during World War 1. Alco, Baldwin and Lima produced a total of 1375 engines to this design.

New York Central Class U-3a #415 was built by Alco’s Brooks Works in October 1918 and retired in 1952. It ran at 175 psi steam pressure with 51-inch driving wheels and produced 51,040 pounds of tractive force. Total weight (including loaded tender) was about 374,200 pounds. #415 was renumbered to #7815 in 1936. The locomotive could negotiate a 19-degree curve – equivalent to a radius of 303 feet and O-151 in O gauge.

MELGAR

MELGAR, what is that second set of connections between loco and tender?

Ron

Happy SwSat! I picked up a nice MTA gondola this week, so naturally my MTA work train, featuring an NW-2 switcher, needed to pull out of her subway siding and take her for a spin -

A New York, Ontario and Western NW 2 spots a boxcar for loading of mattresses for shipment to the west coast on this recently relocated factory in the Scranton PA section of my layout

a

Good morning switcher fans!  Thanks JHZ563 for being at the throttle today and getting us rolling!   Just time for a quick pic,  I have company and must get breakfast started.   Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

The dockside does duty on the Mountain Division as it does some switching at the logging camp.  Loggers Percy Creech, Elsworth Johns, and Kirby Walters, look over the day's work before them.

Happy SWSat!

Going back to the archives for a few shots of my K-line Plymouths. Great little engines that pack a punch despite their diminutive size.

Here's the fleet in storage as they have not been on the rails in a while (I need to fix that!)

Have a great weekend.

Bob

@PRRronbh posted:

MELGAR, what is that second set of connections between loco and tender?

Ron

Ron,

I've asked myself that question for years. I believe the extra wires are for the tender electro-coupler. New York Central #415 is the only Railking 0-8-0 steamer that I've seen with them. None of the other versions have them as far as I know.

MELGAR

Good morning SWSAT crew!

Penn Central SW8 8623 (Lionel) pulls a cut of cars out of the yard on a transfer run:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tom

Have switcher of a day

Good morning and happy SwSat.  Here are two switchers at a quarry near me.

Looks like one is used for parts to keep the other running.

Mel & Ron - Here is the MTH stock photo, and the second wire is visible. Unusual. I had a ton of PS1 steamers, and never saw this on any of them.

MTH RS-11 pulls double duty - prev. shown on FEF, now on SwSat.

MTH PS2 NY Central GP7 running on DCS:

Thanks jhz for getting us started today, I am on an Island on vacation so am a bit later than usual (slept late ) but I didn't want to miss SwSat.

Here is a Kline Union Pacific MP-15clearing out one of wharf tracks to get that freight moving and get people to stop complaining about "supply  chains"   Here she moves out from the wharf and past General Door and Sash to get on up the main with her freight.

Here, out in the much sleepier countryside is a Hornby British Rail Type 51 moving a single cattle car down the branch line to position it for Monday's transport of some beef cattle to market.  Its about 1949 and that "Lionel and Wheel" tender is brand new signifying the nationalization of the railroads in 1948.

Hope everyone is having a happy weekend.

Best Wishes

Don

MTH PS2 Jersey Central 0-6-0 steam switcher on DCS hauling passengers:

Looks, smokes, sounds great, IMO, and perfect in every way for my layout!

I took a lot of switcher videos the last couple of days, looking forward to this thread.

Earlier today I posted a short video with the MTH PS3 Pennsy RS1 in it, but also post this one because I like the camera angle and look of this locomotive hauling gondolas and hoppers with coal loads. Hope you enjoy it:

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

MTH PS2 NY Central GP7 running on DCS:

Arnold how long is that bater's bat???

Ron

@PRRronbh posted:

Arnold how long is that bater's bat???

Ron

Harrison Bader's bat? Don't know, but I noticed he will flip it around between pitches like it was a tooth pick.

He looks very muscular to me, so he could probably weild a long heavy bat, but I think the trend is for lighter bats to generate greater bat speed.

This switcher is for NY Ontario & Western lovers and 44 ton center cab diesel lovers:

The locomotive is an MTH Premier PS3 that went for about $400 if my memory serves me correctly.

@PRRronbh posted:

MELGAR, what is that second set of connections between loco and tender?

Ron

@MELGAR posted:

Ron,

I've asked myself that question for years. I believe the extra wires are for the tender electro-coupler. New York Central #415 is the only Railking 0-8-0 steamer that I've seen with them. None of the other versions have them as far as I know.

MELGAR

If the manual is to be believed, one is for protosound directional control an the other is for the proto coupler.  Most likely the front coupler.  Most MTH steamers did not have operating front couplers.  I guess that is why this wire looks strange and out of place.

C'mon Don, ya gotta tell us what island.  Palm trees and umbrella drinks included I hope.

Haven't gone down to the layout room for awhile so here's a video from my April 16 archives for Switcher Saturday.

Have a fun time with the rest of the weekend everyone.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Haven't gone down to the layout room for awhile so here's a video from my April 16 archives for Switcher Saturday.

Have a fun time with the rest of the weekend everyone.

Looking good Dallas way to keep those rail shinning.

@Sitka posted:

Looking good Dallas way to keep those rail shinning.

Thanks Mark.

Getting a little involved with some around the house chores.   As much as I like summer , there seems to be more time for the layout during the snowy part of the year.