Switcher Saturday 08-14-21!

14 ton Brookville at the Silver Creek & Stephenson Freeport, Illinois.

Rusty

Good morning fellow switcher fans!!   Thanks JHZ563 for notching out the throttle to get us rolling this morning.   This week on the Free State Junction Railway, a new set of Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad equipment arrived on the property .... SW9 and calf plus a B&A caboose.  I already have a B&A SW9 in loco sounds, however, this new to me SW9 has been upgraded to PS3.  I bought this trio from a fellow formite.  These three pieces represent all of the Baltimore and Annapolis RR items that MTH produced.  I've always loved that MTH produced models of obscure shortt lines and switching roads.  The B&A never owned a calf but I wanted one to complete the MTH collection.  

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone posts today!  Have a wonderful and safe weekend everyone!

Happy SWSat!

Some ATSF action this week. The crews on # 2099, (Lionel RS-3), and #2003 (RMT Beep), are busy spotting cars and running empties to the interchange.

The RS-3 is a low end model from a starter set. It came with only one powered truck and was a horrible puller. I added a second powered truck and it pulls great now.

While all that was going on, the MOW crew was working the high line clearing the ROW.

Have a great weekend.

Bob

Rusty, love that Brookville!  It’s the first locomotive I’ve seen that looks like a bulldozer!

John

Patrick, I love the B&A pair.  Is that a "cow and calf" set or is the cabless one a slug?

Rob, nice job on the RS3.  I've got a low end Lionel GN version. Haven't run it for a long time.  I'll have to dig it out and see how it pulls. If it needs help may I contact for some how to advice?

NH 0-6-0 no. 2334 delivers a loaded hopper to the coaling tower, while TALES OF THE DOCKSIDER star, NYC shop switcher X-8688, makes a cameo appearance in the background.  Adjacent to the coaling tower, two unfortunate yard laborers shovel up coal spilled by careless trainmen.  The salty language they use to describe the trainmen can’t be repeated on this forum!

John

@coach joe posted:

Patrick, I love the B&A pair.  Is that a "cow and calf" set or is the cabless one a slug?

Rob, nice job on the RS3.  I've got a low end Lionel GN version. Haven't run it for a long time.  I'll have to dig it out and see how it pulls. If it needs help may I contact for some how to advice?

Sure thing Joe. Email is in my profile.

Thanks

            S.I.R.T. Action...

Fine photos so far on this opening day of Premier League Soccer. Since Manchester United is thrashing Leeds right now with five goals to their 1, I shall feature the reddest (ManUs colors) and mightiest switcher in my collection - The MTH 256 Repro. She's as bold and beautiful as ManU this morning.

Remember, if you're not a Manc and also into Tinplate switchers, you're a wanc!

Penn central GP38 7692 (K-Line) works the grain elevator this morning:

Tom

New building up on the HO switching layout.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Providence & Worcester GP38 #2007 and GP40 #3001 are MTH Premier models with PS3. In my opinion, they are too large to be proper subjects for Switcher Saturday, even though they are “road-switchers.” The video shows them double-headed and running conventionally on my 10’-by-5’ layout with a Boston & Maine caboose. MTH offered two Providence & Worcester cabooses that were shown in its catalogs but I haven’t been able to find either one. The Providence & Worcester Railroad was chartered in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 1844. It is presently a Class II railroad owned by Genesee & Wyoming that operates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York.

MELGAR

Hi everyone, well its Saturday again and all the switchers are out to play!  Today its my "K-Line" roster.

First the powerful  EMD MP-15 begins to move a cut of cars towards the Savannah wharf by traveling down the center of the local highway.  Clearly showing her primary competitor (the tractor trailer) who's boss!

Next the K-line Alco S-2 begins to move a short weekend passenger run away from downtown and out toward the suburbs.  It. will be a short out and back, the L&S runs what they call a "shoppers special" on Saturdays.  Its not so much the long drive to the city as it is the impossible parking in downtown that makes this run popular

H

Best wishes for a great weekend

Don

@Strap Hanger posted:

Fine photos so far on this opening day of Premier League Soccer. Since Manchester United is thrashing Leeds right now with five goals to their 1, I shall feature the reddest (ManUs colors) and mightiest switcher in my collection - The MTH 256 Repro. She's as bold and beautiful as ManU this morning.

Remember, if you're not a Manc and also into Tinplate switchers, you're a wanc!

Oh my my!! You have know idea how envious I am.   I have been looking for a red mth 256 for years.

MELGAR, as I said before, your definition of "switcher" suits me just fine!  I bet most of our fellow SwSat aficionados agree.  I always enjoy seeing your layout, too!

John

@jhz563 posted:

Oh my my!! You have know idea how envious I am.   I have been looking for a red mth 256 for years.

They are beautiful, JHZ. I really hope you can eventually snag one.  These beasts run as good as they look. Heavy and oversized, they can pull the largest of tinplate consists. Mine is particularly special. When I first ordered her back in 2007, she arrived with Orange cow catchers, not red, like in the mth catalog. I called my train shop and they told me the entire batch was made that way. So, figuring I had nothing to lose, I called MTH to complain. I was eventually directed to a nice guy named Andy, who apologized and explained that the original Lionel red 256 models had an Orange cow catcher, so they decided to replicate that version and ignore the catalog. He told me that they were extremely busy, but if I could wait a few months, he would have his tinplate touch up specialist paint me a new set of red cow catchers to match the red tinplate shell. Sure enough, about three months later, I received the red set with a nice note from Andy Edelman explaining how to take off the old ones and attach the new ones.  Amazing service from an outstanding fellow train guy and businessman.  

This will be the newest addition to my layout,

P.R.S.L. AS-616 Diesel
M.T.H. Railking  Proto 3.0
NEW ROAD NUMBER: 6017

I just pre-ordered this item today. It is an MTH, Proto-3  special run that is exclusively available from a hobby shop in Wildwood, NJ. I cannot mention the name of the shop because I am not not sure if they are an OGR Forum/Magazine advertiser. I got a lead on this locomotive through the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society of which I am a charter member. Those who know me know that I am a steam locomotive fanatic an not mush of a Diesel guy. But. I am adding this to my larger-than-necessary fleet of locomotives because the price is great and I actually saw the prototype of this model in the early 1960's at Thirtieth Street Station, Philadelphia while passing through on a Pennsylvania RR passenger train en route to Penn Station, New York. It will go well with the PRSL passenger coaches that I am customizing.

Tom, I remember when K-line came out with the GP38s.  Nicely detailed, good runners for a reasonable price, even when TMCC equipped.  I don't recall K-line cataloging a PC unit. 

SIRT thanks for posting your usual incredibly detailed and weathered rail operations.

Mel P&W GP38s were quite handsome.  They look great on your layout although doubleheading for a single boxcar and a caboose may be overkill.  Thanks for posting the photos along with the information you provide.

Don nice flletof K-line switchers you've got there.

It’s a very special Switcher Saturday for me today…

My layout has been in a rehabilitation phase for 18 or so months, with no track power, or ability to run trains.  Yesterday was like Christmas for me, I spent a few glorious hours unboxing what you see here plus a few other locomotives & PCC trolley     & MTH subway set.  Most being new in their boxes, waiting in silent slumber for a track to run on.  There’s something special about unboxing something new, lubing it, and setting it free.  

Now, finally can get on to scenery…

Tom

@Randy Harrison posted:

This will be the newest addition to my layout,

P.R.S.L. AS-616 Diesel
M.T.H. Railking  Proto 3.0
NEW ROAD NUMBER: 6017

Randy,

  It’s Holly Beach Train Depot,  and the owner’s name is Larry…Great guy and I try to stop in anytime I visit my mom, who’s just up the road in Stone Harbor.

He’s also doing a PRSL trailer on a flat car that I believe you still have time to order.  

@coach joe posted:

Mel P&W GP38s were quite handsome.  They look great on your layout although doubleheading for a single boxcar and a caboose may be overkill.  Thanks for posting the photos along with the information you provide.

Joe,

The double-heading was due to a power-balancing move...

MELGAR

@coach joe posted:

Patrick, I love the B&A pair.  Is that a "cow and calf" set or is the cabless one a slug?

Rob, nice job on the RS3.  I've got a low end Lionel GN version. Haven't run it for a long time.  I'll have to dig it out and see how it pulls. If it needs help may I contact for some how to advice?

Thanks so much Coach Joe - The Baltimore & Annapolis pair is cow and calf.  Note the exhaust stacks on the cab-less calf unit.  The actual B&A did not own either a calf or slug but they did own  SW9 number 87.  It was their second and final diesel locomotive.  Last I checked B&A number 87 was at a museum in one of the Carolinas.  

The first diesel owned by B&A was a GE 70 tonner purchased in 1950, the year that the B&A converted from being an electrified interurban line to a one diesel locomotive railroad.  1950 was the year B&A also discontinued passenger service.   I assume the number 50 was chosen to denote both the locomotive purchase year and the conversion.  Number 50 is on display at the Baltimore Railroad Museum.  I'm hopping Williams or MTH will produce a 70 tonner in B&A livery numbered 50.  

This about catches all of them.......

My friend Charlie sent me this from Jim Thorpe PA today

Reading and Northern 2013.

Here's the model and the prototype - both working hard.

Western Pacific #553 comes east to join the Weirton Steel Alco S-2 fleet.  It's shown here on its shake-out run on the Panhandle.

It will join WSX #208, shown here in an old photo of Panhandle 1.

George

@coach joe posted:

Tom, I remember when K-line came out with the GP38s.  Nicely detailed, good runners for a reasonable price, even when TMCC equipped.  I don't recall K-line cataloging a PC unit.

K-Line did catalog a PC GP38...in their last catalog!  It was never produced.   I was extremely excited when I saw it only to be greatly disappointed when I found out they went out of business when I called to order one.  I found a unit with another road name and repainted it.  I think the K-Line GP38 is one of the best models of the locomotive made.

Tom

@Strap Hanger posted:

They are beautiful, JHZ. I really hope you can eventually snag one.  These beasts run as good as they look. Heavy and oversized, they can pull the largest of tinplate consists. Mine is particularly special. When I first ordered her back in 2007, she arrived with Orange cow catchers, not red, like in the mth catalog. I called my train shop and they told me the entire batch was made that way. So, figuring I had nothing to lose, I called MTH to complain. I was eventually directed to a nice guy named Andy, who apologized and explained that the original Lionel red 256 models had an Orange cow catcher, so they decided to replicate that version and ignore the catalog. He told me that they were extremely busy, but if I could wait a few months, he would have his tinplate touch up specialist paint me a new set of red cow catchers to match the red tinplate shell. Sure enough, about three months later, I received the red set with a nice note from Andy Edelman explaining how to take off the old ones and attach the new ones.  Amazing service from an outstanding fellow train guy and businessman.  

That's some great info about the cow catchers.  I saw on listed at auction with the orange catchers and thought it was a mish-mash.  Wish I had known better!

Hey Don - nice pic - love the way Lionel Legacy scale switchers “blend” with postwar trains 👍🏼

@jhz563 posted:

That's some great info about the cow catchers.  I saw on listed at auction with the orange catchers and thought it was a mish-mash.  Wish I had known better!

Yep, and if you ever see the orange ones at auction or for sale, which were delivered by mth prior to these red ones, you’ll notice that they have red cow catchers.  Andy had also told me that was the way Lionel released the original Orange ones, so MTH copied that as well. Personally, I think my unique red model with red cow catchers looks the best. Quite frankly, if you can get any color scheme (even the later released new havens in PS3 that you sometime see for sale on the bay), do it and you can always repaint it yourself or have someone do it for you.  These are exquisite models and a must have for any o-gauge tinplate collection.  

Getting ready for a day’s work:

Here’s my new G gauge Alco S4 from USA Trains working in my little garden railroad. Thanks to quick delivery from Charles Ro.

Two calfs and a cow.  A tribute to Maryland short lines.  Ma & Pa, Canton, and Baltimore and Annapolis. "Horn Heavy Horace"  is the hogger on this lite engine move.  

Dear Forumites,

I have followed Switcher Saturday and this is my first photo contribution.

PRR B28 0-6-0 #7258 crossing Golbold creek on a typical August day.

Engineer and Fireman waving to Dad and Children fishing hoping for that big catch!!

Atlas O scale model.

Regards,

John P Dunn Sr

Scale2Rail Promotions

@jdunn posted:

Dear Forumites,

I have followed Switcher Saturday and this is my first photo contribution.

PRR B28 0-6-0 #7258 crossing Golbold creek on a typical August day.

Engineer and Fireman waving to Dad and Children fishing hoping for that big catch!!

Atlas O scale model.

Regards,

John P Dunn Sr

Scale2Rail Promotions

Jdunn - Very well done!!!  Excellent photo!!!  Wonderfully detailed scene and the Atlas O-6-0 looks terrific   Thanks for posting.  Welcome to Switcher Saturday!  Hope you will be part of our regular crew!

@jdunn, welcome to Switcher Saturday,  and thank you for sharing that awesome photo!

John great picture superb modeling. Thanks for posting and welcome to this thread.
Regards

Don

Jdunn, excellent model, and terrific scenic work! Welcome aboard!