Switcher Saturday 08-20-22

Good morning jhz563. That engine is extraordinary!

Sometimes, I wonder whether or not SWSAT is a good influence on me… Recently, people have posted pictures of their models of Rutland Railroad 500, a GE 70-ton diesel switcher locomotive. Online images of the model looked good so I checked out several Forum sponsors and found a bargain price that I couldn’t resist, although I absolutely don’t need – and shouldn’t be buying – more model trains. This is the first Williams model I have ever purchased. I think the quality and detail are fine and it is a perfect size for my 10’-by-5’ model railroad. Well worth what I paid.

I expected this model to run fast even at low voltages. The first test run at 10-11 volts and 0.7 amps produced a speed of 32 scale-miles-per-hour. I then reduced the throttle to 9.7 volts and 0.6 amps which produced a speed of 22 scale-miles-per-hour as seen in the first video. Satisfactory for me. I noticed that each truck has only one traction tire. The front truck has the tire on the engineer’s side and the rear truck has the tire on the fireman’s side. Two tires are certainly sufficient for a switcher that will pull only 3 or 4 cars on my model railroad. The handrails are plastic, as the couplers also seem to be. The tires, handrails and couplers may be cost-cutting measures but, overall, the model comes off very well.

Rutland 500 was built in December 1951. It was the only engine of its type owned by the Rutland. GE produced 238 end-cab 70-tonners between January 1947 and December 1955. They weighed 130,000 pounds and had 660 horsepower. Starting tractive effort was 41,300 pounds and continuous tractive effort was 23,600 pounds at 7 miles-per-hour. Maximum speed was 60 miles-per-hour.

MELGAR

Last weeks bike ride took me to Chillicothe, OH and the gravel roads of Scioto Hills State Park.  Growing up and visiting relatives, there was always the MEAD paper mill smell in the air.  The paper mill still exists and they have a switcher.  Here are a few  shots from a distance.

Happy  SwSat everyone!

Happy Switcher Saturday everyone.  Here is my RS3 working around the layout -

JRA ( Allard , France ) Little HO clockwork switcher ...

TALES OF THE DOCKSIDER

Well, it’s back to the archives again for another oldie but goodie.  This Saturday your Yardmaster wants to remind you of a little publicized hardship of operating steam locomotives - they don’t have toilets!

If a crew is lucky - like the crew of NYC X-8688 - they can stop by the woods to relieve themselves in privacy.  Other times, they may have to duck behind a building or a handy bush.  Your Yardmaster refuses to speculate what they do when the loco is underway!

The crew saves newspapers and Sears catalogs (minus the shiny pages) to take care of their sanitary needs.  Leftover newspapers and catalogs come in handy when firing the engine in the morning.

John

Steam Crazy,

You are extremely well informed about railroads and sanitation!

MELGAR

Happy SWSat!

Glad we were able to "help" you with the decision to buy the Rutland 70 Mel. As I've said, they are decent engines at the price.

I've gotten my B&M RS-3 to the point that I can run it, conventional only at the moment. I have to get the old programming wiped and re-set it to factory default so that my remote commander will control it. I have a feeling I will be going to Trainland soon to pick up my pre-order of RMT Beep People that have recently been taken off the boat at Port Newark, so I will see if they can do it while I'm there.

Here's a few shots and a short run by video.

Have a great weekend.

Bob

Good morning SWSAT crew!

AC&Y Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 #202 (Lionel) leads a short train through Killbridge:

Tom

I took a walk down to the Burlington Junction Yard last night. They were done for the day, so I got some photos of the parked for the night.

Couple Dockside switchers moving some freight Have a fine Saturday. God Bless America!

Good morning fellow switcher fans!   Great videos, pics, and info guys!  Thanks JHZ563 for notching out the throttle and getting us rolling this morning!  

Today's post focuses on the members of the switching crew who make the physical acts of switching, coupling, uncoupling, and protecting grade crossings possible  .... the brakemen.  The brakeman or brakemen are an integral part of the switching crew.  These folks hop on and off the locomotive, caboose, and/or freight cars all day ( or night ) long.  They get the on the ground job done in all sorts of weather and temperatures.  A dangerous job as they adhere to the slogan ... Safety First.  

Have a most delightful weekend everyone!

Brakemen on an RS 1 at a grade crossing.

Brakeman Clyde Barnes rides the RS 1

Brakemen Claude Perkins and Gabby Dinkins on the ground working an industrial spur with Plymouth switcher.

Brakeman Horace Klondike on the ground converses with conductor Evan Longford.

Western Maryland brakeman on the ground working the yard with a BL2

Brakeman Barney Catahoula just stepped back afternnhe pulled the bar to uncouple this boxcar from Washington Terminal RS 1 loco.

"Your Yardmaster refuses to speculate what they do when the loco is underway!"

Should that question ever get to the point that you're having trouble sleeping at night, as a retired RR'er, I can, by reason of experience, fill you in on what can take place during such times.

Andre

Yay SWSat is on!

Nice posts so far everyone. I did like those ETS engines @jhz563. I have a few that are 2 rail.

This weekend and last weekend my subway line the (uptown #1) has been having work done on the express lines and above 137ST so I get to see some GE led work trains. These look like 70tonners but they are end cab 44 tonners with close clearance cabs and even snowplows. Also the work cars  have anti-climber ends like the subway cars and close clearance cranes that can ride on top of the gondola.
The five light bars are attached to the poles in work areas and there are speed restrictions . If one light burns out there are more to light the way.

Just thought some here would like to see these. It has been awhile since I posted. I used to post every week when Rich Murnane was host. I’m fine just busy.

Hope all are well and have a great weekend.

Great pix Andy. MOW is a whole different animal in the close quarters of the NYC subways.

Thanks for stopping in.

Bob

Great pictures everyone! I hope y’all are doing well. Here is a shot of the MTH Proto 3, SCL GP38-2 in Family Lines paint. Pulling past the tower. During this morning’s switching session.

@Silver Lake posted:

Yay SWSat is on!

Nice posts so far everyone. I did like those ETS engines @jhz563. I have a few that are 2 rail.

This weekend and last weekend my subway line the (uptown #1) has been having work done on the express lines and above 137ST so I get to see some GE led work trains. These look like 70tonners but they are end cab 44 tonners with close clearance cabs and even snowplows. Also the work cars  have anti-climber ends like the subway cars and close clearance cranes that can ride on top of the gondola.
The five light bars are attached to the poles in work areas and there are speed restrictions . If one light burns out there are more to light the way.

Just thought some here would like to see these. It has been awhile since I posted. I used to post every week when Rich Murnane was host. I’m fine just busy.

Hope all are well and have a great weekend.

I second Bob on this Andy. These are great pics and please don’t hesitate to stop by and post some more in the coming weeks.  I love the one above so much that I’m going to make a decal of that preying mantis signage and put it on my subway worktrain crane car. It’s way too cool!

Andre, we better not go there so we don’t run afoul of the OGR censors!

And since I have everyone’s attention, here’s another shot from the archives inspired by Bob’s post.  B&M RS3 no.  1509, out of Worcester, MA, pulls a freight by Fort Devens, Ayer, MA, in the twilight.

John

Happy SwSat!

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

"The five light bars are attached to the poles in work areas and there are speed restrictions. If one light burns out there are more to light the way."

Each lamp (with left-hand threads, BTW, to discourage pilfering) is rated 120 Volts. Five in series is 600 Volts. The 5-lamp fixture is attached to the 600 Volt track circuit. One goes out, the other 4 go out.

Neat photo's everyone...Andy those MOW pictures from the subway are unique, never saw any work like that although I rode those trains quite a lot in the 60's.  MELGAR--You can't stop buying!  Think of the bad example that sets and the negative effect on the economy.... 

Today I have my KLINE Alco S-2 switcher working hard trying to clear the yard for next week. This little gal has 2 motors and is one of my favorite switchers, she is smooth and transports herself around my tight curves, low clearances, and 0-27 switches with ease.

Well best wishes everyone...thanks for posting great pictures and interesting stories.

Don

Melgar, Steve, Bob, Peter, Andy, Patrick, Andre, Dave, Tom, Steam crazy, Fatman, and jhz563 of course!

thanks for making my Saturday a memorable one.

you guys are great.

https://photos.google.com/shar...Zy13amhMdHZDZi1xd2hR

An O&W NW2 with set outs is working today

https://photos.google.com/shar...QjFEM2JfZ0w4WFA5SS1n

headed to next drop off

@Putnam Division posted:

Happy SwSat!

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

I also have that MTH PS3 Premier NY Ontario and Western 44 ton center cab diesel. It's one of my favorite switchers. Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I also have that MTH PS3 Premier NY Ontario and Western 44 ton center cab diesel. It's one of my favorite switchers. Arnold

A great little engine to be sure! Here it is at work at a display a few weeks ago.

Peter

@Bill Park posted:

https://photos.google.com/shar...QjFEM2JfZ0w4WFA5SS1n

headed to next drop off

Thanks for sharing these videos Bill.

Constructive advice- turn the phone 90 deg so that the videos are shot horizontal. Horizontal views are much better for model trains.

Vertical video is frowned upon.

@Leroof posted:

Melgar, Steve, Bob, Peter, Andy, Patrick, Andre, Dave, Tom, Steam crazy, Fatman, and jhz563 of course!

thanks for making my Saturday a memorable one.

you guys are great.

A weekly tradition Pierre.

So....any progress on your MEC 44 tonner?

Bob

Wow -  great looking stuff everyone!  @Silver Lake,Andy you're always welcome and those subway MOW pictures are Great.

This afternoon everyone's favorite Switcher is has been dispatched to an unfamiliar branch line with a load of jack-o-lanterns.  Thomas was looking to drop this load and return to the shed before nightfall!

@MELGAR (apply medical advertisement disclaimer voice) Switcher Saturday is meant to cause fun and fellowship for all enthusiasts of toy trains and smaller locomotives.  Possible side effects include amazement,  education,  ooh,  aaah, and general merriment.   Rare cases of IWT ( I want that) and IGHT (I gotta have that) have been reported.   Always consult with your railroad accountant before addressing severe symptoms.

Andy! Great photos of the #1 line alterations ( my line through my NYC years!) made me home sick! Lol.

Bob, small advances in the #11 44 T such as the flare and flag box for the loco found welded on deck in the prototype.

Will paint the Re Railers ( either yellow or MEC orange) and place them on deck. They will cover two mini slide switches one for the cab lights and two  class lights, the other for the headlights. All LEDs. I may end up using the mini slide switch (see comparison photo) if I can stabilize it beneath the deck through to the top of deck, hidden by the two re railers. Going to take some planning still. Theoretically feasible!

Actually I just scored this paint known as MEC Harvest yellow. So I incorrectly referred to it as MEC orange.
this above is a good actual shade of yellow.
anyone know what yellow this is? Is it signal yellow? Is it mellow yellow? Lol.

Old #115, the workhorse for local switching on my layout:

Sorry for the late posting, actually was running trains today.

Tom

Nice Tom, very much like Maine centrals black 44 T switchers scheme. I think I see a reacher car or transfer caboose in your photo as well.

What does EGT stand for?

thx.

Leroof,

EGT stands for my mythical East Grossdale Transfer Railroad. Made up for the place of my youth. I have a whole backstory/history to justify my railroad. Right now it really is an end to end switching railroad. If I just had the room....

Yes, that is my kitbashed transfer caboose on the back. They do a lot to the local switching on they layout.

Tom

Guess where I was today

OK so Saturday was days ago but I've finally finished getting to the end of the thread.  Everytime I came back to the computer the thread had grown.

Yay Andy's back on SWSAT!  SO is Leroof, even Arnold made an appearance.  Ah the 1 train, never used it until my days at Manhattan College, end of the line at Van Cortlandt Park.  I lived between the 4 train on Jerome Ave. and the D train on the Grand Concourse.  Great pictures of the work train and the lights.

JHZ some great shots, the ETS mini mallett is gorgeous and Legoville is looking appropriately creepy heading towards Halloween, even if it is still months away.

Mel that 70 tonner fits like a glove.  It's ok to treat yourself now and again just like that little switcher you picked up at the Westchester show a few years ago.

Dave the BJRY livery looks good on those switchers.  They look pretty clean too.

Patrick what a bevy of busy brakemen the Freestate Junction has.

Don, I've two of those K-line S2s.  An Alaska RR that came the Alaskan Huskie work train set and one that came in SP Black Widow paint but now wears USAF Blue.

Tom, the Maine Central black scheme was a good choice for the EGT 44 tonner.

@coach joe- Thanks for your comment Joe.  I have not seen either S-2 that you have perhaps you could post a picture sometime.  Especially of the Air Force S-2.  I was assigned to Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton , Ohio from 1970 -1973 as an AF officer then worked there from 1973-1987 as a civilian engineer.  In the early days, we had a train that moved some things around the base and I remember the blue locomotive.  I was always going to take pictures of it but somehow never did and then it eventually just went away.  Missed opportunity for sure.

Don

Well SwSat Fan's, I am afraid that my Saturday morning is taken up so here I am posting to SwSat on Friday night.  Oh well, better than not posting at all.

My story today concerns little Lionel tank switcher # 2295 who as the last steam engine in the yard, has been given the important job of adding a Amtrak Express car to the evening train to Atlanta and points north.  Not too glamorous a task but one of great importance to the movement of express packages.

Here she is just getting started, moving that Express car out of the yard and onto the main.

Just about got that Express car onto the main line and will wait for the brakemen to couple up to the evening train.

Just about in full position now, ready to back off and return to the Yard.

Here is that evening Amtrak express ready to depart Savannah for Atlanta.

Well SwSat Fans, that's my input for "tomorrow" 8/27 just a bit early.  Hope you are enjoying your weekend, tomorrow the wife and I are heading out to Austin for a train show and then taking my son out for his 50th birthday!! (can't believe I am so old I have a 50 year old son!).

Best wishes

Don