Switcher Saturday 10-8-22

Good morning jhz563 and switcher fans!

My model of New Haven #3400 was offered by MTH Premier (20-3148-2 with PS2 and scale wheels) in its 2005 Volume 1 Catalog at an MSRP of $599.95. Around that time, I bought two MTH models with scale wheels. This one has no traction tires and is satisfactory on my Atlas O-54 curves but I have had to add a (removable) modification to the frogs of my Atlas O-54 switches so that it doesn’t derail on the curved path of the turnouts. I’ve also noticed that without traction tires, the drivers slip slightly when starting. Any engines I purchase in the future will have three-rail wheels.

During World War 1, the United States Railroad Administration designed 12 standardized types of steam locomotives including the 0-8-0 heavy switcher. 175 0-8-0 switchers were built to the USRA design during the years between 1917 and 1920 when US railroads were under control of the USRA, and 1200 0-8-0 copies were built afterwards. The 0-8-0 engine was designed specifically for switching in yards and was not intended to be used as a road locomotive. It was efficient for switching because its wheel diameters were small and the entire weight of the engine was on its driving wheels since it did not have a leading or trailing truck. This maximized its tractive force for low-speed switching operations. It was not well suited for road operation because it didn’t have a leading truck to steer it into curves and the small wheels limited its maximum speed.

#3400 was a one of thirty-five Y-3 Class USRA 0-8-0 heavy switchers built by Alco (Schenectady) for the New Haven Railroad between 1920 and 1923. The nominal weight of a standard USRA 0-8-0 was 364,000 pounds (engine and tender) and its tractive force was 51,042 pounds at 175 pounds-per-square-inch boiler pressure with 51-inch driving wheel diameter. Cylinder bore was 25 inches and piston stroke 28 inches. Although its Y-3 class switchers were successful, the New Haven bought sixteen Y-4 Class three-cylinder 0-8-0 switchers between 1924 and 1927. They produced 60,500 pounds of tractive force. The last New Haven 0-8-0 switcher was retired in 1952.

The pictures and video show #3400 pulling New Haven Dairy refrigerated milk car GICX300 (Weaver Models), New Haven steel boxcars #33406 (MTH) and #35238 (Weaver), and New Haven NE6 caboose C-681 (Atlas O). The train speed in the videos is 21.7 scale miles-per-hour.

MELGAR

Happy Switcher Sat, everyone!  Here’s my 44 tonner helping with some track side maintenance-

Yay! SWSat is on track!

Great start this weekend @jhz563 that engine is a looker. It is so nice to have such a personal connection to it. @MELGAR what a great NH engine. Wonderful stuff. @Strap Hanger I always love a 44 tonner and your looks great.

This week I am posting a new to me Great Western Railways 43xx 2-6-0. This particular engine was built in 1917 and served its first years in France in WW1 logistics service. The paint scheme it is in is a simplified austerity scheme it got after it returned. There were over 300 of these Moguls on the Great Western. They were built as general service engines for both passenger and freight. Because of their relatively lightweight they could work branch lines and serve as switchers in that service. The real 5322 survives in preservation at the Didcot Railway Center in the UK. Currently it awaits an overhaul and it is not in steam.

This engine is built up from a Pilgrim Models 2 rail O scale kit.

Because I have been really very sick this week with Covid I have yet to run it but the builder did a great job on the finish of it and I am quite happy with it. Looking forward to running it at my club layout.

Have a great long weekend. I can’t wait to see what you all post.

LC+ D&H smoking diesel hauling Northeastern boxcars:

I just noticed you can hear the sounds of the Lionel Pennsy Tugboat including seagulls in the background.

Arnold

Picked up this nice C&O 624 switcher circa 1952.

Weaver RS3

Good morning, y’all!  Today my inspiration comes from MELGAR’s post last Saturday.  Who among us isn’t inspired by his fine layouts and interesting history lessons?

I also own MTH NYC 0-4-0 no. 901, seen today hauling a work train of postwar Lionel cars.  It’s one of my favorite engines due to the level of detail at the price; it’s  also a favorite because it was my best bargain since I got back in the hobby 20 years ago.  I paid only $185 for this lightly used engine at the Springfield show!  It didn’t run when I got it home due to a dead battery, but I popped in a BCR and it has run fine since that day.

John

@Silver Lake posted:

Yay! SWSat is on track!

This week I am posting a new to me Great Western Railways 43xx 2-6-0.

This engine is built up from a Pilgrim Models 2 rail O scale kit.

Because I have been really very sick this week with Covid I have yet to run it but the builder did a great job on the finish of it and I am quite happy with it. Looking forward to running it at my club layout.

Have a great long weekend. I can’t wait to see what you all post.

Andy,

Beautiful model of a very interesting locomotive. The difference between British and American steam engine and tender design is remarkable. Yours looks much larger than any US 2-6-0 I've seen. I hope you're feeling better and are done with Covid.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

Andy,

Beautiful model of a very interesting locomotive. The difference between British and American steam engine and tender design is remarkable. Yours looks much larger than any US 2-6-0 I've seen. I hope you're feeling better and are done with Covid.

MELGAR

Thank you for the well wishes Mel. I was not expecting to be hit by this so hard. Somehow I had avoided it until now.

As far as size yes Great Western RWY could have bigger engines than most UK routes because it was built as a wide gauge road in the 19th cent. As these 43XX’s were withdrawn many parts like the wheels and even boiler sections were used to build Hall class 4-6-0s. Conveniently Lionel has made a scale Hall as their Harry Potter set engine. The Hall is quite a bit longer. An interesting recycling program. A bit like when Reading turned their 2-8-0s into their T1s 4-8-4s.

Thanks.

Happy SWSat!

@Silver Lake- Hope you make a full recovery Andy.

Last week I promised a new piece that I would share. Trainz and FedEx came through so here goes.

My father was an electrical engineer for Sperry Rand Corp in Lake Success NY for 45 years. The founder, Dr. Elmer A. Sperry, had invented the gyro-compass in the early 1900's and started Sperry Gyroscope in Brooklyn in 1910. Sperry-Gyro grew to become one of 3 major defense contractors on Long Island through most of the 20th century, along with Grumman and Fairchild Republic. While the latter 2 got most of the notoriety building planes and lunar landers, Sperry's technology played a key role in all areas. My father worked on many projects over the years, including guidance systems on the Trident and Polaris Class submarines for the Navy.

In the 20's, Sperry had invented a rail fault detection system and built the first Sperry Rail Detector Car. Sperry Rail has grown to be one of the top rail inspection companies in the world today.

So back to my recent purchase. I spotted a Lionel Speeder with TMCC on Trainz. I've seen them listed before but not in Sperry Rail Service livery. So, obviously I had to have it. I put it on the rails last night and programmed it into my Cab-1L and off she went. It's a cool little critter and the family connection will give it a prominent place in my collection. My father sparked my love of trains with his Lionel tinplate and later my own HO layouts.

Have a great weekend.

Bob

Good morning SWSAT crew!

Penn central SW8 8623 (Lionel) picks up a loaded flatcar from an industrial customer:

Have a great weekend!

Tom

JHZ, thanks for getting this train rolling once again.

Mel outstanding 0-8-0.  Again the sounds make it seem as if it's going faster than it actually is.  I was going to ask if you were slowing it down in the curves or if it was slowing due to the curve itself.  Then I remembered you were shooting the video so the curved track must be causing the slow down.

Andy nice 2-6-0.  Sorry to ear about the Covid.  Irene caught it from a friend of hers our last night on Long Island two weeks ago and I came down with it this past Monday.  We were both prescribed Paxlovid.  If you are having bad symptoms maybe you can get a prescription.  It must be taken within 5 days of experiencing the symptoms.

Joe,

Hope you and your wife are feeling better from Covid.

My 0-8-0 engine sounds like it's going fast because it has small wheels and runs at four chuffs per wheel revolution, as it should. It does slow down through the O-54 curves and Atlas O switches in part, I think, because the scale wheels do not have traction tires. The MTH website lists this model with scale wheels and flanges for operation on 42-inch radius O-84 curves. It maintains speed better on my larger layout with O-72.

MELGAR

Good morning, SWSat'ers,

I guess I started this topic on Front End Friday, but I wanted to add some more images of the differences between my new (to me) MTH A5 and K-Line's A5.  I was really surprised at how much smaller the MTH version is.  Plus the MTH has much better detail.  My wife thinks it is cute.

From FEF, MTH on left.

I really like the fact that the MTH has the modern headlight which better fits into my layout's late 40's era.

K-Line in front.

MTH on the right.

I really like the MTH version.  Don't have enough room for both, so I guess it is time to sell the K-L.

@RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat!

@Silver Lake- Hope you make a full recovery Andy.

Last week I promised a new piece that I would share. Trainz and FedEx came through so here goes.

My father was an electrical engineer for Sperry Rand Corp in Lake Success NY for 45 years. The founder, Dr. Elmer A. Sperry, had invented the gyro-compass in the early 1900's and started Sperry Gyroscope in Brooklyn in 1910. Sperry-Gyro grew to become one of 3 major defense contractors on Long Island through most of the 20th century, along with Grumman and Fairchild Republic. While the latter 2 got most of the notoriety building planes and lunar landers, Sperry's technology played a key role in all areas. My father worked on many projects over the years, including guidance systems on the Trident and Polaris Class submarines for the Navy.

In the 20's, Sperry had invented a rail fault detection system and built the first Sperry Rail Detector Car. Sperry Rail has grown to be one of the top rail inspection companies in the world today.

So back to my recent purchase. I spotted a Lionel Speeder with TMCC on Trainz. I've seen them listed before but not in Sperry Rail Service livery. So, obviously I had to have it. I put it on the rails last night and programmed it into my Cab-1L and off she went. It's a cool little critter and the family connection will give it a prominent place in my collection. My father sparked my love of trains with his Lionel tinplate and later my own HO layouts.

Have a great weekend.

Bob

Bob,

We used to pass by the Sperry plant in Lake Success when I was a youngster on Long Island. I wonder if the Sperry plant is still there. After college, I returned to Long Island and worked as an engineer at Grumman on US Navy airplanes (F-14, A-6) and the Gulfstream II business jet. I try to take a ride down to Long Island every few years to have a look at what's left of the Grumman plant. It was an interesting place to work.

Hope you enjoy the Sperry speeder.

MELGAR

@Strap Hanger posted:

Happy Switcher Sat, everyone!  Here’s my 44 tonner helping with some track side maintenance-

Nice switcher Strap.    .......and great looking scene.

It looks like you have enough people today to get some work done.........

...........not so much for my CSX maintenance crew.  The engineer said something about the guys going fishing for the week.   Rumor has it that they said the engine seemed to run fine.  Oookaaay

WISHING  EVERYONE  A  HAPPY  AND  SAFE  SWITCHER SATURDAY.

Nice switchers all, Have a good Saturday

@CAPPilot posted:

Good morning, SWSat'ers,

I guess I started this topic on Front End Friday, but I wanted to add some more images of the differences between my new (to me) MTH A5 and K-Line's A5.  I was really surprised at how much smaller the MTH version is.  Plus the MTH has much better detail.  My wife thinks it is cute.

K-Line in front.

MTH on the right.

I really like the MTH version.  Don't have enough room for both, so I guess it is time to sell the K-L.

CAPPilot,

I'd like to know which model is closest to scale size. I expect it's the MTH version.

I found a blueprint of the A-5s on line. It gives the driver wheelbase as 7-feet 3-inches (87 inches) and the length from the very front of the coupler to the rear of the cab (excluding roof overhang) as 27-feet 10-inches (334 inches). Scaling the blueprint, the overall length (front of coupler to rear of roof overhang) is about 32 feet (384 inches). On the model, these dimensions are approximately equivalent to wheelbase = 1-13/16 inches, front of coupler to rear cab wall = 7 inches, overall length = 8 inches. The overall lengths of my MTH NYC and PRR A-5 models are 8 inches, so the MTH seems to be correct. What is the overall length of the K-Line model? Thanks.

MELGAR

Mel. Isn't there a Sperry inspection facility in Shelton across from the reservoir? I believe several members stopped at our museum.

Hey good morning SwSat Crew, jhz thanks for gettin'er goin this morning.  Great pictures and videos for sure.  I was going through my trains (at 78 I am beginning to rationalize my collection) and found an interesting piece that I actually bought back in the 70's with the idea of creating some sort of On3 layout.  It never went further and this set got pushed back and forgotten.

Its Marklin and what we would call On3 (O scale on HO track) and Marklin sold the line under a name called Minex.  I don't know if they sell it anymore, it never seemed too popular.

Here are some views of the set box.  I can't translate "Guterzug" so I don't know what that means.  The pictures illustrate an extensive line of trains but I never saw much else in this line and eventually abandoned my idea of making a layout.

Here is the engine, clearly O scale, typical diesel industrial switcher.

Here are some pictures with her only car, a gondola.

Note the track.  Marklin (at least at this time) was somewhat unique in the area of HO.  The trains are AC and this track, although its not obvious is 3 rail like Lionel.  The third "rail" is actually a series of closely spaced bumps or vertical contacts that touch the very long power input under the loco.  The track as you can see is quite elaborate, with ballasting simulated.  It is all metal by the way, the ballast is lithographed tinplate.

Well that's it for me this fine Saturday.  Enjoy the 3 day weekend as we celebrate Indigenous People Day !

Best Wishes

Don

@CAPPilot posted:

Good morning, SWSat'ers,

I guess I started this topic on Front End Friday, but I wanted to add some more images of the differences between my new (to me) MTH A5 and K-Line's A5.  I was really surprised at how much smaller the MTH version is.  Plus the MTH has much better detail.  My wife thinks it is cute.

"  My wife thinks it is cute "

Amen Ron........can't ask for more than this.

@DMASSO posted:

Mel. Isn't there a Sperry inspection facility in Shelton across from the reservoir? I believe several members stopped at our museum.

Don Masso,

Yes, that's correct.

@Don McErlean posted:

I can't translate "Guterzug" so I don't know what that means.

Don

Don McErlean,

"Guterzug" translates as "goods train" - literally, freight train.

MELGAR

@Donnie Kennedy posted:

Picked up this nice C&O 624 switcher circa 1952.

I looked at this photo of the 1952 C&O 624 and then I  looked in my mirror Don.

Your 624 wins handsdown.     Nice switcher.

@MELGAR - Thanks Melgar, it makes the box more meaningful and the label more logical.

Don

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

LC+ D&H smoking diesel hauling Northeastern boxcars:

I just noticed you can hear the sounds of the Lionel Pennsy Tugboat including seagulls in the background.

Arnold

Seagulls and tugboat backround sounds make this one nice video Arnold

@coach joe posted:

JHZ, thanks for getting this train rolling once again.

Mel outstanding 0-8-0.  Again the sounds make it seem as if it's going faster than it actually is.  I was going to ask if you were slowing it down in the curves or if it was slowing due to the curve itself.  Then I remembered you were shooting the video so the curved track must be causing the slow down.

Andy nice 2-6-0.  Sorry to ear about the Covid.  Irene caught it from a friend of hers our last night on Long Island two weeks ago and I came down with it this past Monday.  We were both prescribed Paxlovid.  If you are having bad symptoms maybe you can get a prescription.  It must be taken within 5 days of experiencing the symptoms.

FYI, my wife had Covid in June and the Paxlovid improved her condition quickly once she started on it on Day Four. Her doctor thought that it was only good if started by Day Two (which was the original CDC guidance) but I found out that that guidance had been updated to “within the first five days”. She called her doctor back and informed her of this change by CDC and so got the Paxlovid Rx in time to help her recover more quickly.
just a head’s up.

Now, “back to our regular programming.”  Switchers, that is…

Good afternoon fellow switcher fans!  Thanks JHZ563 for getting us rolling today!  Here are my switcher pics for this edition of SWSAT.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

Topping off the sand bin.

Passing switchers.

Family portrait.

0-8-0 C&O switcher taking on water.

@MELGAR posted:

The overall lengths of my MTH NYC and PRR A-5 models are 8 inches, so the MTH seems to be correct. What is the overall length of the K-Line model? Thanks.

MELGAR,

I will get that measurement the next time I work on the layout.

It is just not the length that is different, but the heith, width, boiler diameter, dome sizes, most everything is smaller on the MTH.

I have read several times that the MTH (and the same size Weaver) are scale (1:48), meaning the K-Line, and now Lionel, is oversize.  That is why I wanted the MTH version (heard there is difficulty in getting all command control electronics, sound, couplers, etc. into the Weaver).

@MELGAR posted:

Bob,

We used to pass by the Sperry plant in Lake Success when I was a youngster on Long Island. I wonder if the Sperry plant is still there. After college, I returned to Long Island and worked as an engineer at Grumman on US Navy airplanes (F-14, A-6) and the Gulfstream II business jet. I try to take a ride down to Long Island every few years to have a look at what's left of the Grumman plant. It was an interesting place to work.

Hope you enjoy the Sperry speeder.

MELGAR

Mel- The Sperry plant and buildings are long gone. My dad watched the plant shrink over the years along with  the business. The whole area along Marcus Ave is an office park now.

The Grumman plant is mostly still there. Northrup-Grumman still has a presence. Most of the assembly buildings have been repurposed into Amazon warehouses and TV production studios, car dealer service centers, etc. .
My former boss was in Liaison Engineering at Grumman on the F-14. He went to Florida and worked on LEM #4 too.

Fairchild has been mostly demolished and rebuilt as Republic Airport, a regional private and commercial airport. The whole north end is a shopping center now.

Great memories but sad that it's all gone now.

Thanks

Gentlemen, thanks for posting the beautiful switchers today, there’s some really cool switchers pictured here. @CAPPilot, I like both of your 0-4-0 steamers, and for the record Lionel is coming out with a Legacy version 0-4-0 steamer soon. Is it really a K-Line mould? This is a very informative thread, keep the pictures coming. Happy Railroading Everyone

@Dallas Joseph posted:

I looked at this photo of the 1952 C&O 624 and then I  looked in my mirror Don.

Your 624 wins handsdown.     Nice switcher.

Difference is, she's had work done to keep her going. . She's all plastic and fillers too. 😉

@Donnie Kennedy posted:

Difference is, she's had work done to keep her going. . She's all plastic and fillers too. 😉

Same here Don .

@trumpettrain posted:

Family portrait.

0-8-0 C&O switcher taking on water.

Great scenery for this SWSAT  Patrick.

@Don McErlean posted:

Here are some pictures with her only car, a gondola.

Note the track.  Marklin (at least at this time) was somewhat unique in the area of HO.  The trains are AC and this track, although its not obvious is 3 rail like Lionel.  The third "rail" is actually a series of closely spaced bumps or vertical contacts that touch the very long power input under the loco. 

Pretty darn unique Don.  That track is definitely something else with the little bumps for the third rail.

Interesting and nice .

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Great scenery for this SWSAT  Patrick.

Thanks so much Dallas!  

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Pretty darn unique Don.  That track is definitely something else with the little bumps for the third rail.

Interesting and nice .

Marklin still makes their HO track this way, even though their locomotives use DCC now.

@leapinlarry posted:

…….for the record Lionel is coming out with a Legacy version 0-4-0 steamer soon. Is it really a K-Line mould?

The first “scale” A5s were K-Line by Lionel.  They issued these K-Line engines a few more times under the Lionel banner.   The LionChief engines have the modern headlight, but I don’t know if it is an upgraded K-Line mold or a new design.  Maybe someone who has the LionChief can help us out.

If Lionel got the MTH mold for the Legacy version that would be great.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Same here Don .

Dallas you're making me laugh with this response.

Also great catch on the Marklin track.  I didn't notice the "third rail".

I’m a little late, but here is a recent project I just completed. A pair of Rutland USRA 0-8-0 switcher. These started life as NYC and CNW. I added white walls and white running boards where prototypical, relettered, and remembered them both.  The Rutland had two usra 0-8-0s but unfortunately these have never been made in o scale. Thanks to @Dave_C for the inspiration and guidance!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=jH...qw&feature=share