Switcher Saturday: 2015-Nov-21

Speaking of variations on a theme...

A couple of years ago, a layoutless friend came over toting his shiny, new River Raisin USRA 0-6-0's:

Front to back: B&OCT, NYC, NKP, PRR.

Rusty

those look great guys.have a great day.

Northern Pacific RS-11 downgraded to switching duty.

      Bill T.

It's a frigid late afternoon and the yard job has paused at the diner to pick up coffee. The Engineer sits with Central Railroad of New Jersey SW9 1093 as the rest of the crew heads inside to place their orders. Railroading is a harsh business in winter time, particularly for crewmen on the ground in windswept yards. The family owned diner has served several generations of railroaders and is a welcomed gathering place for employees of all crafts as is evidenced by the Maintenance of Way vehicle parked outside.

Bob

A picture of a picture from Horseshoe Curve Park, Altoona, PA

Yay! Sw Sat is on!

Great pics so far guys.

I have always been interested in the Dynamic Brake blister and tanks on the Lionel Alaska 614 NW2 switch engine. This week I am posting some images of Pacific Northwest logging switchers that are equipped with these interesting clusters.

Lionel so far has only put these on the 614 (and repros), the MPC Alaska switcher and the White Pass NW2.

Somewhere in my pile of someday projects I have a yellow Lionel US Navy NW2 Cow and Calf that I want to add these clusters to. I have yet to find an image of a Dynamic brake equipped Calf but I think it would look cool.

D&H RS3 from what one of the later Lionel Service Station Sets.

Here's a couple of pics from my old layout....

Paul

Here are a couple of yard Goats one an MTH Dummy and the other a Williams powered unit. BTW they are 4-sale see 4-sale thread

CNJ 3676 - Very nice photos and great story to go with them!  Thanks for sharing!

Good morning fellow switcher lovers!  Here is my B&A switcher SW 9.  Photo one with crew and photo 2 loco and caboose heading south with their switch list for today. Have a great weekend everyone!

Rich - I'm still keeping an eye out for a B&A switcher for you.

Hi, Patrick.

Thank you for your very kind comments. Drawing upon a combination of knowledge and personal experience, I always enjoy describing what the viewers are seeing in the pictures I post.

Thanks again,

Bob  

This is a recent acquisition from a friend. My youngest son Mark, now twenty two, likes the Alaska RR.

Don

It's SWSAT time, Baby!!

I'm still not doing any hands-on modeling (other than purchasing for later use)... so it would seem a great time to pontificate and profusely proliferate profound pertinent pondering points for the great masses of switcher enthusiasts out there in forum land.

Today we will discuss diesel switcher paint scheme EVOLUTION. (Already sounds exciting, doesn't it?)

Many moons ago (decades, actually), as I delved deeper into the ways of the Frisco, it came as quite a surprise that their black w/yellow stripes diesel switcher paint scheme was NOT the "original" paint scheme, but was an end result of an evolution of sorts. Soon after discovering this heavy revelation, I began to see that not only the Frisco, but MANY other railroads, also followed an evolution in their diesel switcher paint schemes. I found that interesting.

Imagine my surprise to find that the FIRST Baldwin switcher to arrive on Frisco property was dressed up in this elegant red white and blue paint scheme:

The dark body color is blue. The stripe was either white or a very light gray. The "FRISCO LINES" lettering was red, and the trucks were either painted an aluminum color or basic silver. Quite a spectacle!

Why they dispensed with the above paint scheme is a mystery, but it is supposed that it didn't weather well among the steam engine environ they were called upon to work. So, in short order, the Frisco began painting their growing Baldwin fleet into a basic "railroad black", with some hazard stripes thrown on for good measure.  Here's a picture of what is believed to be the Frisco's first black w/yellow stripes paint scheme:

Note that the "railroad roman" style of cab number was retained, as well as retaining the silver paint on the trucks.  Also note a very small Frisco "Coonskin" herald was on the long hood. This transitional paint scheme was only used for a very short time. (A year or so, or even only a few months?)

It seemed that with the next evolutionary paint scheme did away with the Coonskin herald on the hood, being replaced by "FRISCO" on the hood done in a "railroad roman" type of font. The silver trucks were retained. Here is an example of that scheme:

Next up, we pretty much see the end result of the "Full Stripe" paint scheme. Most (but not all, more on that below) of the switchers now wore the name "FRISCO" on the hood in the same stylized font that some of the new EMD F and Alco FA road units were being delivered with, as well as some of the new "road switchers". Note that I used the word "most", but not the word "all", for some of the NW/SW's and S-2's retained the "railroad roman" type font until they were repainted in either orange and white, or repainted with the later "simplified" black w/yellow stripe scheme.  OH, and note that by this time the it appears that the Frisco said "screw it" with keeping the silver trucks looking good, and simply painted the trucks black.  Here is VO660 wearing the final itineration of the "Full Stripe" scheme:

So there you have it: The evolution of the Frisco's early paint schemes on their switcher fleet! 

Now, what does this have to do with modeling, you might wonder?

Easy: Since learning this so long ago, and seeing as I've returned to my proto-lanced Kansas City & Gulf modeling theme, then I am going to incorporate such evolution in my diesel schemes as well to give more "depth" to the diesel roster, as well as offer me the ability to have more variety among the paint schemes, both elements being fun to me.

Now, I COULD emulate the Rock Island, for they suffered terribly from DPS syndrome (i.e. Dysfunctional Paint Scheme syndrome) on their switchers, road units, and even road switchers, but especially the switchers, flitting from scheme to scheme.

And, admittedly, I will incorporate one or two Rock Island inspired ideas into my KC&G switcher paint schemes... but I won't go overboard.

Okay, that's it for my installment of SWSAT!  Haven't you gotten smarter?  Aren't I AMAZING???

Here is a video of the B&A SW 9 at crossing at grade with freight train and B&A caboose bringing up the rear.

Out of curiosity, would anyone be interested if MTH did a run of SW9s painted in the Montour Bicentennial and Montour 82 paint schemes? (last photo is from Age of Steam website)

laming:

The first scheme was essentially the prototype for the paint job used on the first group of 4500s (4-8-4s) to appear on the roster and assigned to the heavyweight Meteors.  But only the first few of the 4500s wore the scheme, and not many of the switchers, either.  The fiscal and supply realities of the war caught up with them. 

Shortly after the war, the new president, Clark Hungerford, decreed that those frivolous paints schemes would go. He famously asked of the catchy FFF (Frisco Fast Freight) scheme:  "How much tonnage does that move?" followed immediately by:  "Get it off there," meaning that all later steam engine paint jobs would be black.  The switcher schemes got caught up in the fallout.

At least that's the way I read Collias.

Been bustin' at the seams, saving the introduction of this pair for SWSAT.  I might be the first to post B1's on SWSAT? 

As is, the level of paint quality wasn't up to my standards.  Time to get them nekid!

One quart of lacquer thinner later and we're back to square one.  Made by N J International, more commonly known these days for electrical goodies and signals.  I'm guessing they were manufactured mid '60's to early '70's for the 2 rail o gauge aficionado. 

If it doesn't take heavy modification, I'll try 3 railing the pair at some later date.  For now, they'll make great shelf queens.

Bruce

very nice Bruce!

Finally get my a brand new GBW -#101 caboose, which Brother Love build to me. Thanks Malcolm, the caboose is fabulous.

Here is another video, and some photos.  

I would.  

I too find these very interesting.  I certainly wouldn't object if one of the manufacturers decide to produce one or more of these in "O!"  

You're welcome to decal sets, for a custom Montour SW.  Keep in mind early SW, 70, 71, 72, and maybe more, were SW 7's   I would need a mailing address, or you could pick-them-up at the next Fort Pitt TCA meet.    76 was bicentennial, was also the one wrecked via the run-a-way earth mover.

 Custom paint Atlas SW-9s.

Pittsburgh Chartiers and Youghiogheny H10-44