Switcher Saturday: 2016-Apr-23

Saw this on "the bay" last night, would love to grab up one of these at some point!

Happy Switcher Saturday. Rich, I have some old stereo-view cards that show slope-back tenders in the West Side of Manhattan where it should be New York Central territory, but they are pretty dark, too dark to display here. So, my opinion is they existed, but not sure for how long.

My contributions this week are my Pennsylvania Railroad #230 steam switcher, the second to last prewar switcher I bought and another Lionel ad...the #230 did not come with a tender so I put one together in my basement from lots of individual pieces and sources, sort of like Frankenstein! The ad is for the #701 scale version of Lionel's prewar steam switchers.

Rich, I guess only those of us with children or dogs need to be getting up on a Saturday this early? I am in the latter category! 

Tom 

Morning Tom, Hope you are doing well!

I had to lookup "stereo-view cards" and when I saw them I laughed because when I was digging around on the NYC public library picture database I couldn't figure out why so many pictures were duplicated next to one another, now I finally know, it's funny how much I learn here on the forum, even about non-train stuff!

It's kind of fun to tie the model trains we have to the older advertisements or catalogs, I was super excited this week to stumble upon that #1665 in the '97 catalog, just a neat feeling to say "hey, I have that!".

Regarding the early wake-ups, I have both kids and a dog, though the dog does NOT want to go out in the rain or when the deck/grass are wet, so I had to throw a ball out there today to get her motivated.

Best from Maryland...Rich

Yay! Happy SWSat !

And we are off to a great start so far. This week I am posting images of Switchers that fall into a kind of eccentric color scheme. Included are Whitcombs, EMDs, GreenGoats and Baldwins.

Oh and here is one more that my 4 year old really wants from Lionel.

Great pictures Andy, my little helper (Sara) has that little pet-shop Vulcan and loves it, some pics...

Purple Train, Purple train......

Tom (MNCW) I'm going to New Egypt NJ today and will try to do some Union Transportation RR hunting. 

What, I wonder, possessed Lionel to produce that particular switcher?

El Classico posted:

What, I wonder, possessed Lionel to produce that particular switcher?

entry level "girls" train, without actually calling it that?  My 10yr old daughter loves it, she got it for Christmas in 2014 and runs the train quite often when she's down in the basement.

Silver Lake posted:

Purple Train, Purple train......

 

That's awesome, a Switcher Saturday tribute to Prince, who knew we could be so darn clever! ;-)

Murnane posted:

El Classico posted:

What, I wonder, possessed Lionel to produce that particular switcher?

entry level "girls" train, without actually calling it that?  My 10yr old daughter loves it, she got it for Christmas in 2014 and runs the train quite often when she's down in the basement.

MEIN GOTT!!! They are following up that marketing disaster! I can just here the femenazis bashing the hobby for that one...

My entry today is just a shadow of some of the aforementioned entries...

A MTH VO-1000 working the yard.

Silver Lake posted:

Purple Train, Purple train......

Tom (MNCW) I'm going to New Egypt NJ today and will try to do some Union Transportation RR hunting. 

Andy,

  Good luck in your research. I may send you two images on your email if you could ask around if anyone can identify. Thanks very much! 

Tom 

Good Morning guys! Rich that 1665 may say New York Central, but you can't miss that Belpaire Firebox...

Ahhhh.... The smell of ozone on a Saturday morning.  The 622 finally in service. 

mike.caruso posted:

My entry today is just a shadow of some of the aforementioned entries...

Very creative, Mike!

Beer run....

Good morning Rich and fellow switcher lovers!  Fabulous photos everyone !   

Here are a few photos from The Free State Junction Railway here in Maryland where it's somewhat dreary outdoors. 

I'm at a kids track meet on Randall's  Island in the East River NYC. I caught a CSX light switch move from Oak Point to Sunnyside over the much less photographed Little Hellgate bridge that leads to the big one. 

Great pics everyone.

The Central did have an EMD switcher numbered 622!

I recorded this last week, but it is a switcher!

I am having one of those glad-to-be-alive days, enjoying my trains, so, while I am in a state of euphoric generosity, I feel like awarding some merits, more liberally than normal practice.  As you surely know, Company policy is that merits are awarded only rarely, and never more than ten at a time, for exceptional attention to duty.  The General Manager is on vacation, and, when he returns and sees how many merits I awarded, I myself will be on vacation and so the office staff can listen his rant.  (I'll have flowers sent to his secretary, and she'll forgive me for setting him off.)  No matter how cranky it makes the GM, This is an exceptional Switcher Saturday thread, and these merits are deserved.  The permanent records of the following individuals are hereby awarded ten merits:

• MURNANE, for keeping the weekly switch engine thread alive and calling attention to this humble, though essential, part of the model railroad scene.
• MIKE.CARUSO, for once again, submitting interesting and creative photography, this time featuring the silhouette of a switch engine.
• CAPPILOT, for assigning a snorting, double-tough, destruction-proof Baldwin-Westinghouse VO1000 to switch the passenger yard, where reliability is most critical.
• MCNW, for submitting the ad for the Lionel scale 0-6-0, which I never knew existed.
• DAVEP, for assigning a Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 to switch the beer house.  No diesel ever built could outperform an F-M unit at kicking cars on a switching lead or dropping cars into a customer's spur.  And for placing a Switchman with a flag to pass hand signals when using an NW2 to switch a long cut of cars on a curve.
• SILVER LAKE, for submitting a photo of a seldom-photographed switching movement on Hell Gate Bridge; and for submitting the photos of the Plymouth Gasoline-mechanical critter ACL 508, in full Champion dress.

LionChief Plus BN NW2 hard at work on the Milwaukee Lionel Railroad Club.

Rich M & Everyone - Awesome thread and posts!

Well said, Number 90!  This is one of the best SwSat threads....

My own SW9

RDG A4 Strasburg RR Pa March 1975. Photographer: Ilkka Hovi.

Number 90 posted:

• MCNW, for submitting the ad for the Lionel scale 0-6-0, which I never knew existed.

How do we all get one today for the listed price of $35? 

Tom

MNCW posted:

Number 90 posted:

• MCNW, for submitting the ad for the Lionel scale 0-6-0, which I never knew existed.

Tom ,

How do we all get one today for the listed price of $35? 

Tom

PC SW9 #9043 Ex PRR #9395 at Lancaster Pa March 1975. Photographer: Ilkka Hovi

Switcher Saturday!...Yes!...This week's edition is exceptional!...Can't tell you how much I look forward to reading each reply and enjoying the pictures...I especially like the little ACL Plymouth switcher...and the shadow of the train on the wall...

Howard...

Here's a short vide of a switcher doing her thing!

We made a quick run to the Strasburg Train Shop for some supplies. Heading back we stopped at Strasburg Rail Road for a few minutes. 

Switcher #8618 caught our eye and we found #764 (road switcher ?) further back in the yard. 

Not sure, but I believe  #764 was transferred from Morristown & Erie who ceased operations on the Maine Eastern this past year. A lot of remaining equipment is now in Whippany at the railroad 'museum'

DaveP posted:

Not sure, but I believe  #764 was transferred from Morristown & Erie who ceased operations on the Maine Eastern this past year. A lot of remaining equipment is now in Whippany at the railroad 'museum'

Yes upon returning to Whippany, #764 was leased to Strasburg. Pretty cool right? M&E and Strasburg who would've thought.

Thanks for posting the photo of the Maine Eastern geep.

I am shocked!!!  I had no idea that the Maine Eastern had ceased operation.  In 2008, we rode the passenger train and I was very impressed.  The track was smooth, the speed was substantial, and the train handling was velvet smooth, as good as I have ever experienced.  I am saddened to learn of the shutdown.