Switcher Saturday: 2016-Oct-22

Yay! SWSat is on!

Yes Rich sleep is good. Can't agree more on this rainy fall morning. My shelf layout is a shambles so I have a random bit of research images to show this morning. Kind of a chain of thought post. 

I have been looking for possible sites to model aspects of my layout on I don't want to do anything exactly the same but a flavor that could be a site for a photo or something. I like urban switching  and live in NYC so a historical look back is interesting to me. I started with researching Highbridge yard and Sedgwick Ave terminal on the Putnam Branch

Picture searching led me to theWestside of Manhattan and the 72 st yard. I like this bridge up to Riverside drive and the nice apt buildings and park up there versus the working area down here.   I love these details in this one like that pile of lanterns.  

Another shot of the 72st yard furture south  the bridge is in the background and the roundhouse on the left is near the Hudson River. My son plays baseball here every spring.

This one is a bit of an odd one but I really like it. These crazy contraptions are steam dummies  on the old ElevatedRR. They are steam engines in disguise. There is even a shell of one on that dock to the left. It is a terminal in Greenwich Village in the 1890's.  the buildings are still extant. The back edge of the terminal fronted on Broadway so if you pushed too hard your train could fall into the street. 

I keep some things in old wooden  beer crates. ON of my favorites is a Narragansett beer crate from the 1930's or so.i got it when I lived in Rhode Island a place I have fond memories of. So here is a shot of a New Haven 0-8-0 switching the  Narragansett Brewery in Cranston RI. 

Here is a much older shot of the workers with one of thier cars full of beer NYNE was one of New Havens predecessors.

This one I just liked the image. A crazy train load of shells

Have a great weekend. 

Morning everyone!

OK, so....  The reason I woke up late is because I was actually adding a small switching yard to my "workbench dog-bone loop" last night until pretty late.

Here are some lousy pictures I took before going to bed, I'll update you guys with better pictures.  The switching yard is comprised of O-27 transitioned to FastTrack since I had a manual FastTrack turnout and I had the uncoupler sections sitting in a box unused.  

One thing that jumped out at me last night was how long this "tiny" layout is now, I think it's 16' long and it started with a single O-27 circle - just for testing and working on the trains.

I'm probably going to replace the switch/turnout you see here in this picture to the left of the ZW with a FastTrack switch, and do the transition from O-27 to FastTrack right after the other switch in the loop.  I just need to save up a hundred bucks of lunch money to buy the darn thing - FastTrack remote switches aren't cheap. 

I'll run the control buttons and the switch levers to a central location and surface mount them on the facade probably.

Everything from the ZW to the right was added last night.  Previously we stored boxes of old books there, I'll need to find a good spot somewhere else for them!

Something of a personal throwback this weekend.   My junior conductor was anxious to get thing else out of the garage this week, which is cramped full of stuff since we are trying to sell the house.  A little digging turned up the k-line kennecott copper engine from 1997! 

Since the little guy watches Thomas he thinks most engines should have a name.  When he pressed for a name for this one I called it Kenny, which my little guy thought was fantastic.  

Happy switcher Saturday guys!!

Great pictures & background SilverLake/Andy, the yard for the steam dummies looks like it would have been a crazy little yard to run!

Hey Mike, love the Western MD switcher - the weather today here in Maryland is nice and chilly and windy, my favorite as it feels like fall outside!

jhz563 posted:

 

Looks like a nice engine JHZ, what else you got in that garage hiding ;-)

Best...Rich

Here are some pics I've saved from here and there on the web over the last couple weeks.

This one is cool because it's got two different switchers?  What's not to like?

Alaska Railroad critter?

According to WikiPedia, this Northwestern Pacific Switcher was built in 1910 and scrapped in 1948 or 1949.

Note:  I thought this one was a switcher, but according to this website this one is likely a 2-8-0 Consolidation (NYC #1199)  http://www.railarchive.net/nyc...nyc_roster_rrmag.pdf    Maybe we'll call it an honorary switcher since the picture is so cool...

Murnane posted:

 

 

I'm probably going to replace the switch/turnout you see here in this picture to the left of the ZW with a FastTrack switch, and do the transition from O-27 to FastTrack right after the other switch in the loop.  I just need to save up a hundred bucks of lunch money to buy the darn thing - FastTrack remote switches aren't cheap.

 

Yes Rich. Looks great!

You are right about Fasttrak being pricy$$$. Have you considered Gargraves. They are quite inexpensive if you go with manual and can be upgraded to powered at a later time if you want. I have been happy with manual on my small layout. It feels more "realistic" and makes things take longer making my layout seem bigger. 

Last week I almost finished this crew shed for my club layout the NYSME in Carlstat NJ. This is a very old Gloorcraft kit based on an article from the Nov 1958 Modelrailroader magazine. I have never made a kit like this. I followed a lot of advice from other members and I am proud of how it is turning out. I only have the ridge to finish. Next week, Saturday we are hosting a show with the METCA. 

great pics guys. and a nice addition Rich.

Silver Lake posted:

This one is a bit of an odd one but I really like it. These crazy contraptions are steam dummies  on the old ElevatedRR. They are steam engines in disguise. There is even a shell of one on that dock to the left. It is a terminal in Greenwich Village in the 1890's.  the buildings are still extant. The back edge of the terminal fronted on Broadway so if you pushed too hard your train could fall into the street. 

Andy/Silver Lake, I liked all your photos but especially this one. Regarding the foreground, a dummy from Yonkers (me) noticed that the steam dummy is actually named for my hometown of Yonkers (NY). You can just about make out the writing on the side of the boxy shrouding. Yonkers has many nicknames, "The City of Gracious Living," "The City of Hills, and one of my favorites, "The City of Hills where nothing is on the level!" 

Tom 

MNCW posted

 

Yonkers has many nicknames, "The City of Gracious Living," "The City of Hills, and one of my favorites, "The City of Hills where nothing is on the level!" 

Tom 

Sounds appropriately shifty Tom.

I will always think of it as the town of "Hello Dolly". Not sure why. 

Good morning fellow switcher lovers!!  Great photos and lots of great information already today!!  Here are some shots from the Free State Junction Railway.  Have a great weekend!!!

Happy Switcher Saturday to all. Nice pics & stories again. Here are couple GBW S2 #201 pics.

Here's a few shots of my old #623....still one of my favorites.

Hey Rich,

This is my first post for Switcher Saturday. I don't have any scenery, but I figured I'd post anyway. This is my Long Island S-2.

Great job everyone  !  Great pictures of real trains as well ! 

My recently acquired Ford Motor Company Plymouth Switcher

C&S switch is working on the back end  of CF at Conway 

SantaFe158 posted:

My recently acquired Ford Motor Company Plymouth Switcher

How funny. I just "found" this same little Ford set in my train storage area. For a bit I was getting these sets because I really like the little ore jennies as great 19th century cars. I love the Plymouths too but they are from such different eras. If Kline had continuned I would hope they had packed thier Porters with the cars because they look a bit better together and more era appropriate.

Steamfan777, It's Switcher Saturday.  The switchers are all that matter.  Looks like a nice track plan for the S2 to be working.

Steamfan77 posted:

Hey Rich,

This is my first post for Switcher Saturday. I don't have any scenery, but I figured I'd post anyway. This is my Long Island S-2.

couldn't agree more with Coach Joe, this track work is awesome, and that switcher is great, reminds me of my childhood "home" (Long Island, NY).  Thanks for sharing

Thanks Coach! You can see my track plan and more pics with my build thread here: https://ogrforum.com/t...ad-oyster-bay-branch

Glad to bring some memories back for you Rich, and thanks for this thread, I really enjoy it! I'll be posting an update soon.

Andy

Picked this up at York...its a first generation Atlas SW switcher I don't even model this railroad but for 60 bucks I bought it...runs great ! These things retailed for $349.00 back in 1999.

Nice pick up Bob!