Switcher Saturday: 2017-Jan-14

Yay! SWSat is on!

Great start this week Rich. I like the new background on the layout. That short train looks great. 

Later today I am going to find my way to Paterson NJ for the Trainfest so maybe I'll see some Switcher action there. 

Yesterday I went to the MTA Museum Annex at Grand Central Terminal to see the TW Trainworx layout there. I got a nice pic of the Lionel S Motor appropriately on on of the layover tracks there in the model terminal. 

This is a model that I would really like to have at some point. 

Now that I am looking at the pics I am really impressed with the image quality of my new iPhone 7 my wife got me for Christmas. This pic was taken through grubby plexiglass.

The MTA layout is up through the beginning of February and you can really avoid the crowds if you go after the holiday rush.

Have a great weekend guys and if anyone here goes to Trainfest I would love to sit and talk switchers over some of those great stuffed shells. 

Another geep headed out ................

Pictures show my New Haven Y-3 0-8-0 #3400 steam switcher model with PS-2 by MTH. The real thing was a USRA standardized locomotive design built by ALCO Schenectady and delivered to the New Haven in September, 1920, the first of 35 examples they purchased. These switchers were used all over the railroad until 1952. They were followed in 1924 by the New Haven Y-4 3600 class 0-8-0 3-cylinder steam switcher of which I never have seen an O scale model.

MELGAR

Silver Lake posted:

Yay! SWSat is on!

Great start this week Rich. I like the new background on the layout. That short train looks great. 

Later today I am going to find my way to Paterson NJ for the Trainfest so maybe I'll see some Switcher action there. 

Yesterday I went to the MTA Museum Annex at Grand Central Terminal to see the TW Trainworx layout there. I got a nice pic of the Lionel S Motor appropriately on on of the layover tracks there in the model terminal. 

This is a model that I would really like to have at some point. 

Now that I am looking at the pics I am really impressed with the image quality of my new iPhone 7 my wife got me for Christmas. This pic was taken through grubby plexiglass.

The MTA layout is up through the beginning of February and you can really avoid the crowds if you go after the holiday rush.

Have a great weekend guys and if anyone here goes to Trainfest I would love to sit and talk switchers over some of those great stuffed shells. 

I still have an iPhone 5c I believe it is.  It takes better photos and videos than my Kodak Easyshare digital ever did.  I love the subject of your photo, by the way.  

Great pictures everyone. My contribution is from Aaron G. Fryer, taken in  Sept. 1958 of the last active Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotive, the sole survivor, #5244. Leased to Union Transportation, it is seen emerging from its enginehouse in New Egypt, New Jersey--ready to perform its local switching chores. It would be retired less than a year later, bringing down the curtain on one of the most extensive steam programs.

Tom 

Tom! Union Transportation in New Egypt NJ.  Nice! 

Andy, Thanks & see if you can find any railroad ties in that picture.

Also, nice S-motor pictures!

Tom 

MNCW posted:

Andy, Thanks & see if you can find any railroad ties in that picture.

Also, nice S-motor pictures!

Tom 

 

Are the ties in the pile to the right? Haha

first the weekend tinplate thread got a late start..now Switcher Saturday...oh the humanity!

here's a few real life switchers, next week I should have a few of my 1662 ans 1615 moving a couple new projects into the yard....as soon as I get up after a 12 hour midnight.

I was planning to go tot the show in Wheeling tomorrow...but I promised The Boss I would take her antiquing today for her birthday.....

Murnane posted:

I hope everyone has a nice weekend, I might run up to a show here in Arbutus Maryland this morning, not sure yet but if I do I'll be wearing my Lionel baseball cap I got for Christmas, see modeling headshot below.  Patrick/TrumpTrain and I might try to meet up, if we do we'll have someone take a picture of the two of us handsome devils. 

 

Hi Rich, Handsome? Well, your picture reminds me of the couple observing the Kramer portrait on Seinfeld, several years ago:

Morning and Happy Switcher Saturday everyone! Andy: enjoy your outing to "Trainstock" today.   

As someone who is always happy to recommend good books, my contribution for this week is the mention of the Steel Mill Railroads In Color series of volumes published by Morning Sun. By their very nature, industrial railroads typically roster switchers as their primary type of motive power and these MSB books offer many wonderful images of steel plant switchers. Photography of plant railroads was often difficult if not impossible in many cases so we're fortunate to have these books available to us.

Pictured below is Volume 1 of the series. The initial installment sold out in record time for MSB, thus generating numerous additions to  the series in its wake. I highly recommend these books to anyone who appreciates switchers and switching.

Bob

Happy SWSAT everyone!

The new slope back tender came in this week for engine 8632. Atlantic Coast Lines shipped the tender up north from Florida. Here are some photos of the new tender getting switched on to the Loco. 2174 did the honors of moving the tender. 8632 went right into service in the yards. 

Silver Lake posted:

Yay! SWSat is on!

Great start this week Rich. I like the new background on the layout. That short train looks great. 

Later today I am going to find my way to Paterson NJ for the Trainfest so maybe I'll see some Switcher action there. 

Yesterday I went to the MTA Museum Annex at Grand Central Terminal to see the TW Trainworx layout there. I got a nice pic of the Lionel S Motor appropriately on on of the layover tracks there in the model terminal. 

This is a model that I would really like to have at some point. 

Now that I am looking at the pics I am really impressed with the image quality of my new iPhone 7 my wife got me for Christmas. This pic was taken through grubby plexiglass.

The MTA layout is up through the beginning of February and you can really avoid the crowds if you go after the holiday rush.

Have a great weekend guys and if anyone here goes to Trainfest I would love to sit and talk switchers over some of those great stuffed shells. 

Maybe if the MTA gets their act together and finishes the east side access project. Us Long Islanders could take the train to see the trains. 

Dan Padova posted:

Silver Lake posted:

Yay! SWSat is on!

Great start this week Rich. I like the new background on the layout. That short train looks great. 

Later today I am going to find my way to Paterson NJ for the Trainfest so maybe I'll see some Switcher action there. 

Yesterday I went to the MTA Museum Annex at Grand Central Terminal to see the TW Trainworx layout there. I got a nice pic of the Lionel S Motor appropriately on on of the layover tracks there in the model terminal. 

This is a model that I would really like to have at some point. 

Now that I am looking at the pics I am really impressed with the image quality of my new iPhone 7 my wife got me for Christmas. This pic was taken through grubby plexiglass.

The MTA layout is up through the beginning of February and you can really avoid the crowds if you go after the holiday rush.

Have a great weekend guys and if anyone here goes to Trainfest I would love to sit and talk switchers over some of those great stuffed shells. 

I still have an iPhone 5c I believe it is.  It takes better photos and videos than my Kodak Easyshare digital ever did.  I love the subject of your photo, by the way.  

iPhone photo experience is exactly the same for me. Amazing!

Here are a few Switcher shots from Patterson At Trainstock 9. 

This is from one of the FB forums. I'd love to have one of these!

Don

Wow, great stuff guys, and yes, I won't give up my day job for modeling.

I went to the train show in Arbutus Maryland earlier today but wasn't able to catch up with TrumpTrain, it looks like I left about an hour or so before he arrived, next time!

I did pick up a couple goodies for the "Murnane Yard", a $1 wooden tower and a $20 Lionel Hobo Shack, not bad!  The tower needs some TLC (needs steps added to it, painting, etc.), but I think it's going to fit right in, even if I never get around to fixing it up.

@Silver Lake - Looks you are having fun, both with the trains and with the new iPhone, enjoy!  I saw one of those S-2's at a train show last year but the price was way out of my league.

@SIRT - you continue to knock our socks off with your weathering and pictures, thanks as always for so many good posts!

@MELGAR - I love that switcher, you've got great taste!  The bridge you built looks great too, very well done.

@PRR8976 - Great picture Tom, and love the reference to Seinfeld, one of my all time favorite shows

@CNJ 3676 - Thanks for posting about the book, I'm always looking for books like this so I'll keep an eye out.  A quick daBay search shows some of the volumes for ~$50, and unfortunately my local library looks like they don't carry it.

@RSJB18 - Looks like your having some serious switching fun there!  Thanks for walking us through the story with your pictures, I loved it!

@rail - I don't know what that thing is, but it looks cool!

Thanks again all!

Murnane posted:

Wow, great stuff guys, and yes, I won't give up my day job for modeling.

I went to the train show in Arbutus Maryland earlier today but wasn't able to catch up with TrumpTrain, it looks like I left about an hour or so before he arrived, next time!

I did pick up a couple goodies for the "Murnane Yard", a $1 wooden tower and a $20 Lionel Hobo Shack, not bad!  The tower needs some TLC (needs steps added to it, painting, etc.), but I think it's going to fit right in, even if I never get around to fixing it up.

 

 

@Silver Lake - Looks you are having fun, both with the trains and with the new iPhone, enjoy!  I saw one of those S-2's at a train show last year but the price was way out of my league.

@SIRT - you continue to knock our socks off with your weathering and pictures, thanks as always for so many good posts!

@MELGAR - I love that switcher, you've got great taste!  The bridge you built looks great too, very well done.

@PRR8976 - Great picture Tom, and love the reference to Seinfeld, one of my all time favorite shows

@CNJ 3676 - Thanks for posting about the book, I'm always looking for books like this so I'll keep an eye out.  A quick daBay search shows some of the volumes for ~$50, and unfortunately my local library looks like they don't carry it.

@RSJB18 - Looks like your having some serious switching fun there!  Thanks for walking us through the story with your pictures, I loved it!

@rail - I don't know what that thing is, but it looks cool!

Thanks again all!

Hey Rich,

 When I found it on EBay, I researched where the line was from since I had never heard of ACL. Figured it was a perfect story.

Best part is that the guy I bought the tender from was in Naples Fl., so its all true too.

Hi guys!  I'm late to the party today.  Too many things going on from the time my feet hit the floor this morning until just a few moments ago.  So sorry to have missed you Rich ... and so glad to see that you got some great finds at the Arbutus Show!!   I did make it to the show and bought a couple cool motor vehicles .... 1957 T Bird and a 1950 Mercury hardtop sedan.  They will fit nicely into the time period of my layout.   

For my SWSAT contribution this week, I dug back into my archives and found a snow plow extra powered by two B&O GP 9s.  A leased D&RGW rotary leads the way, powered by a B&O FA2 B unit followed by the Geeps, a combine car, and a B&O Jordan Spreader for leading the trains return trip.   This train is on its way to higher altitudes in the mountains surrounding Patsburg where their is a raging snow storm with 10 - 12 ft. drifts covering the main.   Seen here exiting  the northwest portal of  MT. Randolph, on the FJSR's Mountain Division.   The valley in which they now travel gives no hint of the winter storm this train will encounter in the next hour.  The rotary operator has already fired up the motors and the blade is turning in anticipation of the battle with Mother Nature ahead.  

Great photos and information everyone!  

Rich - great photo of you!!!  You also scored some nice things at Arbutus!!

Silver lake - Wow that S-2 is super cool!!  S-2s always says Jules Verne to me.  I actually owned one several years ago but had problems with it, returned it to the dealer for some BB-1s ( or perhaps BB-2s)  then had mechanical problems with those as well.  Lionel techs could not seem to fix them ( they went back to Lionel 4 times ) so I exchanged them ( getting a partial refund ) for a Western Maryland 2-8-0 Consolidation which worked just fine ( and still does ).

SIRT - WOW!!!!!!!  Switchers galore and all B&O ( my favorite road ) too!!!

Melgar - Its great to have you here on this thread!  I love the background info on your switcher   AND   too the photos!!!   Your bridge looks great!!

MNCW - Tom -  Cramer and Rich - nice to tie in Rich's photo with Seinfeld .... also one of my favorite shows of all time.

@rail - is that a Conrail  remote controlled shop switcher ?  Cool!

RSJB18 - Great photos!!!  Enjoy your new tender with your switcher!

rail posted:

This is from one of the FB forums. I'd love to have one of these!

Don

 

Found It! Its called a Bug, battery powered for moving equipment around yards.

http://conrailphotos.thecrhs.o...ail-locomotive-mover

Spent the day on this project.  A very early Atlas SW9 that had Dallee electronics (1998).  I acquired the parts needed to upgrade to TMCC.  Managed to get it running today.  Add an antenna tomorrow and done.

Used TAS electronics.

Speaker in the fuel tank, may be the biggest part of the project.

Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel SW900.  Hauling USS Slag cars.

Yes, it's time to get the Genset ready for duty, it's been shelved for some time.

Additional work on the Atlas SW9 this morning, Sunday 1/15, seems to be running well.