Switcher Saturday: 2017-May-20

ERIE

Happy Switcher Saturday everyone.

Pictured below is my MTH Premier Long Island Railroad A-5s 0-4-0 steam switcher.

Although the engine is lettered for the LIRR, it is a model of a Pennsylvania Railroad A-5s 0-4-0 locomotive such as was produced at the Juniata shops between 1916 and 1924. These engines weighed 131,750 pounds, produced 30,190 pounds tractive force and ran at a boiler pressure of 185 pounds-per-square-inch on 50-inch driving wheels.

The LIRR was owned by the PRR between 1900 and 1968. During that time various types of PRR steam power ran on the LIRR, most notably the G-5s 4-6-0 Ten-wheeler and the H-10s 2-8-0 Consolidation. However, I could find no evidence that any A-5 locomotive  ever ran on the LIRR. Nonetheless, having grown up on Long Island, this model is one of my favorites. 

At this point, I’ve posted pictures of every one of my switcher locomotives on SWSAT. Not sure what I’ll post next week…

MELGAR

Yay SWSat is On!

We are off to a great start. Nice ephemera Tom. I'm sure you have quite a bit. 

I found myself in Long Island City this week and am posting some pics from there. I figure Sunnyside Yard will counter the rainy kids soccer game I'm heading to. 

I was not sure how much would be left from Pennsy days but there was a good bit. They are hard at work altering things for the East side /Grand Central connection for the LIRR. 

Nobody wearing bikinis at the car wash today.

It was a very hot and sunny day I didn't spot any specific switchers but a full yard those ACS-64s look very nice. The yard is hard to take pics of with all the security fences. The IPhone lens can fit very nicely into very small holes and can get shots that I could not otherwise get. Some of the openings were 1/2 inch. In a way using the phone and taking pictures is the only way I could "see" what I was looking at. It does account for the darkened framing in some of the shots. Oh well.

So here is my view from soccer. Hellgate Bridge.

Have a great weekend. 

Great pictures everyone!

SIRT- Your layout is super realistic. Always like your weathering touches and those pallets add to the realism.

MIKE.CARUSO- Lots of cool activity on your layout. 

MELGAR- Nice looking A5. Yes, I don't recall ever seeing any pictures of A5's on the Long Island either, but I wouldn't be surprised if a photo of one pops up. 

SILVERLAKE- Andy, nice photos, including what looks like an old powerhouse as well as the neat tower. Love the Hell Gate photo!

Tom

Thanks, Tom, for getting SWSAT rolling this morning. That PRR book is awesome. What a find!

You can always count on a friendly wave from the switcher crew.

time for some switching....

Tom...send 228 over to me, I'll clean it right up for ya.....and nice find on the PRR book. Looks like just the thing a SPF would need.

Melgar, I only have two switchers myself, with a third as a project, so I mainly post pics of real engines. But if all else fails, do what us old car guys do...pics with the hood up, hood closed,doors open, etc...

since the LIRR was mentioned,here are two pics I came up with. builders photo of 0-6-0 #198

and 0-8-0 #269

Happy SWSat everyone!

Great posts today as usual.

Silverlake Andy- nice shots of Sunnyside. I usually only get to see it from the train. I don't know if Amtrak or NJ Transit use any switchers in the yard. They have that big reversing loop running around the perimeter that they use to reverse trains. Probably one of the most congested areas in track per square mile anywhere in the world. The Harold Interlocking is one complex maze of trackage. LIRR, Amtrak, NYC Transit, NJ Transit all run through this area.

Melgar- Any LIRR steamer is a good one weather it actually ran the Island or not. Nice loco.

Nice score on the book Tom. You could start building your own 1:1 railroad with those drawings.

Great post everyone else too!

Nothing new on the RSJ&B this week. Moved our oldest back home from College this week so the house is a bit upside down. Maybe some new LIRR rolling stock of my own soon if I get lucky with the auction I'm watching.

Here's most of my still growing collection of switchers.

I remember reading that an A5 was used at Creedmore to switch the leads. It would go to Morris Park for a boiler wash and maintenance. 

My apologies, for misspelling Creedmoor. The 0-4-0 was an A3 used at Central Islip State hospital.

More info on Dave Keller's site:    http://www.trainsarefun.com/li...%20Car-Loco-Data.htm

aoslapas posted:

My apologies, for misspelling Creedmoor. The 0-4-0 was an A3 used at Central Islip State hospital.

More info on Dave Keller's site:    http://www.trainsarefun.com/li...%20Car-Loco-Data.htm

Cool history.

ABBRAIL-Thomas, nice looking Beep there! 

BRIANSILVERMUSTANG- Looks like you are helping the economy all by yourself. 

STEAMER- Dave nice looking LIRR power. 

RSJB18- Looks like you need some signals to keep your power spread out! 

AOSLAPAS- Thanks for sharing that story, I remember seeing that once before. 

I  need to run some errands...don't post any animal pictures and get us deleted! 

Tom 

Tom, Thank you for filling in for Rich on my favorite thread.

Today in Garyville it's spring of 1955. The all new 1955 Chevrolet's are selling right off the transports.

The LV 627 has just brought in a second load to the siding, and the salesmen are showing them off to the waiting customers.

The new Menard's transports are nice but I prefer my old 6414 stuffed with Road Champs 55 Chevy's.

AzGary

MNCW, STEAMER, RSJB18, and AOSLAPAS,

Glad you liked the pictures of the A-5 model.

Yes, according to the book "The Pennsy Era on Long Island," by Ron Ziel, PRR A-3 0-4-0 type switcher number 03 "spent several decades operating on the Island" and was later used at the Central Islip State Hospital. As a youngster, I remember driving past there. It was a foreboding place. I found no other references to PRR four-wheel switchers on the LIRR. Sounds like a good thesis topic... Thanks for the comments.

MELGAR

Great photos and fantastic information everyone!!!  Tom - thanks for pinch hitting for Rich today!  Here is some Ma & Pa on the Mt. Division of the Free State Junction Railway.  Have a wonderfully creative week everyone!!Here is a little something from the Free State Junction Railway.

TRUMPTRAIN-Patrick, nice photos of your "Ma & Pa" activity. 

AZGARY- I like your load of Chevy's. I'll take the Nomad between the tracks! 

Tom

trumptrain posted:

Great photos and fantastic information everyone!!!  Tom - thanks for pinch hitting for Rich today!  Here is some Ma & Pa on the Mt. Division of the Free State Junction Railway.  Have a wonderfully creative week everyone!!Here is a little something from the Free State Junction Railway.

I really like that SW1 and caboose. I also like your scenery choices. Do you use  any tubular rail on the FSJ Ry? It looks like all GarGraves that I've seen from your photos. I'm strongly leaning toward GarGraves, but, I like the look of tubular rail also, for some prewar locomotives and cars I have.

Switching the layout with #1455 a 1500Hp SWEEP (SW cab and GP7 long hood).

DIVERGINGCLEAR- Nice looking boxcabs.

CBS072-If you kitbashed those 2 diesels yourself, great job. 

Tom 

Very nice Sweep rebuild Keith! Wow!

I do like the creative rebuild projects the prototype Railroads were doing as the first generation diesels where wearing out. They are very distinctive and evoke a very particular time and place. There is a good article in the current Model Railroad News mag about the Paducah Geep rebuilds. 

I purchased the SWEEP shell at a train show for $3.00.  Did not know what type of frame that it would fit on. Got home and it fit on a K-line MP15 frame.  Painted it to Santa Fe, added ERR TMCC.   Runs like a K=line MP15. It's not a BEEP so I could not #1460.

Love the MA & PA photos and the layout scenery thanks