Switcher Saturday: 2018-Apr-28

Yay SWSat is on!

Wow Tom you are really putting yourself out there with admission of liking Penn Central. No doubt the Pennsy people will revoke your membership. 😜

This week I have a dogs breakfast of random switcher things. 

First up a Lionel S motor on the Lionel Grand Central Terminal Holiday Museum layout. Little pro tip this Lionel sponsered RW Trainworks layout stays up through February every year so go later if you want to avoid the crowds. I like the cutaway aspect of this image through the street to tracks.

Here are some NYC Subway modern end cab switchers on a work train. Getting to look these over is fair compensation for delays in getting where I want to go.

This cab shot interior is through the window I promise.

Last up a few 2rail o scale NYSME shots. 

Have a great weekend guys. 

                                                               S.I.R.T.

Silver Lake posted:

Yay SWSat is on!

Wow Tom you are really putting yourself out there with admission of liking Penn Central. No doubt the Pennsy people will revoke your membership. 😜

This week I have a dogs breakfast of random switcher things. 

First up a Lionel S motor on the Lionel Grand Central Terminal Holiday Museum layout. Little pro tip this Lionel sponsered RW Trainworks layout stays up through February every year so go later if you want to avoid the crowds. I like the cutaway aspect of this image through the street to tracks.

Here are some NYC Subway modern end cab switchers on a work train. Getting to look these over is fair compensation for delays in getting where I want to go.

This cab shot interior is through the window I promise.

Last up a few 2rail o scale NYSME shots. 

Have a great weekend guys 

Silverlake loving that Shelby but WOW what a scary position to be in between a rock and a hard spot !  

Silver Lake posted:

Yay SWSat is on!

Wow Tom you are really putting yourself out there with admission of liking Penn Central. No doubt the Pennsy people will revoke your membership. 😜

 

Hi Andy/SILVERLAKE, 

 Ha! I said I liked the picture and I followed the Penn Central. That was the only "game" in town back when I was beginning to be interested in freight railroads. I would walk down to a potato packing plant in Mt. Vernon and watch the RS3m's switching down there. I still have pictures somewhere that I took of those locomotives. 

Here's one that I found on the web. 

Tom 

Andy nice photos of the NYC Subway switchers.  They sure have a lot of sand fill tubes.  I count 4.

Happy SWSAT Tom, Rich, et al;

I'm away from home today so no pictures (and only a dumb phone) this week.

MELGAR

Happy Switcher Saturday to all. 

Love the MA & PA and my favorite is #29

MNCW posted:

Silver Lake posted:

Yay SWSat is on!

Wow Tom you are really putting yourself out there with admission of liking Penn Central. No doubt the Pennsy people will revoke your membership. 😜

 

Hi Andy/SILVERLAKE, 

 Ha! I said I liked the picture and I followed the Penn Central. That was the only "game" in town back when I was beginning to be interested in freight railroads. I would walk down to a potato packing plant in Mt. Vernon and watch the RS3m's switching down there. I still have pictures somewhere that I took of those locomotives. 

Here's one that I found on the web. 

Tom 

Tom, Mt. Vernon is my home town. What else do you know about that potato packing plant? Was there any other freight serviced by railroads in Mt. Vernon that you know about?

For instance, there was a Borden Milk Plant in Mt. Vernon. Were freight trains involved with that?

Arnold

Happy SWSat Everyone!

Thanks for starting us off Tom. There's nothing wrong with admitting you liked the PC. I too am a closet PC fan. Maybe we can start a PC Anonymous support group . It's not our fault that it was one of the worst run railroads in history. Growing up on LI I only had the PC to watch along with the LIRR. At least back then the LIRR was still moving a decent amount of freight.

Andy- cool MTA equipment. Are they dual-mode or do they run the diesels in the tunnels? The LIRR bought those monster EMD DE/DM30's in the late 90's but they had so many problems with the diesel to electric switching that they abandoned running them into Penn. 

Bill T and SIRT- nice shots

RPMCOBRA- Love the MA & PA

Shout out to Rich too. Hope you are getting your switcher fix where ever you are!

This week I'm on the prowl for another Plymouth (Not Dave Steamers' green one unfortunately ). For good luck I'm posting the two I have already on the team tracks. Also the two main players in the PC merger.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Bob

Hi Arnold,

 All I knew was the area slightly north of Yonkers Ave/Mt. Vernon Ave (really north of Oak St.)  along N. MacQuesten Parkway. 

 For those not familiar with the area, this is bordering right along the former New York Central's Harlem Division, now Metro-North. Mt. Vernon and Yonkers border each other and they also border the Bronx.

 Here are 2 screenshots off of Google maps you might like. 

1)Right on Oak Street directly next to the girder bridge the railroad still uses today, there is a remnant of what I believe was once a coal trestle for delivering coal to the area...

2)Here is the front of the Endico Potato plant where I would spend my time taking pictures. Also, just to the right, further up the street in this view is a CSX Intermodal High Cube trailer. 

Tom 

MNCW posted:

Hi Arnold,

 All I knew was the area slightly north of Yonkers Ave/Mt. Vernon Ave (really north of Oak St.)  along N. MacQuesten Parkway. 

 For those not familiar with the area, this is bordering right along the former New York Central's Harlem Division, now Metro-North. Mt. Vernon and Yonkers border each other and they also border the Bronx.

 Here are 2 screenshots off of Google maps you might like. 

1)Right on Oak Street directly next to the girder bridge the railroad still uses today, there is a remnant of what I believe was once a coal trestle for delivering coal to the area...

2)Here is the front of the Endico Potato plant where I would spend my time taking pictures. Also, just to the right, further up the street in this view is a CSX Intermodal High Cube trailer. 

Tom 

Very nice! Thank you, Tom.

Arnold

While I am still at work today, my big spring outage is finally winding down.  Soon it will be time for the big hook to head back to the home layout.

Western Pacific # 161 unknown date and and location

Western Maryland #1008

and sister engine # 1011

Great posts & pictures everyone! 

Tom 

RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat Everyone!

Thanks for starting us off Tom. There's nothing wrong with admitting you liked the PC. I too am a closet PC fan. Maybe we can start a PC Anonymous support group . It's not our fault that it was one of the worst run railroads in history. 

Bob

Hi.  My name is Tom and I'm a Penn Central fan.

Tom

There is a tunnel through a Russian River promontory named Squaw Rock about 100 miles north of the Golden Gate. This really big rock was my inspiration for the one tunnel on my small layout. I named my tunnel after a nearby winery. The basic color of the rocks in this area is brown, and I tried to give my casting that look using multiple layers of paint.

If anyone who likes, follows or is interested in the Penn Central, back in the 1990's, Jerry Jordak started up a nice website about the railroad. Although he no longer updates it, it is still interesting to this day.

http://pc.smellycat.com/pics/index.html

Tom 

Milwaukee Road H12-44 at Mad River and NKP Museum in Bellevue, Ohio.

Tom

Do they have a 12 step program too 🤣

Happy Switcher Saturday everyone!!!  '

Tom - WOW!! What a great introduction this morning!  Bravo!! Thanks for getting us rolling this morning!!  Love the video!! Starting a locomotive is certainly more involved than starting my car.  Of course some cars that I owned in my younger days were almost as involved as starting as a locomotive.   No worries about the confession of your love of PC ... heck they owned switchers too.  

Rich I'm glad you're doing trains today!  Have BIG fun!! I'll bet you're running a switcher or two with the club.   I'm sure you'll check in here to get your switcher fix! 

Andy - great photos!  That switcher cab shot? .... must have been very clean glass in that window for you to take such a clear photo of the loco controls ... just sayin!   Love the 44 tonner on the layout too!!

Melgar - we look forward to seeing  photos on your return!  Enjoy your weekend away!

Dave - LOVE those photos of the 0-6-0 WM switcher.  Looks like it might be in York?

RPMCobra - LOVE those Ma & Pa photos!!

RHZ563 - nice that you keep a train in your office and especially with a switcher leading the way!!

Today a brand new hot metal car arrived from York, PA. via the Pennsylvania Railroad.  The car was purchased last weekend from the Schermertzel Railroad Equipment Brokerage Co. at the York Railroad Fair in York, Pa.  The car's original owners never put the car into service and the car was purchased in the fair's Orange Hall for almost a song and a dance.  

  A Pennsy 44 tonner can be seen pushing the car off the main and onto the Patapsco and Back Rivers interchange track.  A PBR ( Push Bump and Ram ) VO - 1000 waits nearby.   Once the 44 tonner uncouples the car, the PBR switcher will pull the car to the Bethlehem Steel plant where the car will be inspected by the PBR car dept before being placed into service.  

Word on the street is there will be more cars ( pulled/pushed by switchers of course ) that were purchased at York's Railroad Fair appearing in future SWSAT editions.  Have a great weekend everyone!!

Happy Switcher Saturday All. Sorry i am little late, but here is a some pics at Shark Bay layout.

Tom Densel posted:

RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat Everyone!

Thanks for starting us off Tom. There's nothing wrong with admitting you liked the PC. I too am a closet PC fan. Maybe we can start a PC Anonymous support group . It's not our fault that it was one of the worst run railroads in history. 

Bob

Hi.  My name is Tom and I'm a Penn Central fan.

Tom

Uhh.... My name is Andy and I have done Penn Central. Shh...

Tom Densel posted:

Milwaukee Road H12-44 at Mad River and NKP Museum in Bellevue, Ohio.

Tom

Anyone traveling through NW Ohio or visiting Cedar Point Amusement Park nearby would do well to stop by this museum. It is well done and has lots of equipment from the NKP and other lines plus lots more historical RR displays. Plus, it is adjacent to the old NKP Yard there (now NS) and plenty of action rolls by while you are touring the grounds. 

When living in Ohio, I used to visit as often as possible.  

Silver Lake posted:

Tom Densel posted:

RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat Everyone!

Thanks for starting us off Tom. There's nothing wrong with admitting you liked the PC. I too am a closet PC fan. Maybe we can start a PC Anonymous support group . It's not our fault that it was one of the worst run railroads in history. 

Bob

Hi.  My name is Tom and I'm a Penn Central fan.

Tom

Uhh.... My name is Andy and I have done Penn Central. Shh...

Going to college in Cleveland back in the late 60’s, I traveled down the NKP right of way from the East into Cleveland Union Terminal on a daily basis aboard a Shaker Hts. Commuter car. This route takes you right by the old NKP 55th Street Yard where one could see mucho Penn Central freight lined up. Strangely, the other line I saw a lot of there was the Cotton Belt. Odd.  Fun times!

and Mad River will be getting NKP Berk 757 this fall.

Steamer posted:

Western Pacific # 161 unknown date and and location

 

 

Western Maryland #1008

 

and sister engine # 1011

Steamer I hate to be unfaithful to MA & PA but gotta love that WM #1008 & #1011.

Thanks to all for the comments and likes I enjoy catching Switcher Saturday.  

Steamer posted:

and Mad River will be getting NKP Berk 757 this fall.

Wow, that will crown their collection! Tanfastic news!

Silver Lake posted:

Tom Densel posted:

RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat Everyone!

Thanks for starting us off Tom. There's nothing wrong with admitting you liked the PC. I too am a closet PC fan. Maybe we can start a PC Anonymous support group . It's not our fault that it was one of the worst run railroads in history. 

Bob

Hi.  My name is Tom and I'm a Penn Central fan.

Tom

Uhh.... My name is Andy and I have done Penn Central. Shh...

I've mentioned this before on other topics, the Wall Street Journal printed a small paperback Riding the Pennsy to Ruin. In the book it is mentioned that the railroad was in so much trouble it could not afford to buy all the red pens it needed to show all the red ink it was in! 

Also...I said I followed them, not liked them! I don't think that is sinking in! 

Tom 

Dave Warburton posted:

Steamer posted:

and Mad River will be getting NKP Berk 757 this fall.

Wow, that will crown their collection! Tanfastic news!

https://bringback757.org/

Tom Densel posted:

Hi.  My name is Tom and I'm a Penn Central fan.

Tom

Tom, which MFG made the PC Transfer Caboose??

Ron

Steamer posted:

Dave Warburton posted:

Steamer posted:

and Mad River will be getting NKP Berk 757 this fall.

Wow, that will crown their collection! Tanfastic news!

https://bringback757.org/

Thanks for the info.  I sent them a donation.

PRRronbh posted:

Tom Densel posted:

Hi.  My name is Tom and I'm a Penn Central fan.

Tom

Tom, which MFG made the PC Transfer Caboose??

Ron

Ron,  I built that one myself.. I figured that was the only way I would ever get one.

Tom

Tom Densel posted:

RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat Everyone!

Thanks for starting us off Tom. There's nothing wrong with admitting you liked the PC. I too am a closet PC fan. Maybe we can start a PC Anonymous support group . It's not our fault that it was one of the worst run railroads in history. 

Bob

Hi.  My name is Tom and I'm a Penn Central fan.

Tom

A very nice PC collection - especially the cabooses!

MELGAR

Tom Densel posted:

RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat Everyone!

Thanks for starting us off Tom. There's nothing wrong with admitting you liked the PC. I too am a closet PC fan. Maybe we can start a PC Anonymous support group . It's not our fault that it was one of the worst run railroads in history. 

Bob

Hi.  My name is Tom and I'm a Penn Central fan.

Tom

For some of the younger members who weren't around in the 1970's...4 or 5 of Tom's cabooses have ACI labels affixed. 

Here is an online definition I saw for these labels:

ACI = Automatic Car Identification.  During the early 1970s, the General Manager of Transportation for a major Class 1 railroad said that the best the system ever achieved was this:  80% of the North American interchange fleet was tagged, and of those cars only 80% had readable labels.

Tom 

MNCW posted:

Here is an online definition I saw for these labels:

ACI = Automatic Car Identification.  During the early 1970s, the General Manager of Transportation for a major Class 1 railroad said that the best the system ever achieved was this:  80% of the North American interchange fleet was tagged, and of those cars only 80% had readable labels.

Tom 

In all of my visits to Railroad Museums all over the country I have never once seen an exhibit on ACI labels. It is pretty standard to remove them to restore cars to how they looked in earlier dates. I know that the method was flawed and did not last long because the cars became unreadable when they got dirty. It is however a good thing to note as a historian of a specific time. 

A Prr 0-6-0 switcher moves freight cars in the yard.

You can tell it is spring, dem worms are about.