Switcher Saturday 4-16-22

My guess ??? A GE (General Electric) 44 tonner.  Great picture.

Rich Yoder 44 tonner probably 20 years ago.  Wire coil is a TMCC antenna, a bit of a problem with an all brass model.

Happy Switcher Sat, everyone.  We’re going trackside on my layout again this week with my new RS-3 -

Bonus shot of the RS-1 following behind (got to love that multi engine operation!) -

Wow! Switcher Saturday is here again!

Penn Central RS-11 7608 (Lionel) leads a short local freight through an industrial area:

Tom

In the KC&G news:

The KC&G has sent SLSF #214 back to the Frisco at KC. The 214 had been used sparingly down on the Ozark Sub as a stand-in switch engine when needed. Rumor has it that the KC&G bean counters decided the lease fee wasn't worth it. Got to be as savin' as you can, 'ya know. After all, one of the favorite sayings of the KC&G's new CEO is: "Waste not, want not!" (Of course, bankruptcy will cause a feller to watch their spending more carefully!)

Anyways, it looks like the #214 made it to KC safe and sound. AND, it looks like the Frisco ran it through their shop and threw on a coat of new paint!

Here's a pic someone snapped  of the Frisco #214 in KC:

However, there were even more changes, seems the #136 (one of the KC&G's NW2's), has been pulled as the switcher at Mountain Springs on the Ozark Sub, and now it, too, is back in KC where it started its career so many years ago.

Some rail nut up in KC snapped a picture of the #136 it shortly after its return to working in the KC area. Here's a pic from almost the same spot as the above pic of SLSF #214 was snapped:

Looks like life was hard for the #136 down on the Ozark Sub, for the front stack has had the snot knocked out of it and was bent by a low hanging limb or something. Cab awning looks a bit beat up, too.

Word has it that there's currently a strange engine being used at Mountain Springs. It's some kind of road switcher... but not one like is commonly seen on the Ozark Sub.

Maybe a pic will surface "one of these days" of whatever that engine is that's going to be up at Mountain Springs for a spell?

All fer now.

Update:

Well, when talking to Jimmy Don McCradden on the phone (Jimmy Don's my second cousin, likes trains, an' lives down there in KC&G Ozark Sub country near Ozarka), well, he wuz sayin' that new engine up at Mountain Springs don't sound like them "covered wagon" type engines... or those "geep" engines. Sort of a different sound. Knowin' Jimmy Don, he'll pester one of the KC&G's crew down there an' see if'n he can find out more. Or, better yet, he'll tromp over to the old roundhouse at Ozarka an' talk to ol' Jess. Jess'll know what it is, fer he'll have to be in on servicin' it as well as  doing that inspection that needs to be done every few months. Next time my family and me go from KC down to the Ozarks to see our kin, maybe me an' Jimmy Don can go on over to the railroad, or better yet, git up to Mountain Springs and see it for ourselves... if'n its still there when I do git down that way. It's neato that we both like trains, and both of us like the KC&G. I git to see 'em up here in KC, an' Jimmy Don see's 'em down there in the Ozarks.

(Note to the sane: All of the above comes from my way over-active imagination.)

Andre

HOPPY..... SWSat!

An annual tradition on the RSJ&B- the Easter Bunny gets his deliveries brought in by rail.

The MOW crew reluctantly cleans up the mess each year too.....

Happy Easter and Passover.

Bob

Good morning, SwSat trainmen!  Today your Yardmaster decided to post some additional photos taken on his trip to the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington RR in Alna, ME.

W,W&F 0-4-0T no. 4 is seen backing into the engine house while an unidentified, derelict, “cabbage stack” steamer sits outside, awaiting the scrapper’s torch.  The doomed engine currently has an 0-6-0 wheel arrangement, but it started service as a 2-6-2 Prairie, one of the largest types in service on the ME narrow gauge lines.  The leading and trailing trucks were apparently removed for use on another locomotive.  It will be a sad day when she’s gone!

John

Good morning fellow switcher fans!!  JHZ563 thanks so much for notching up the throttle and getting us rolling today!  Have a terrific weekend everyone!  Happy Easter!

Today the Free State Junction Railway switching fleet is shown going about their duties as usual.

A5 crew discuss switching tasks for today.  Conductor Earl Higgins and hogger Floyd Smoot talking it over.

C&O 0-8-0 number 75 in the hole as N&W J class takes the main headed west ... as B&O SW9 pulls a scrap train through Butler Junction.

A smoggy day for this B&O switch crew.

Number 75 takes on water at the spout.  Fireman Lyle Wiggins and brakeman Wes Knott on the tender deck. B&O SW 9 running cab forward is the power for this short MOW train.  Brakeman Lloyd Sprigg rides the front deck.

Plymouth number 25 provides power for the BIG HOOK to move up and down the rails.

(On30) Utacolzona Railroad moving black diamonds.

More to see at

Utacolzona Railroad in On30 (2 years in the making, 2020 - 2022) Update 4/10/22 w/ video

Thanks for looking.
Dennis.

Happy Switcher Saturday. In the morning sun, B&M GP7 #1555 is carrying out switching work at a nearby industrial plant. When the switching work is completed and the line track is released, the waiting MEC S2 #301 on the siding can also continue the journey.

Nice pics everyone.  

@Steam Crazy posted:

Good morning, SwSat trainmen!  Today your Yardmaster decided to post some additional photos taken on his trip to the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington RR in Alna, ME.

W,W&F 0-4-0T no. 4 is seen backing into the engine house while an unidentified, derelict, “cabbage stack” steamer sits outside, awaiting the scrapper’s torch.  The doomed engine currently has an 0-6-0 wheel arrangement, but it started service as a 2-6-2 Prairie, one of the largest types in service on the ME narrow gauge lines.  The leading and trailing trucks were apparently removed for use on another locomotive.  It will be a sad day when she’s gone!

John

John. I'm traveling from Finland to Maine on July 20 for two weeks, so maybe we could try to arrange a meeting on that narrow-gauge railway one or both of the weekends. Anyone willing is of course welcome. It would be very nice to meet you all.

Johan

Nice posts everyone.

I hope everyone has a nice Ramadan, or Passover, or Easter. Hopefully people can all enjoy a walk in this nice spring weather. I am reposting some old pics of my Easter themed Black Jellybean Mining company micro layout.

Have a great weekend everyone. I can’t wait to see what you post.

Have a great Sat. all some PW Lionel moving some military freight.

Hi Johan,

I don’t have any plans for July at the moment, but I may be moving my mother (100 years young!) to a nursing home around that time.  I suggest you pick a date to visit the W,W&F that fits your travel plans and I’ll do my best to come.

Some other railroads you might like to visit: the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum in Portland and the Boothbay Railway Village and Museum.  Also, the NE Steam Corp is restoring MEC Pacific no. 470 in Winterport, ME.

Hope to meet you and some of the other guys in July!

John

@Steam Crazy posted:

Hi Johan,

I don’t have any plans for July at the moment, but I may be moving my mother (100 years young!) to a nursing home around that time.  I suggest you pick a date to visit the W,W&F that fits your travel plans and I’ll do my best to come.

Some other railroads you might like to visit: the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum in Portland and the Boothbay Railway Village and Museum.  Also, the NE Steam Corp is restoring MEC Pacific no. 470 in Winterport, ME.

Hope to meet you and some of the other guys in July!

John

Hi John,

So let’s hope our schedules meet and the meeting comes true. We spend the first 1.5 days in Boston and travel by train from Boston to Bangor and back. There could be a stop in Portland after that. In addition, the daily program includes a description of the trains. Thanks for the good tips, in addition to those destinations we are also going to visit the Belfast & Lake Moosehead Railway which will probably have to be scheduled for either of the weekends. As our travel plan progresses we can be more closely connected.

Johan

Well Happy Holiday weekend everyone, be that Ramadan, Passover, or Easter no matter may you have a blessed time.

Today, I am taking a little trip back to the Rock Island, one of those fallen flags, to observe some switcher action.  Principal actor today is the Marx 1998, Rock Island Alco S3 switcher from around 1962. She is relatively new on my railroad, having been on the property for less than a year.  Today she is moving a string of Rock Island boxcars out of the yard and eventually putting them on the line to be picked up by road power for their trip north.

Here she is after leaving the yard with her train of RI boxcars.  The cars are Marx "deluxe" Rock Island # 147815 boxcars.  Wait a minute, you might say, what is Don a "collector" doing with 3 of the same boxcar?  Well its impossible to see in this picture but they are not the same.  The trucks and their side facade is different representing the 3 kinds of trucks Marx put on these cars.  One is a deep plastic facade with large journal boxes and plastic tilt couplers (mid production) , one is a sheet metal stamped facade with little detail and metal tilt couplers (early production beginning as early on some cars as 1949) and one is a plastic facade with quite shallow journal boxes (late production) and plastic tilt couplers.  These particular RI type cars were made from about 1952-1959.

Here is a picture of the rear of the train showing the #17858 Rock Island bay window caboose from 1958-1959.

Here she is  getting the train positioned on the departure track for the road power to take over.

There she goes departing having turned her RI boxcar train over the the Rock Island E-7  A-B-A for the run up the main.  These beautiful cab units are not use to handling such humble freights but passenger business has been declining and management needs to get utilization out of its diesel fleet.

Here is a short video of the RI switcher moving her train.

Best wishes everyone

Don

Was able to get a couple shots at work the other day. Looks like someone needed a little help. Not the best photos sadly.

Another great SWSAT.  Wonderful posts all!  Since Mike CT posted an IHB switcher here's two more custom IHB switchers that have been here before.

@BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Hi John,

So let’s hope our schedules meet and the meeting comes true. We spend the first 1.5 days in Boston and travel by train from Boston to Bangor and back. There could be a stop in Portland after that. In addition, the daily program includes a description of the trains. Thanks for the good tips, in addition to those destinations we are also going to visit the Belfast & Lake Moosehead Railway which will probably have to be scheduled for either of the weekends. As our travel plan progresses we can be more closely connected.

Johan

Johan- there's a possibility that we will be in New Hampshire around that time. I will keep your plans in mind.

Bob

My photo.

@RSJB18 posted:

Johan- there's a possibility that we will be in New Hampshire around that time. I will keep your plans in mind.

Bob

My photo.

Bob. It would be great to meet you too, hopefully everything will go on schedule so that we can meet. We can stay in touch as plans become more specific. 🤝

Johan

Looks like another great #SwSat gang.  I hope the meet up in New England comes together too. 

Thanks for keeping things going everyone 🙂