Switcher Saturday 4-24-21

  S.I.

Happy SWSat!

Still waiting for the track order to arrive. Looks like Monday is finally the day.

A current thread about RMT Beeps had caught my interest. I learned that they made these with two different types of boards. The older models ( I have 3), run very slow and therefore stall on turnouts often. The newer models have bigger boards that provide more voltage to the motors and they run much better. I'm considering at minimum an upgrade to Dallee boards or possibly ERR mini-comanders.

The tel-tale seems to be if you have a Beep with painted hand rails then you have the bigger boards. Always learn something new on this forum. I had just assumed that they all ran they way mine do.

Have a great weekend!

Bob

@Mike CT posted:

Very nice Mike!

Happy Switcher Saturday!  Marx switcher with mixed freight.

Boston & Maine #1274 is an MTH Premier model of an ALCO S-2 diesel switcher. The blue-black-white paint scheme replaced B&M’s maroon/gold and black/red-stripe color schemes after former New Haven Railroad president Patrick McGinnis became president of the B&MRR in 1956. B&M locomotive #1174 was built in 1950 as an Alco S-3 with 660 horsepower. It was damaged in a Springfield, Massachusetts roundhouse fire and rebuilt in 1957 as ALCO S-4 #1274 with 1000 horsepower.

MELGAR

I hope everyone has a great Saturday and an even better weekend!

A Trackmobile moves a hopper at the grain elevator:

Tom

TALES OF THE DOCKSIDER

Faithful SwSat fans know that unusual trains are common on the Worcester, MA rails, but it will be hard to top this Saturday.  It’s reliable NYC shop switcher X-8688  towing a captured German V-2 rocket!

The captured V-2 is en route to Fort Devens in Ayer, MA for inspection and testing.  X-8688 and her consist are currently in the hole to allow the B&A “New England States” to pass.  Note the Army has posted a detail around the train to insure the security of this rare and valuable load.  The load has been covered for additional security, but your Yardmaster has arranged for the tarps to be removed just for SwSat!

Last week’s readers may recall I visited the family in ME last Sat.  I’m also including a photo of my grandson, Isaac, poking his head through an opening in his Dad’s layout!

John

John

Good morning fellow switcher lovers!!  I really dig what you all have posted this morning

I've had a few switchers that were out of service for the best part of a year due to mechanical malfunction.  Two weekends ago I took them to Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg, Md.  to be repaired.  Same day repair for all but one ( I took 3 locos one week and 2 the next ... Louie is a great repairman !! )  and its wonderful to have these locomotives  back running on the FSJR.   My Atlas Washington Terminal RS1 number 63 with TMCC is a great locomotive, with authentic sounding horn and prime mover sound, is now back in service, as is my Premier MTH Western Maryland BL2.  Both of these smoke quite nicely too!  Louie got the RS1 to smoke better than ever!   Here they are at Butler Junction.  Have a wonderful and safe weekend everyone!! Be safe = Be well!!

WM number 81 rounds the bend.

Butler Junction early this morning.

A few days ago at Butler Junction the locomotives were on different assignments and on different tracks.

B&O GP9 is being serviced.

1750 hp packed in a GP9 is serviced and ready for this day's work.  The loco service workers are wondering if number 6657 will be assigned to a long haul freight, yard duty, way freight, or commuter passenger service.  Whatever the dispatcher decides this locomotive can do the job.  

@trumpettrain posted:

Good morning fellow switcher lovers!!  I really dig what you all have posted this morning

I've had a few switchers that were out of service for the best part of a year due to mechanical malfunction.  Two weekends ago I took them to Engine House Hobbies in Gaithersburg, Md.  to be repaired.  Same day repair for all but one ( I took 3 locos one week and 2 the next ... Louie is a great repairman !! )  and its wonderful to have these locomotives  back running on the FSJR.   My Atlas Washington Terminal RS1 number 63 with TMCC is a great locomotive, with authentic sounding horn and prime mover sound, is now back in service, as is my Premier MTH Western Maryland BL2.  Both of these smoke quite nicely too!  Louie got the RS1 to smoke better than ever!   Here they are at Butler Junction.  Have a wonderful and safe weekend everyone!! Be safe = Be well!!

WM number 81 rounds the bend.

Butler Junction early this morning.

A few days ago at Butler Junction the locomotives were on different assignments and on different tracks.

B&O GP9 is being serviced.

1750 hp packed in a GP9 is serviced and ready for this day's work.  The loco service workers are wondering if number 6657 will be assigned to a long haul freight, yard duty, way freight, or commuter passenger service.  Whatever the dispatcher decides this locomotive can do the job.  

Pat anytime you have that BL out, you have got me!

Ron

B&A 53 picks up reefers from the ice platform

Great posts this fine Saturday'.. I have the PC hooked up to the 55" Samsung.  The colors are so much enhanced on the TV compared to the PC... As usual Patrick you scenes are phenomenal, and the colors are excellent.  You have a a very good camera there'...

Wow, Saturday’s roll around faster and faster, I guess it’s my age catching up with me, however, there’s some really beautiful Switchers, both diesel and steam today. Have a great Saturday everyone. I hope Don McErlean hops aboard soon. He always has a unique, oldie but goodie.... Happy Railroading Everyone

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Great posts this fine Saturday'.. I have the PC hooked up to the 55" Samsung.  The colors are so much enhanced on the TV compared to the PC... As usual Patrick you scenes are phenomenal, and the colors are excellent.  You have a a very good camera there'...

Thank you so much Ted!   I agree lots of great photos, videos and info on SWSAT this fine Saturday!  Everyone rocks!!  

Btw - I think I'll try hooking up my laptop to my big screen.  Thanks for the idea!

I went up to Ye Olde Train Shoppe in Boyertown, PA today. On my way back I stopped to get photos of this Plymouth diesel. The actual prototype of my WM Fireball Plymouth.

Charlie

Well its late again...weather warmed up today and had some yard work needed to get done.  The "Big Freeze" in Texas this winter got to a number of our shrubs and the Chief of Staff directed that they had to go!  So today is a bit of a hodge podge of pictures from around the L&S and various time slots.  All small engines iaw our ground rules.

Here is a Lionel 253 and her coaches getting ready to leave the depot.  Its about 1927 in "Lionel Time".

For you Standard gauge collectors, here is a comparison for you.  Both engines date to about the same date, 1926-28 and are the same manufacturer.  The big one is an American Flyer "wide gauge" from 1928 where the 4644 loco was named the "Pioneer" and it pulled a little 2 car set (4017 gondola 4011 caboose) called "The Trail Blazer".  The little guy is an uncatalogued American Flyer O gauge steeple cab from the 1920's.  It was always uncatalogued so the exact date is uncertain.  By the way, there is an excellent discussion of "American Flyer New Haven Boxcabs" like the 4644 in the April 2021 issue of "The Train Collectors Quarterly".

Finally for the UK subsidiary of the L&S, here is a Hornby 0-4-0 tank engine, pulling a short consist of LMS day coaches. These are all postwar but mid 50's.

Well happy SwSat fellows, no matter how late (its now 8 pm here on the frontier) I just could not miss a Switcher Saturday!

Don

Hi there everybody.  I wanted to let you know I still really appreciate all the amazing stuff you folks post on this thread every week. I haven't had as much time to comment as usual with work and family commitments but quality and variety shown on Switcher Saturday is consistently fantastic.

And @Steam Crazy, your grandson doing the 0-5-0 shuffle from under the bridge is adorable!

Talk to you next weekend crew

jhz53: It is you we have to thank, for initiating and keeping our "little engine" thread going.  Your postings from your workplace are really fascinating.

Best Wishes

Don