Switcher Saturday 6-24-23

New Haven Railroad Alco S-2 diesel switcher #0615 is an MTH Premier model (20-20587-1, MSRP $449.95) released in 2016 with PS3. Photos and videos show it running on the O-54 loop of my 12’-by-8’ model railroad.

Twenty-two Alco S-2s were built for the New Haven Railroad (Class DEY-5) during 1943 and 1944. They had a 1,000 horsepower, turbocharged 6-cylinder 539T engine and a tractive effort of 57,500 pounds. On the New Haven, S-2s were used for heavy switching and to replace 2-6-0, 2-8-0 and 2-8-2 steam locomotives on local freights. Many New Haven S-2s were still running when Penn Central took over in 1969 and three made it into the 1976 formation of Conrail.

MELGAR

Here we have an LC+2.0 Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal (BELT) steam switcher hauling some interesting and entertaining freight:

Arnold

MTH RK Imperial PS2 Southern 0-6-0, on Pat’s (Harmonyards) layout, after a drive block removal and replacement. Has worked like a charm since. Sincere thanks, Pat.

Good morning, fellow SwSatites!  Your Yardmaster has expressed concern about his ability to show his switchers in the order they were received; sure enough, he forgot a classic, his Lionel Rio Grande no. 53 snowplow.

This switcher was received by his brother as a Christmas gift, probably in 1957.  His brother never caught the train “bug”, so it ended up your Yardmaster’s collection.

No. 53 has required major service twice to replace a worn main gear.  Your Yardmaster feared the gear was failing again, but no. 53 ran better than expected once lubed and warmed up.  She is, however, the worst sounding locomotive in his collection by far!  If anyone has a worse sounding engine, he’d like to hear it!

John

The GP38 has returned to the SMS Pureland site in Logan Twp NJ.  It was previously working at their NY site.

I obtained an MTH GP38 and an additional shell while at York.  This will be my big winter project.  The SMS GP38 has an extended cab for a dual control stand.  At some time during its life it was in a wreck and the back end was replaced with an SD40 back porch.  This should be a challenging project.

Sorry for some of the bad pics.  The sun was not cooperating with me whenI took these research photos.

Ron

@Steam Crazy  John, I can smell that ozone all the way down here in Florida! Love the sound. Here is my RS1 leaving a sidetrack  for some switching duties -

Happy SWSat!

A few shots from the New Haven....

First is a K-line Plymouth #9604 pulling a car on Team Track #1

9604 sits on a spur in the yard after delivering their load to the interchange where a center cab (44 tonner), by Williams,

will pull the empties south toward New York.

Have a good weekend.

Bob

MTH Premier PS3 NY Ontario & Western 44 ton center cab diesel switcher hauling coal:

Strap Hanger, the ozone smell, unfortunately, isn't as fragrant as you imagine.  Since replacing my Lionel ZW with a ZW-L, my postwar Lionel trains run smoother and much cooler, but with little ozone smell.  I guess you can't have it all!

John

@Steam Crazy posted:

Strap Hanger, the ozone smell, unfortunately, isn't as fragrant as you imagine.  Since replacing my Lionel ZW with a ZW-L, my postwar Lionel trains run smoother and much cooler, but with little ozone smell.  I guess you can't have it all!

John

Different sine wave configuration(s) between the 2 trannies causing less heat?

Have a good Switcher of a Saturday PW Lionel Burlington

Mark, my knowledge of the principles of electricity is limited, but I believe you're correct.  I bought the ZW-L for more power and better circuit breaker protection, but I didn't expect the positive effect on my postwar trains.

John

Well its a great SwSat again and the pictures and posts are great.  Here are some pictures of one of my hard working switcher fleet from Mr. Marx.  This is a #1998 type, Alco S-3, in Maroon / Yellow livery.  Marx also made this in Black / White livery which may be more realistic, although I don't really know.  This was in the Marx line up from 1955-1962 in one or the other liveries or both at times.  Marx also made this locomotive for the UP, RI, and Allstate.  This locomotive is a design delight to us engineers.  It is a 4 wheel power unit, indeed it is Marx's highly reliable 4 wheel motor unit used on many locomotives.  The forward and real wheel set are free wheeling dummies disguised as being part of a second set of trucks.  The effect is very good from the view of external appearance and the cost savings from not having to design another motor unit are substantial.  The cast in details are not too bad although there should be 8 vertical louver doors not 7 on the side and most disappointing, the single stack should have a broad supporting base rather than just being cylindrical (you can see this stack on Melgar's S-2 in an earlier post).  I can understand leaving off the louver door as that would have made the unit too long to suit Marx but the stack is a simple detail that could have easily been correct.  Oh well, as I often tell myself, its a TOY and the representation is not too bad.  The forward radiator configuration and the round roof cab are well modeled.

Best wishes everyone, hope your weekend is going well

Don

Here are a couple for today.

In answer to Steam Crazy's question, yes I do and here she is.  I believe she's got the same coffee grinder under the hood as your Rio Grande snow plow.

Time to switch days again to the weekend.......wow .

Anyhow , switcher in the mountains .

Make it a great weekend.

The photographer caught this new 44-tonner at the public delivery track.  He knew these little diesels have been around since 1940, but the Pennsy did not buy its first one of 46 total until 1948.

He wished he had one of those new color cameras to capture the bright red of the Campbell's color scheme, but getting a photo of that brand new 1949 Peterbilt was good enough.

left to right: WbB, Atlas, Matchbox.

A hearty good afternoon fellow switcher fans!  Thanks JHZ 563 for once again being in the engineers seat, notching out the throttle and getting to rolling today!   I must agree that an A5 and B6 are beautiful machines!   Wonderful photos, videos, and information posted by all of you as is the usual case for SWSAT!

Today on t he Free State Junction Railroad A. Jay Crowley the Superintendent of Motive Power and General Operations checks on the immediate operations of the Free State Junction Railroad ( FSJR ) as he peers out his office window.  As his eagle eyes slowly scour the scene below him, he scribbles on his note pad making note of the work train with a B&O SW9 on the point and the C&O 0-8-0 in the hole.  He also notes the N&W J class in the distance stopped for a red signal.  Glancing at his watch A. Jay jots down the exact time.  He will later compare his notes with that of the FSJR timetable.  

A. Jay Crowley is a fourth generation railroader.    A Jay is a hard core by the book railroader who has no time for foolishness.  He is also fair and reasonable with the FSJR employees, who all share a deep respect for A. Jay.  That's why they affectionately call him " Uncle Jay".  

A. Jay notices train operator Treg Tealey, a 17 year veteran train operator waving to A. Jay from the tower.  A. Jay throws up his hand acknowledging Treg's wave.    He also notes number 97 slowly backing to the tank as it's bell clanks.

A Jay has walked to the other corner of the FSJR office building and gazes out the office window of Dirk Cromwell, Superintendent of Passenger Operations.  Cromwell is out on vacation.   A. Jay notes that number 97, an O-8-0 has arrived and stopped at  the tank, about to take on water.  He hastily scribbles the time on his note pad.  Visually scouring the area a bit more, o'l A. Jay notes the team of gandy dancers working to the right of the locomotive.  He mumbles to himself "Hmmm they must be finally replacing those ties.  Bout %&#(% time!" He also notices a new bill board sign and squints to read it, however, his eagle eyes can't quite make it out.  He grabs a pair of binoculars off of Cromwell's desk so he can better read the sign.  Peering through the binoculars, he reads the sign out loud  " HALF FAST AUTO REPAIR We can almost fix anything!"  A. jay lets out a big chuckle and exclaims " I'll be doggone if I'm taking my new Buick Roadmaster to that place!"  At that point A. Jay decides to go down stairs, jump into his Roadmaster, and drive along the railroad and chat with the folks who really make the railroad go.  

At a grade crossing A. Jay brings his Roadmaster to a stop as crossing guard Luke Winn protects the crossing.  A. Jay notes number 97, a switch job, crossing in front of him.  While stopped he jots down the time on his note pad and mumbles " Glad that old teapot is running lite.  I don't have the patience to wait for a slow freight train to go by."

Later while driving by the ready tracks A. Jay waves to fireman Dino Quigly, and brakeman Tater Larson. Tater, assigned to number 97, has just jumped off the footboard of 97 to open a switch so the 0-8-0 can back into the hole to allow a N&W passenger train to go by.  

Once again on  the foot board, Tater rides  97 as it slowly backs onto  a siding.

With number 97 in the hole a N&W J class with a ten car name train, The Cavalier,  wizzes by at 90 mph.  On the siding across the way, conductor Klaus Simpson chats it up with someone standing on the back deck of the caboose.  Deeply involved in conversation the two men are unaware of the J class wizzing by.  A, Jay still in his Buick deeply feels the specialness of this moment as he contemplates the  beauty of what he sees before him ... two very different locomotive technologies ... perhaps even three when considering the J class' improved steam technology over that of number 97...  and of course the diesel technology used for the SW9 which will soon dominate the rails making the steam technology obsolete.  A. Jay has a deep knowing that this is a special time in railroad history.  

After a long hards day's work of switching, pulling and pushing freight cars, and an occasional helper assignment number 97 is back at the tank.  A. Jay, still in his Roadmaster, observes fireman Ziggy Quinn about to pull the chain which will lower the spout.  Soon 97's tender will be topped off and the locomotive will head for the roundhouse.  A. Jay looking at his watch, grabs his note pad and hastily jots down the time.  

Patrick, another great read I look forward to!!

Gene

Another great story Patrick!  Thanks for taking the time to write that.

Best Wishes

Don

Here is an MTH PS1 Burlington Northern EMD diesel switcher hauling oil tankers:

Arnold

My S2 Alco does the 1st official run under Legacy on the new layout!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Peter

A few club members ran their trains today.

@Genemed posted:

Patrick, another great read I look forward to!!

Gene

Thanks Gene!  I'm happy you liked the story!

@trumpettrain posted:

Thanks Gene!  I'm happy you liked the story!

As always, a fun story.

@jhz563 posted:

Hello one and all and welcome to another wonderful edition of Switcher Saturday!

This is the weekly thread where we celebrate the smaller locomotives that do the big work of railroading. Sure an Allegheny is awesome and Big Boys are brilliant,  but an A5 is amazing and B6 is beautiful!  The modern main line power plants on wheels are great, but what do the public and the customers really see - the road switcher making deliveries!  From the manufacturing plant to the seaside docks and all the stops in between, Switchers use all their might to keep the world moving!

Here at Switcher Saturday we are always open to all scales and gauges.   The only things that are asked is to follow the Ogr tos regarding pictures, keep things somehow Switcher related, and have fun 👍.

With all that said,  here's an mth produced USRA 0-6-0 design in subdued P&LE livery, shoving a couple cars of Anthracite.  (The NYC just had to plaster their name in big print in the sides!)

• One of those cars is 98% lego bricks .

So please share your Switcher stories,  photos, videos, and memories. Have a great day everyone - Let's get down the line!

I really like that Lego coal car! Is that a kit, or did you invent it yourself? The Monster Fighters Haunted House is great, too. Finally, the mattress store is fun. I hear the owner likes trains...

Happy Switcher Saturday everyone, today, the diesel pictured is helping us to set up routes on my layout. This is a double crossover to allow reversing trains to go up and down my helixes on my multi level layout. Happy Railroading Everyone

We have 9 routes set up and with Legacy Cab 1L and Cab 2’s, trains can go effortlessly up and down the helix.. Thank you Captain Will Porath….

Nice double crossover Larry.  I would love to see the helixes.

I've got 3 of these K-Line BNSF cabooses.  They're pretty sweet looking.  I got numbers 2 and 3 for good deals on eBay, they're destined to become GN if I ever get to that project.

The little Marx 400, 0-4-0 switcher.  Great little engine with the great Marx 666 motor with two gears ( an upgrade from the 999 motor), two way eUnit and cost of fifty cents.  What not to like.

Charlie

@Choo Choo Charlie posted:

The little Marx 400, 0-4-0 switcher.  Great little engine with the great Marx 666 motor with two gears ( an upgrade from the 999 motor), two way eUnit and cost of fifty cents.  What not to like.

Charlie

Charlie- there is a new thread started each week. Check the recent posts down the side of the homepage and you will find it.

Thanks for posting this classic 0-4-0.

Bob