Switcher Saturday 8-6-22

JHZ563 and family - glad to see that you had a good vacation!

Looks like John and I are awake very early this morning.

Providence & Worcester GP-38-2 #2007 and GP-40-2 #3001 are MTH Premier models with PS3. Yes – they are “road-switchers,” but they are large and probably should be considered as road locomotives rather than switchers… I purchased #3001 (20-21020-1, MSRP $499.95) in 2019 and #2007 several years before. The video shows them running conventionally on my 12’-by-8’ layout with Boston & Maine cabooses. MTH advertised two Providence & Worcester cabooses in its catalogs but I haven’t found either one.

EMD GP38-2 locomotives weigh 250,000 pounds and have a 16-cylinder 2,000 horsepower diesel engine with a Roots blower. They have a starting tractive effort of 61,000 pounds and a maximum speed of 65 miles-per-hour. 2,213 GP38-2s were produced between 1972 and 1986. EMD GP40-2 locomotives have a 16-cylinder 3,000 horsepower turbocharged diesel engine. Their weight, starting tractive effort and maximum speed are the same as for the GP38-2. 1,143 GP40-2s were produced between 1972 and 1986. Due to turbocharging, GP-40-2 engines have improved high-altitude performance, reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions, but higher maintenance costs.

The Providence & Worcester Railroad was chartered in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 1844. It is presently a Class II railroad that operates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. I often used to see P&W #2006 in New Haven prior to the 2016 acquisition of the Providence & Worcester Railroad by Genesee & Wyoming, Incorporated – but not since then. P&W #2006 looked like the MTH model of #2007.

MELGAR

                                                   N.Y.D.R. assignment...

Good morning fellow SwSat folks.  My kids were given this Marklin set by a neighbor.  It is pretty simple but you can still run if off the track!

Have a great day!

@SIRT posted:

                                                   N.Y.D.R. assignment...

Steve - is the 44 tonner by MTH? Thanks, looks great!

Welcome back John.  I hope you and the family had a wonderful time.  Bob did a great job pinch hitting last week.

Mel, the P&W diesels are mighty sharp looking.  Matching cabooses would be nice.  I don't know if MTH made the ones cataloged but if they did I hope you can find them.

Sirt is that NYDR switcher custom.  I really like that paint scheme.  Have you modified the subway car in the last picture?

Happy Switcher Sat, everyone. Love the pics so far.  The other day, we really got down with some of our switchers here in Florida.  Down on the floor that is.  It’s always fun running the conventional stock on the carpet central.

I was so impressed with how the little Plymouth ran on the carpet central that I figured I’d give her a swirl pulling one of my larger work train consists.  There’s no video because the little gal couldn’t quite do it although she looked great trying -

Here is a Williams C&EI BL2 that I waited years for a caboose to go with. Berwyns Toys and Trains did a special run so I can now use it.

General Electric's response to the EMD GP38 was the U23B.  These lower horsepower units were suitable for switching as well as road power.  Penn Central purchased these GE units for general use.  Under the Moore régime, several units were ordered to operate long-hood forward.

Penn Central U23B 2723 (Atlas O) runs long-hood forward as it handles the local:

Have a great day, everyone!

Tom

Happy SWSat!

@jhz563- It was my pleasure to get things started. I know that you are usually an early riser so when nothing appeared by 8 AM I figured I'd start it up. Glad you were doing something fun with the family. My kids are 24, and 18 now but we spent every summer vacation at Disney, Hershey, Bush Gardens, and countless other smaller amusement parks when they were little.

So back to switchers. I gave a sneak peak at my new Boston and Maine RS-3 last week. I had to order a new battery for it so it hadn't been on the track yet. When I opened it up to change it out last night I realized I ordered the wrong ones (2.4v instead of 8.4v). I did put it on the track and powered it up without the battery and it does work. Here's a couple of pix with some new cars I had purchased from forum member @chris a     a while back.

The blue and black B&M scheme is one of my favorites. This is a Lionel PS-1 car with a load.

And we've all read the threads about removing the old white or green batteries from MTH engines after they have sat for a long time.

Have a great weekend.

Bob

TALES OF THE DOCKSIDER

Back by popular demand (at least, in my mind) it’s plucky NYC 0-6-0T shop switcher X-8688!

Your Yardmaster is short on time today, so he’s reaching back into the archives.  He may, in fact, get lazy and utilize the archives the next few weeks.  Some of the material is two years old now, so I think it will look fresh again, especially to Forum newbies (welcome, new guys!).

Today the crew of X-8688 - engineer Joe Safetyvalvoni, fireman Vasik Semaphorowski and brakeman Mick O’Depot - are thrilled to get out on the High Iron assisting NYC 0-4-0 no. 901 on a local freight.  They don’t get out of the yard often, so this is a day they will long remember.  They will likely head for the tavern after work to put down a few cold ones to celebrate the day (except Joe will have lemonade, he’s a teetotaler.  Vasik will make up the bar’s lost revenue by having a couple of extra ones.  His capacity seems limitless!).

JHZ and MELGAR, great posts today.  Mel, I don’t have a P&W loco in my collection; you’re making me regret passing up opportunities to buy one!

John

Coach Joe & Mark-

MTH #20-21392-1 New York Dock RR GE 44 Ton Diesel Engine

Subs were modified for S.I.

Amazing how all these dealers have raised the price of MTH engines by 50 bucks this year! I realize everything's gone up, but I hope we are not being taken advantage of. Dealers bought them at a much lower price back then. Probably why they still have them in stock. I always said, 44 tonners were not worth 500 even then. They don't even smoke. You can get RK & Premier diesels with many more features and also use them in lash ups for the same price. This one's only a stand alone making it limited in operation. Glad to have it since I model the NY waterfront, but will never have a need for another 44 tonner. Atlas O obtained them but its going to be a tough sell with even another price increase.

Brian is visiting end of Aug. One sound file is messed up (#10) with a bunch of digital noise. He will fix it. The other crew sounds he and Zack did were outstanding, specific to N.Y. operations. Very believable!

PW Lionel 520 helping the U.S. Post Office move boxes of trains.

@Tom Densel posted:

Tom

Great looking choice of color and softened backdrop in this video Tom.        The lighting that gave this a look of an overcast day really making  this scene believable.

Nice

@RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat!

I had to order a new battery for it so it hadn't been on the track yet. When I opened it up to change it out last night I realized I ordered the wrong ones (2.4v instead of 8.4v). I did put it on the track and powered it up without the battery and it does work

Bob

Boy Bob , I think I would get rid of that flaking speaker and the sourounding flakes before the board shorts out and ends up going south.

I would also  definitely like to see you get a BCR or one of GRJ's iterations if one could be used for this engine.

Good looking engine Bob.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Boy Bob , I think I would get rid of that flaking speaker and the sourounding flakes before the board shorts out and ends up going south.

I would also  definitely like to see you get a BCR or one of GRJ's iterations if one could be used for this engine.

Good looking engine Bob.

I've read about the speaker issues Dallas. Didn't realize that's what I was looking at, thought it was the battery. I've already reached out to John.

Thanks

@SIRT posted:

                                                   N.Y.D.R. assignment...

More fantastic photos from SIRT

I really love the look of the track work in this scene Steve

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Boy Bob , I think I would get rid of that flaking speaker and the sourounding flakes before the board shorts out and ends up going south.

I would also  definitely like to see you get a BCR or one of GRJ's iterations if one could be used for this engine.

Good looking engine Bob.

Install a super cap and also replaced the wires. They increase resistance when the wire strands turn green from battery corrosion. The battery connector  + & - terminals look bad.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

More fantastic photos from SIRT

I really love the look of the track work in this scene Steve

Thank you Dallas, always kind words and comments from you. Glad to inspire!

@SIRT posted:

Install a super cap and also replaced the wires. They increase resistance when the wire strands turn green from battery corrosion. The battery connector  + & - terminals look bad.

Yep- It all has to go. I have new 9v battery harnesses in stock. I hope I've not opened a can of worms with this one. Not looking good so far.

Thanks

PS- love your modeling Steve.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Yep- It all has to go. I have new 9v battery harnesses in stock. I hope I've not opened a can of worms with this one. Not looking good so far.

Thanks

PS- love your modeling Steve.

Bob

Definitely flakes from a speaker, Bob. The original owner appears to have installed some cotton covering up the original damage on the speaker, I guess to improve speaker sound. However, stay positive. I’ve had two original 5 volt ps2 engines that had far worse flaking - my subway NW2 switcher and my GP38. Both were made with the original dreaded ps2 5 volt boards and crappy speakers.  After noticing some scratchy speaker sounds and reading about the shorting of the boards on this great forum, I opened each up and was shocked at how bad the flaking was (definitely worse than yours). I removed the speakers (both already had BCRs), meticulously cleaned everything up, bought a couple of new speakers (here but currently out of stock - https://www.parts-express.com/...eaker-16-Ohm-289-131). They both now sound great and I’ve been running them regularly, piling up the DCS mileage, with not a problem for years.   I’m sure they’ll die eventually, but after over 20 years of usage, I can’t complain.  I’m sure it’ll work out just as well for you.  

BTW, I noticed that although  my Diesel engines with the 5 volt ps2 boards survived well. The subway engines were  another story. All but one of them has died and needed a ps2-3 board upgrade. I think it has something to do with the subways packing way too much electronics into a smaller space and running much hotter, killing the ps2 5 volt boards quicker.

@SIRT posted:

                                                   N.Y.D.R. assignment...

Another MTH center cab 44 ton diesel with a similar look is this NY Ontario and Western:

44 ton center cab diesels with similar light colors. particularly the yellow, are reminiscent of a 44 tonner in pictures I've seen in books about The Put. I don't know the road name of that particular 44 tonner on The Put. Arnold

Happy Switcher Saturday all,  I also have my B&M 1509 out as its one of my favorite.  I am starting to take down my layout (S gauge middle loop) for the big move.

@RSJB18 posted:

Yep- It all has to go. I have new 9v battery harnesses in stock. I hope I've not opened a can of worms with this one. Not looking good so far.

Thanks

PS- love your modeling Steve.

Bob

Good Luck to you

@SIRT posted:

Coach Joe & Mark-

MTH #20-21392-1 New York Dock RR GE 44 Ton Diesel Engine

Subs were modified for S.I.

Amazing how all these dealers have raised the price of MTH engines by 50 bucks this year! I realize everything's gone up, but I hope we are not being taken advantage of. Dealers bought them at a much lower price back then. Probably why they still have them in stock. I always said, 44 tonners were not worth 500 even then. They don't even smoke. You can get RK & Premier diesels with many more features and also use them in lash ups for the same price. This one's only a stand alone making it limited in operation. Glad to have it since I model the NY waterfront, but will never have a need for another 44 tonner. Atlas O obtained them but its going to be a tough sell with even another price increase.

Brian is visiting end of Aug. One sound file is messed up (#10) with a bunch of digital noise. He will fix it. The other crew sounds he and Zack did were outstanding, specific to N.Y. operations. Very believable!

What about Williams’ version? Much cheaper. Any good?

@Dave Warburton posted:

What about Williams’ version? Much cheaper. Any good?

I only run MTH diesels with DCS ps2 & 3 together. No interest in collecting Williams for the most part.

@Dave Warburton - I have 2 Williams GE 44 Ton engines, conventional with diesel sounds.  In my view and for $150 bucks new they area great engines.  The run smooth, look great, and sound cool.  They pull like mad and are particularly useful to me with a very tight clearance and radii type layout.

Since we started talking about them...here is my Southern GE 44 ton by Williams.  You can see what I mean by tight radii and very low clearances to the side.  These little guys really work well for me.

Here is #1951 leased to the Leonardtown and Savannah from "big brother" Southern moving some freight into Small Town.  The crew just might stop off at McDonald's for Lunch except they have every street in town blocked by the train!!

Here you can see the traffic jam created by this train moving through town.

Another quick stop at the freight station just outside town at the edge of the yard.  Seems the maintenance crew is more interested in working on the "necessary" than in moving some LCL freight over to the train.

Best wishes everyone.  jhz - looks like you and the family had a great vacation...well done, they will have memories that last forever.

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

@Dave Warburton - I have 2 Williams GE 44 Ton engines, conventional with diesel sounds.  In my view and for $150 bucks new they area great engines.  The run smooth, look great, and sound cool.  They pull like mad and are particularly useful to me with a very tight clearance and radii type layout.

Good to know, Don, thanks!  I recently purchased a Williams 70-Tonner in SP livery and like it very much. Very sharp looking and quite solid. Conventional power, of course, but with horn. Train World is blowing them out right now at $159, if anyone is interested. I recommend them.

I have a 44 ton PRR, and 70 ton Rutland. Both are solid engines. The fixed pilots do cause issues on tight curves (I have 027).

Bob

@MELGAR posted:

JHZ563 and family - glad to see that you had a good vacation!

Looks like John and I are awake very early this morning.

Providence & Worcester GP-38-2 #2007 and GP-40-2 #3001 are MTH Premier models with PS3. Yes – they are “road-switchers,” but they are large and probably should be considered as road locomotives rather than switchers… I purchased #3001 (20-21020-1, MSRP $499.95) in 2019 and #2007 several years before. The video shows them running conventionally on my 12’-by-8’ layout with Boston & Maine cabooses. MTH advertised two Providence & Worcester cabooses in its catalogs but I haven’t found either one.

EMD GP38-2 locomotives weigh 250,000 pounds and have a 16-cylinder 2,000 horsepower diesel engine with a Roots blower. They have a starting tractive effort of 61,000 pounds and a maximum speed of 65 miles-per-hour. 2,213 GP38-2s were produced between 1972 and 1986. EMD GP40-2 locomotives have a 16-cylinder 3,000 horsepower turbocharged diesel engine. Their weight, starting tractive effort and maximum speed are the same as for the GP38-2. 1,143 GP40-2s were produced between 1972 and 1986. Due to turbocharging, GP-40-2 engines have improved high-altitude performance, reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions, but higher maintenance costs.

The Providence & Worcester Railroad was chartered in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in 1844. It is presently a Class II railroad that operates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. I often used to see P&W #2006 in New Haven prior to the 2016 acquisition of the Providence & Worcester Railroad by Genesee & Wyoming, Incorporated – but not since then. P&W #2006 looked like the MTH model of #2007.

MELGAR

Hi all. Late to the SWSat party this week. I had to post because a week ago Friday I rode the Acela through Providence RI and had my phone out to take some pictures of some areas I used to frequent in college and I caught some unrepainted P&W GP38s so these are still out there.

I found your 2006 Mel!
Not such high quality pics but relevant. I used to live on this side of town in Providence and walked along the industrial area of Harris Ave to get to class on college hill. Sometimes I was delayed by P&W switching paper cars at the Providence Journal press. So I was happy to catch these two in the old paint.

Also bought an old kids book for my nephew. It was from Lionel Kiddie City toy store.

@Silver Lake posted:

Hi all. Late to the SWSat party this week. I had to post because a week ago Friday I rode the Acela through Providence RI and had my phone out to take some pictures of some areas I used to frequent in college and I caught some unrepainted P&W GP38s so these are still out there.

I found your 2006 Mel!

Not such high quality pics but relevant. I used to live on this side of town in Providence and walked along the industrial area of Harris Ave to get to class on college hill. Sometimes I was delayed by P&W switching paper cars at the Providence Journal press. So I was happy to catch these two in the old paint.

Andy,

That is really interesting! Thanks for the pictures. I appreciate your letting me know. I was under the impression that #2006 had been sold to a far-away railroad and was no longer in New England. It's an old engine but it still looks good...

MELGAR

@SIRT posted

                                                   N.Y.D.R. assignment...

For those of you folks interested in The Put, there is a picture of a yellow and white General Electric centercab diesel switcher on page 39 of a book entitled Forgotten Railroads Through Westchester County. It says that centercab diesel, which ran on The Put, was from the shortline Wellsville, Addison & Galeton.

It is very similar in appearance to SIRT's above New York Dock Railway center cab diesel, which has a yellow and tan livery. Arnold

I thought I should add my MEC #11 Switcher build project update.

here are a couple of photos.

adding the LEDs was fun. I am working on some specific detailing aspects currently.
will update my switcher project progress.

it’s been a long duration scale build project! Will post MEC #11 maiden flex track voyage footage probably in the coming weeks (or months!).

switchers are really my favorite machines!

thanks for looking.

night time vibe.

Late to the party!  Here is a Baltimore & Annapolis SW9  Cow & calf.  by MTH

B&A SW9, calf, and B&A caboose ... the entire MTH roster of Baltimore & Annapolis RR equipment ... although the B&A never rostered a calf.  

Great stuff everybody!  With all this talk about centercab locomotives,  one of these days I am going to have to get an 80 tonner and have it custom painted for PP&L.

@DMASSO posted:

P & W boxcar.

Very nice, that would be nice for Boxcar Sunday,

@coach joe posted:

Welcome back John.  I hope you and the family had a wonderful time.  Bob did a great job pinch hitting last week.

Mel, the P&W diesels are mighty sharp looking.  Matching cabooses would be nice.  I don't know if MTH made the ones cataloged but if they did I hope you can find them.

Sirt is that NYDR switcher custom.  I really like that paint scheme.  Have you modified the subway car in the last picture?

MTH made at least 2 P&W cabooses. An cupola and a bay window. I have to he bay window one that has been weathered by SIRT on the board here.