Switcher Saturday 8-7-21

Good morning fellow switcher fans!  JHZ563 - you and I are both up at the wee AM doing the switcher thing!  Thanks so much for notching out the throttle so early this morning!  That Laurel Run locomotive looks terrific!  Great paint job!!

Today's episode from the Free State Junction Railway is entitled " The Beast and the Beauties " ... a study in contrast.

Here is a B&O Docksider hard at work switching some cars at Butler Junction.  When I bought this locomotive it was as shiny as a new penny ... and that shine did not look right to me.  To give it that "I've been working on the railroad for decades look"  I weathered it using, dull coat,  pastel chalks and spray paint.   I also weathered the gondola ( filled it with my own junk load ) and work caboose.  Fun times!!  All 3 are MTH products.  Photo taken in natural light.  Click on images to enlarge.     Have a wonderful and safe weekend everyone!

That feller standing beside the gondola is Ike Irmus the brakeman.  He's been working on the railroad longer than the Dockside.  Old Ike will retire at the end of the year.

The Hills are alive with the beauty of diesel switchers.  

I am mainly a HO guy, although I do have the 2002 Lionel Winter Wonderland set, which comes out once a year under the Christmas tree.

But this last week has been very exciting!

I found a local used Lionel engine, advertised as a #634 switcher. I had no clue what a 634 is. But knowing it was an older Lionel, I jumped on the chance on getting one for just a few bucks.

I took it apart, and fixed it up, and now I have a nice little diesel switcher!

I started doing extensive research about this engine, I wanted to learn everything about it, especially its age.

First I thought it was postwar, maybe -65, but as I dug deeper I found out it is an early MPC. And I had no clue what MPC was 😀.

It got more confusing, this engine being a 8010, but with a postwar 634 shell.

So i tried to figure out if it could be one of those early 8010's with a 634 shell.

That's how I ended up here on this forum, looking for more info, and I did indeed get great information about my engine, from other forum members, and I really appreciate that!

So here I am with my "first" Lionel engine, my first switcher, on my first Switcher Saturday. The NW2 diesel is not the best and brightest of them all, but I love it, and it is a keeper!

@Juha posted:

I am mainly a HO guy, although I do have the 2002 Lionel Winter Wonderland set, which comes out once a year under the Christmas tree.

But this last week has been very exciting!

I found a local used Lionel engine, advertised as a #634 switcher. I had no clue what a 634 is. But knowing it was an older Lionel, I jumped on the chance on getting one for just a few bucks.

I took it apart, and fixed it up, and now I have a nice little diesel switcher!

I started doing extensive research about this engine, I wanted to learn everything about it, especially its age.

First I thought it was postwar, maybe -65, but as I dug deeper I found out it is an early MPC. And I had no clue what MPC was 😀.

It got more confusing, this engine being a 8010, but with a postwar 634 shell.

So i tried to figure out if it could be one of those early 8010's with a 634 shell.

That's how I ended up here on this forum, looking for more info, and I did indeed get great information about my engine, from other forum members, and I really appreciate that!

So here I am with my "first" Lionel engine, my first switcher, on my first Switcher Saturday. The NW2 diesel is not the best and brightest of them all, but I love it, and it is a keeper!

Juha - congratulations on your first Lionel engine .... and bravo for letting it be a switcher!  As long as you love it, this is all that matters.  I hope you enjoy the NW2  to no end!  

I run small locomotives and short trains on my 10’-by-5’ layout which models a single-track New England branchline that passes through rural countryside and a small town.

On the Boston & Maine Railroad, B-15 class 2-6-0 Mogul locomotives served out-of-the-way places in Massachusetts and New Hampshire (Mogul country) between 1903 and 1956. It is the perfect type of engine for my layout, and I’ve been wanting to buy Lionel’s version of the Mogul for years. I was tempted by the Legacy Mogul that Lionel released in 2017 but resisted due to issues reported on the Forum.

Recently, I found a Lionel Mogul (6-38019 with TMCC) listed as “new-in-box” by Forum sponsor Trainz. I quickly placed the order and the model was on its way to me the next morning. It was packed well and I scrutinized it when it arrived.

As best I can tell, the engine never had been run. The pickup rollers were unmarked and I believe the model had been stored in the box rather than on rails because the traction tires showed no flat spots. The locomotive looks and runs like new, so the Trainz description and rating were accurate.

On the Boston & Maine, the B-15 class Moguls were used on commuter trains around Boston, branchline passenger trains, mixed trains, in local freight service, and for switching. They were built by Alco in Manchester, New Hampshire and Schenectady, New York between 1903 and 1910. As built, they were not superheated but some received this modification around 1918, which can be seen on the Lionel model by the circular cover plates at the fronts of the tall steam chests above the cylinders, where piston valves replaced the original slide valves. A B-15 class diagram indicates an engine weight of 142,500 pounds and a tender weight of 89,000 pounds. Superheated engines had a tractive effort of about 25,000 pounds.

My model is B&M 2-6-0 #1455. It closely resembles the prototype, which can be seen at the Danbury Railway Museum in Danbury, Connecticut.

MELGAR

Happy SWSat!

Everybody was up early this morning. Beautiful new Mogul Mel, enjoy. I've bought many of my engines from Trainz, never disappointed with what I've received. Nice weathering Pat. I have 3 of those MTH tanks that need to look like they work for a living. Welcome to the switcher crew Juha! All scales are welcome, we are partial to O of course. Great score on that NW-2.

Nothing new to share this week. The honey-do list was quite long.

To prove that a Dash-8 can spot cars......

A crew member guides the engineer of Penn Central RS-11 #7608 (Lionel) as they prepare to couple up to a coal hopper:

Tom

SCL

Good morning fellow switcher fans!  I look forward to every Saturday morning to see what creative stuff you guys post.  I’m not disappointed today!

MELGAR, I’m OK with you expanding the definition of “switcher” to include your Mogul (and previously, your NYC ten wheeler).  Both those engines did a lot of switching in branch line service.  I have the 2005 version of B&M 1455.  It had a smoke problem fixed by the late Marty Fitzhenry, but none of the maladies reported with the newer versions.  I’m glad to hear your engine is fine.

My offering today is NYC 0-4-0 no. 901 spotting a Narragansett reefer at the Valley Ice Co.  Note the Mogul in the background.  I have also included a photo of the other side of the icing station.  It will look familiar to postwar fans.

Well folks, those are some really fine pictures.  Jhz563 thanks for the start up, its 0900 here in central Texas and your post was 10 hrs ago!  Wow you did get up early.  Trumptrain - great pictures and story as well, that Docksider really looks good.  Juha - good story and some fine research.  The 8010 dates from 70-71 and MPC started making trains in 69-70 so the early years were sort of wide open to variations.  Your #634 / 8010 is a great find and welcome to our "switcher fest!"  Melgar - handsome Mogul for sure.  RSJB18 - now that's a BIG switcher! Tom Densel - Penn Central comes through great scene.  SIRT - great boxcar, "St. Mary's RR"...where is that?  I lived for many years in St. Mary's county Maryland and we didn't have a RR.  The Navy built one in the 40's and operated it through the 50's to serve the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in the county but it was long gone by the time I arrived in the 90's.

My input today.  Here is my little K-line Alco switcher moving a short commuter special out of the commuter platform at the rear of the depot on the Leonardtown and Savannah (L&S).  L&S Management , just beginning the switch from steam to diesel's in the 1950's,  is so cheap it is buying all its diesel engines as second hand from the Class 1's.  This boy hasn't even gotten a L&S paint job yet and will likely just get the Santa Fe name over-sprayed  with a "rattle can" job.  Management is really cheap!

By way,  I am a "mixed bag" operator.  You can see the K line engine, Lionel passenger cars, American Flyer switch tower, Marx crossing warning and gate, and a Marx prewar semaphore and yard tower.  The Apt house in the back is a "Christmas lantern" from Michael's bought at a post Holiday sale.

Have a great weekend everyone!  Keep switching (LOL)

Don

An Atlas SW8 in Erie Lackawanna dress rolls a short freight (called a “roustabout” on the Lackawanna) through Lionelville on the way to Mount Pocono.

Another fine SWSAT.  Thank you to JHZ for getting us rolling again.  Was that industrial switcher a total repaint?  I've got one that I converted from D&RGW to IHB by removing the factory lettering and decaling for the IHB.

JuHa, welcome and enjoy.

Sir, Patrick thank you for your usual stellar contributions.

Mel nice pick up.  Fits great on your layout.

Rob, Autotrain, Lorto, VA?

Tom you need that spotter.

Steam Crazy, great reefer with that switcher.

Don, frugal short lines stay in business.

Hello, switcher friends. No train message today.

I hope you will forgive me for this, but I am in deep grief today over the loss of my best friend and loyal companion, my 16 year old cat, Peter Pan.

Peter was fine until Wednesday when he collapsed. We had no clue he was sick.  Thursday at the doctor we found out that he had cancer and was very bad. We took him home Thursday evening, but by yesterday morning he was failing badly. So we made the wrenching decision to euthanize him and did so late morning Friday. He left us peacefully and with our loving hands - and tears - on him.

He was the most amazing cat we ever had (and we’ve had a lot). Pure love to us. To be honest, I  never felt such a loss before.

Would you please say a prayer for my wife Bonnie and me and our Peter Pan if you are so inclined? I would greatly appreciate it.

Photo below is me with Peter Pan yesterday morning.  

And I apologize if this is out of line here, but I need all the emotional support I can get right now  Thank you all so much .

Dave W.2

Dave it's never out of line to share your grief with friends.  You've got a great picture of you and Peter to go along with your memories.  You, Bonnie and Peter will be in our prayers and thoughts.

Dave, I know how you feel, and are sending prayers and support your way. I lost a dog about ten years ago that was the best, and it’s taken me this long to finally get another. Just adopted a nine month puppy,

Dave prayers and condolences on the loss of something you loved. Never hesitate to share that feeling with your friends.
God Bless

Don

@Dave Warburton my condolences on the loss of your furry companion.   

@trumpettrain, Pat, its easy to be up early when you haven't made it to bed yet!  I always love your combination of high quality scenes, skilled photography,  and great story telling.   Your posts are always a treat.

@Juha Welcome to the forum and glad to have you here on Switcher Saturday.   Congrats on your new loco!

@MELGAR that 2-6-0 sounds great and the layout looks awesome as usual 🙂

@RSJB18 thanks for sharing your AutoTrain pictures and video.  I think the dash 8's were  numbered 903 and 904 when I saw them doing the exact same thing.

@SIRT, @Tom Densel, and @Steam Crazy,thank you all for sharing.

@Artie-DL&W, that Lackawanna unit is sharp looking 👍

@coach joe yes its a total repaint.  It's one of the low dollar units from the early 90's.  It was originally a UP unit. Paint job is pure rattle can.  The lettering/stripes are vinyl that I painted before I ever took them off the sheet.  The color scheme is based off Laurel Run #10, at the RSME.  The Reading Society of Model Engineers is a multi scale club I belonged to in my youth.

Its so tough to lose a pet. They are one of the family. Prayers to you.

Relaxing after work. “Spotting empties” with the gp38-2. Have a good evening all!  

Dave Warburton,

Sorry for your loss. May Peter Pan always remain in your memory for a blessing.

MELGAR

Dave Warburton,

Just realize that Peter Pan has gone ahead and will be waiting for you and Bonnie to join him one day. Every pet owner can understand and feel your loss.

Steve

@ Dave Warburton

We are truly sorry for you loss of your wonderful companion of the last 16 years.

Your Forum friends here are an understanding bunch of guys an I personally compliment you on your decision to limit the suffering for your Peter.

John

@Dave Warburton- so sorry for the loss of your buddy. We do get extremely attached to our furry companions and it hurts when they leave us. Prayers for you and your wife.

Tux and Cali send their condolences as well.

Bob

@jhz563 @coach joe

The video was from Lorton Va on our last trip to Fla in 2016 (can't believe it's been 5 years!). When we pulled into the station off I-95 around 1 PM,  the train wasn't in yet. The previous southbound train was delayed behind a CSX freight that struck a car at a crossing, which put the northbound behind as well. It finally arrived around 4 PM so I was able to watch the autoracks being spotted. After a fast turnaround we got moving around 7 PM.

Bob