Switcher Saturday August 21, 2021

Good morning, SwSat friends!  Bob, thanks for getting us rolling!

This morning’s featured switcher is Santa Fe SW2 no. 2419.  She’s spotting a tank car at the Shell Oil terminal.  A view of the other side of the terminal captures the terminal CEO just after arriving in his Cadillac.  He’s there to display his mastery of hands on management ( you can bet the terminal employees will be happy when he’s gone!).

The second photo also shows a DPW crew at work in the road at the front of the terminal.  They appear to be installing some kind of pipe, but your Yardmaster confesses he hasn’t a clue about what they’re really doing!

John

What have we here? The Lawn-Guy-Land edition of Switcher Saturday? LOL!  This is rather special and thanks for getting us started, Bob.  So, since the inmates are now running the asylum while JHZ is away, I’ll throw in a little MTA Bang switcher action to mix things up a bit. Happy SwSat everyone!

Thanks for getting us started today Bob!

0-4-0 switcher 8310 is moving a pair of Pennsy hoppers past the control tower down the mainline.

Happy SWSAT everyone from Patient  #309  Bed # 51 thanks Bob for kicking us off. Here’s a couple of Lionel F Alcos doing there thing around town.

@lee drennen posted:

Happy SWSAT everyone from Patient  #309  Bed # 51 thanks Bob for kicking us off. Here’s a couple of Lionel F Alcos doing there thing around town.

HUH?????
Everything ok Lee??

Have a great Saturday!

@RSJB18 posted:

HUH?????
Everything ok Lee??

I think so lol

Bob, you led off the inning with a pinch hit home run today.

Lee it's always a good thing when the inmate, uh patient, remembers his "name" and bed number. It shows improvement.  I have to admit that like Bob at first you had me worried.

Happy SWSAT everyone!

Later today I'm heading over to New Haven, Indiana to attend the Ft. Wayne Railroad Historical Society's open house.  I'll be getting up close and personal with NKP Berkshire #765.   

They bring in a tank engine to pull the caboose train.  Here is a video I took the last time I was there in 2019.  Sorry for the poor quality.  I had just gotten out of my truck when I heard them taking off.  I grabbed my video camera and started shooting with no preparation.

Tom

Hello SwSat guys,

Attached are some photos of a Lionel

TrackMobile 2 railed by Joe Foerkolb and the real loco switching a industry on the New Holland Pa NS branch.

Enjoy!!!

John P Dunn Sr Scale 2 Rail Promotions

New York Central S-2 Electric Motor #3207 is an interesting model to watch in operation. In my opinion, it sounds like a trolley car. This one is a Legacy version made by Lionel in 2017. Shown on my 10’-by-5’ layout.

MELGAR

Good morning fellow switcher fans!  Bob - thanks so much for pinching hitting for Mr. Z and notching out the throttle this morning.   Terrific photos/videos guys!!  Have a splendid and safe weekend everyone!!

Today on the Free State Junction Railway in 1952, a little boy named Chucky shot these photos over the last week at Butler Junction.  Hanging out around the FSJR is Chucky's favorite summertime activity.  Since the opening day of school is approaching faster than a speeding locomotive, Chucky has been spending everyday down at Butler Junction watching all the railroad activity.  He just got these photos back from being developed at Whipple's Drug Store.  Since Mr. Whipple is Chucky's uncle, Chucky gets a fast turn around on film developing.

Sunday evening around 7:30 pm:  Engineer, Smickey Donovan waves to hostler Duce Jones as Duce takes number 94 back to the round house.   Number 94 has been out working East Yard in Patsburg all day.  Time now for Smickey to go home and chow down on some fried chicken and greens the Mrs. has cooked up for him.    

Monday morning: N umber 94 is steamed up and ready to go to work.  Here engineer Mort Danoff and brakeman Fester Scruggs talk over the switch list.  ( 94 is a K line A5 which I bought brand new.  I weather it in 2019. )

Tuesday morning:   Chucky found this B&O SW9 and crew doing some switching work.  The fellow facing the camera is Chucky's Uncle Leo, a brakeman.  He's saying " Hey Chucky!  Is that you?  Be careful down here around the railroad and watch out for snakes in those bushes!"  

Later Tuesday:  Chucky took this photo of a GP9 helping an ABA set of F7s pull a time freight up the grade.  On Wednesday Chucky caught this rare combination of a passenger GP9 and an ALCO FA B unit coming thru the junction.

More action on Wednesday brought Chucky and his camera to photograph a pair of Fairbanks Morse Train Masters pulling a looong freight through the junction.  Chucky wishes these workman were not in the way of the shot.  

On Thursday Chucky clicked off this photo of a Ma & Pa SW 1 passing through as a Tucker Torpedeo is being unloaded from an end door boxcar.  Chucky's dad wants to buy a new Tucker too!  

Later on Thursday Chucky caught this B&O way freight pulled by SW 9 number 594.  On Friday Chucky eyed in  on this consist of B&O SW9 and GP9 at the point of a transfer freight going from East Yard to West Yard.  Oh yea, those fellas on the forklift and wagon are Manny, Moe, and Jack Pep.  Most folks round here call them the Pep boys.  Anyway, they are about to knock off since it's 5 minutes  to 4.  About 4:15 you can catch these three fellers down at O'Henry's Pub & Grub huddled around a table discussing plans to open a auto parts store in town.  

Also on Friday Chucky caught a C&O 0-8-0 sitting on a siding as it made way for a Pennsy 44 tonner on the running track.  It's harvest season, so lots of produce being shipped out via rail this time of year.  All those fruit and vegetables keep the switchers busy.  

@Tom Densel posted:

Happy SWSAT everyone!

Later today I'm heading over to New Haven, Indiana to attend the Ft. Wayne Railroad Historical Society's open house.  I'll be getting up close and personal with NKP Berkshire #765.   

They bring in a tank engine to pull the caboose train.  Here is a video I took the last time I was there in 2019.  Sorry for the poor quality.  I had just gotten out of my truck when I heard them taking off.  I grabbed my video camera and started shooting with no preparation.

Tom

Neat, got to drive 126 when it was here at the NCTM.

Ron

@trumpettrain posted:

Today on the Free State Junction Railway in 1952, a little boy named Chucky shot these photos over the last week at Butler Junction.... He just got these photos back from being developed at Whipple's Drug Store.  Since Mr. Whipple is Chucky's uncle, Chucky gets a fast turn around on film developing.

On Thursday Chucky clicked off this photo of a Ma & Pa SW 1 passing through as a Tucker Torpedeo is being unloaded from an end door boxcar.  Chucky's dad wants to buy a new Tucker too!  

Patrick,

Quite a few pictures of the FSJR today. Do you also get a discount and fast turn-around on film developing and printing at Whipple's Drug Store - just like Chucky? By the way, I've been looking to buy a Tucker since 1950 but the prices are astronomical and they're hard to find. I may have to settle for a Studebaker.

MELGAR

Well here we are again at SwSat...Thanks Bob for pulling us awake this morning and standing in for Mr.Z.  Great pictures everyone, Trumptrain that was quite a photo display today, thank you....gave me something to read over my morning coffee! lLee Drennen I caught the comment about the hospital bed, I hope all is well and you will be back on the road soon!

Today, I have a new loco to the L&S, the Lionel 0-6-0 switcher in PRR livery.  She is really neat, smokes, sound, etc.  The L&S is trying to convert to diesel, but he PRR was so generous with the price (and L&S management is sooooo cheap) that they could not pass it up.

And here is a short video of her in action with a short hop from the Wharf to the Yard.

Best wishes everyone

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

Well here we are again at SwSat...Thanks Bob for pulling us awake this morning and standing in for Mr.Z.  Great pictures everyone, Trumptrain that was quite a photo display today, thank you....gave me something to read over my morning coffee! lLee Drennen I caught the comment about the hospital bed, I hope all is well and you will be back on the road soon!

Today, I have a new loco to the L&S, the Lionel 0-6-0 switcher in PRR livery.  She is really neat, smokes, sound, etc.  The L&S is trying to convert to diesel, but he PRR was so generous with the price (and L&S management is sooooo cheap) that they could not pass it up.

And here is a short video of her in action with a short hop from the Wharf to the Yard.

Best wishes everyone

Don

Don another great video I’m ok just another crazy week in the City

@MELGAR posted:

Patrick,

Quite a few pictures of the FSJR today. Do you also get a discount and fast turn-around on film developing and printing at Whipple's Drug Store - just like Chucky? By the way, I've been looking to buy a Tucker since 1950 but the prices are

astronomical and they're hard to find. I may have to settle for a Studebaker.

MELGAR - Come on back to 1950 and over to Smith Brothers Autos in Patsburg!  They have a Tucker at the right price ...  and if that "right price" is not right for you they can put you into a nice Studebaker or VW Beatle!  Hurry on over this sale ends soon!!   Btw - while in town, you can also come on over to Whipple's Drug Store to meet Chucky's uncle Orville and enjoy a tasty ice cream sundae topped off with Whipple cream. a real specialty, at the soda fountain.

Patrick,

I'm on my way! Tell them not to sell that Tucker to anyone else. When it comes to model railroading, I'm still in the 1950s.

MELGAR

Greetings, fellow switcher fans! Just dropped by to say that today the TCA national convention in Burbank, CA, is open to the public for viewing of displays and a bunch of nifty operating layouts PLUS a very nice train swap meet.

it’s all happening until late afternoon at the Marriott Hotel directly across from Burbank Airport on Hollywood Way.

So, for any of you SoCal types, swing over there for a fun time if you can. You won’t regret it  

The Western Division TCA folks have done a boffo job making this happen on very short notice and under so much uncertainty due to Covid. My conductor’s hat is off to them for a job VERY well done!

A couple pics from the TCA Convention.

Excellent switchers everyone!

Here we go.  Two RS3s to give plenty of power to pull a 20-car train.

Howdy switcher fans! Been a busy day here on LI getting prepared for Henri'. I've got the generator ready to go (it does power the trains BTW ), so we are in good shape. Hopefully it's not another Sandy and we can recover quickly.

Lot's of great posts this week. Honorable mention to Patrick @trumpettrain for his very creative posts.

@Dave Warburton- thanks for the pix from the TCA show. @Steve "Papa" Eastman posted a bunch on the forum also. Looks like a great show. Those circus tents are impressive. Nice to see train shows being held again.

Too many names to list but thanks to all for making my interim yard master duties a blast!

Bob

Here is my MTH unit repaint by Christine Braden.  Sitting in our club yard.

“Howdy switcher fans! Been a busy day here on LI getting prepared for Henri'. I've got the generator ready to go (it does power the trains BTW ), so we are in good shape. Hopefully it's not another Sandy and we can recover quickly.”

Great job hosting a successful Switcher Saturday, Bob. Good luck to all up North with that storm. Hopefully it misses all of you.  Strange that us Floridians are writing that to you guys.  

Great Job Bob! Thanks for being Yard Master today

@RSJB18 posted:

Howdy switcher fans! Been a busy day here on LI getting prepared for Henri'. I've got the generator ready to go (it does power the trains BTW ), so we are in good shape. Hopefully it's not another Sandy and we can recover quickly.

Bob

Bob,

Good luck through the storm. The forecast track goes right over our town in CT. Only about 23 miles from the North Shore of Long Island.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

Bob,

Good luck through the storm. The forecast track goes right over our town in CT. Only about 23 miles from the North Shore of Long Island.

MELGAR

Same to you Mel. We are probably 20 minutes apart as the crow flies but 2 hours to drive in New York/ Connecticut traffic 🤪🤪😂😂

@Strap Hanger posted:

“Howdy switcher fans! Been a busy day here on LI getting prepared for Henri'. I've got the generator ready to go (it does power the trains BTW ), so we are in good shape. Hopefully it's not another Sandy and we can recover quickly.”

Great job hosting a successful Switcher Saturday, Bob. Good luck to all up North with that storm. Hopefully it misses all of you.  Strange that us Floridians are writing that to you guys.  

Thanks Strap! It's only August....I'm sure Florida will see its share before the season is over.

RSJB18, Bob, thank you for pinch hitting today and having a successful Switcher  Saturday, Fantastic.  There’s lots of great pictures and videos on this thread and I pray for everyone in Henri’s Hurricane path tonight and for all those out west fighting fires. It’s been a tough year for so many. Happy Railroading Everyone

Like Bob mentioned in his original post, a single unit F3 can serve nicely as a switcher.

This MTH Proto 3 NY Central F3 unit operates beautifully as a switcher because its front and back electrocouplers work so well:

Stay in and safe, Bob, Mel, and all in the storm’s path

@Mark Boyce posted:

Stay in and safe, Bob, Mel, and all in the storm’s path

Thanks Mark-  the storm was downgraded overnight to a TS and shifted east of Montauk Point. Looks like a rainy day for me. Guess I'll have to spend time in the basement. Hmmm.....wonder what I can do to pass the time.

Bob

Bob, that is good to know!  My wife had the Pittsburgh station on this morning and they showed hefty looking waves to land lubbers like us coming in on the south shore, but I hadn’t heard it was degraded.  I hoped it would as it moved to colder water.

Some switcher action on the floor of my studio apartment. I love the small scale engines!

Patrick,

Thanks for the tip. My visit to Smith Brothers Automobiles in Patsburg was amazing! I didn’t know that so many Tuckers even existed, but they were too expensive for me. So, instead, I ended up with TWO STUDEBAKERS, one white and the other blue. Photos show them parked in front of the family business and behind the railroad station on Railroad Avenue – on my 10’-by-5’ layout. I was lucky that the bus didn’t remove the left rear fender of the white one as it set out for Providence. Do they still make parts for Studebakers? I'm going to need a lot of them...

MELGAR

Hey MELGAR, Smith Brothers sold me blue and white Studebakers too!  Something funny is going on.  I think Patrick is getting a cut!

John

@Steam Crazy posted:

Hey MELGAR, Smith Brothers sold me blue and white Studebakers too!  Something funny is going on.  I think Patrick is getting a cut!

John

John,

Those look very familiar - just like the ones I bought. Both of mine have suddenly disappeared from behind the railroad station. Which salesman did you buy them from? I'm waiting to hear what Patrick has to say.

MELGAR

Melgar, I think the salesman's name was Honest Ernest.  You know how hard it is to pass up buying a train you have wanted for a long time?  I felt the same when he said "have I got the cars for you"!  I couldn't resist buying them.  I wonder if they will start?

John