Switcher Saturday Mark II: 2/15/20

Lew nice selection, here is my RS11

Happy SWSat!

WM #23 and C&O #624 interchanging cars on a cold Saturday morning.

Everyone have a nice weekend.

Bob

And my third MTH PS3 SW1500:

Anyone can tell I really like these SW1500s. It and the SW1000 were the first EMD units built with 645 engines. Most were built with the distinctive Flexicoil trucks seen in this pic and with primary and secondary coil springs are suitable for 60mph making these true "road switchers". More than 800 were built. Producing 1500HP they have the capabilities of the first-generation GP7.

sidehack posted:

Lew nice selection, here is my RS11

That's a beauty Ray. I have a Lionel D&H RS-11 w/command that I need to unpack and get on the rails.

Is your's Lionel?

Happy SWSAT all on this very cold Saturday 

Love the MA & PA

See the smoke from this LC+ Erie Camelback switcher mixing with the morning sun:

Arnold

I’m running out of switchers to post. Does a trolley car qualify as a small locomotive for Switcher Saturday II? Anyhow, here it is. Pictures and video show my Peter Witt Brooklyn trolley car #8454 made by Williams-Bachmann. This is a scale-sized and detailed model that would look best on an inner-city layout running at slow streetcar speeds. Is anyone else running trolley cars?

Pictures and video by:

MELGAR

Happy SWSAT! First off Thank You Lew for hosting  this today and sorry guys I sent the bitter cold air East. No new pics this week  it was just to cold so enjoy some reruns 

My newest addition to the fleet - and my second PRR locomotive, a Legacy B6sb by Lionel. Found this by chance as I almost pulled the trigger on the K-Line version with TMCC. Sounds are pretty good and runs nice. I love the slope-back tender, it really makes this a unique piece.

DaveP posted:

My newest addition to the fleet - and my second PRR locomotive, a Legacy B6sb by Lionel. Found this by chance as I almost pulled the trigger on the K-Line version with TMCC. Sounds are pretty good and runs nice. I love the slope-back tender, it really makes this a unique piece.

Dave....nice, I wish I found it

RSJB18 posted:

sidehack posted:

Lew nice selection, here is my RS11

That's a beauty Ray. I have a Lionel D&H RS-11 w/command that I need to unpack and get on the rails.

Is your's Lionel?

yes it's a great engine, unpack that D&H would love to see it

Well Here is what I have, I hope you all have a great SWSAT!

Lee, I really like your video of switching moves:

                   Set-Out

Nice, Mike! Hmmmm. There's something familiar about that BNSF SW9......

It found a good home. 

And she works good Lew, I just need to either get a new battery or replace the speaker. Really low volume but if I do an engine reset its nice and loud for about 10 minutes then drops back down again!

            NYO&W EMD NW2 #116 on the turntable at Little Ferry, NJ- April 87'.

                                                          MY PHOTOS

Ray  nice pic I have a soft pot for the RS Alcos and the NYC is one of my favorite railroads that’s one beautiful engine

Dave I like that little steamer switcher pic 

Mel. It’s ok I’m sure you will think of some different shots we always like your switchers

Lew. Thanks I appreciate your compliment. I’m going to have to invest into a tripod me trying to film one handed just isn’t cutting it anymore

MikeG. Why can I see some beautiful pics of your switchers and I’m so glad to see you participating in SWSAT once again keep coming back

             happy "SWSat"  everybody !!

                  N S photos by Marci...

Brian, that is a lot of switchers! 

A bevy?

A murder?

A herd?

A gaggle?

A flock?

A brace?

A crowd?

mike g. posted:

And she works good Lew, I just need to either get a new battery or replace the speaker. Really low volume but if I do an engine reset its nice and loud for about 10 minutes then drops back down again!

Mike, I'd bet battery because it starts out nice and loud. If the speaker was shot I'd think it would always be the same.

lee drennen posted:

Happy SWSAT! First off Thank You Lew for hosting  this today and sorry guys I sent the bitter cold air East. No new pics this week  it was just to cold so enjoy some reruns 

Lee,

That is a good switching video with good sounds too. Can you record it from a position where the Rutland boxcar can be seen during the drop-off?

MELGAR

MELGAR posted:

lee drennen posted:

Happy SWSAT! First off Thank You Lew for hosting  this today and sorry guys I sent the bitter cold air East. No new pics this week  it was just to cold so enjoy some reruns 

Lee,

That is a good switching video with good sounds too. Can you record it from a position where the Rutland boxcar can be seen during the drop-off?

MELGAR

Mel thanks as soon as I get a tripod I will be able to videotape over in that corner where I drop the car off and I will post it as soon as I do this. I plan on doing this very soon thanks for the compliment again 

lee drennen posted:

Happy SWSAT! First off Thank You Lew for hosting  this today and sorry guys I sent the bitter cold air East. No new pics this week  it was just to cold so enjoy some reruns 

Lee,

Yet another comment about your switching video... I like the fact that the entire operation (locomotive and coupler) is done in conventional mode. Today, many operators insist on having command control and ultra-slow speeds for switching. Personally, I prefer the look and sounds of your traditional operation.

MELGAR

Mel 

Thank you I am very old school when it comes to a lot of things drives my wife and kids nuts I don’t have the patience for all the Bluetooth and the high end Electronic Controls they have these days. I want to go out to the Layout turn the power on and start running trains. Don’t get me wrong I love watching the videos of all the sounds bells whistles chuffs diesel turbines locomotives starting up all flashing lights and the cool stuff that the members have on this forum but sorry it’s just not for me personally. The most high end locomotives I have is a couple old Weaver RS Alcos with conventional sound and that’s about as modern as I’ll ever get. Once again Mel thank you for the very nice compliment

Lee,

I agree. My locomotives and cars all are modern with electronics and sounds, but I run only conventionally. The easiest and most reliable thing is to turn on the transformer, advance the throttle, and run the train.

MELGAR

Good afternoon fellow switcher fans!  Lew thanks so much for pinch hitting today to get us rolling!  I've really been enjoying everyone's pics and videos!  Here are a baker's dozen pics of switchers, both steam and diesel, doing their thing in their natural habitat on the Free State Junction Railway.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone! 

The yard foreman really doesn't like Big Bertha but it is the only shifter he has that can pull a full string of loaded cars from the longest yard track.  The engine also works well in the coach yard for holiday traffic.

But he really dislikes using the big engine to move short consists and especially one car. However, today is very busy and he is short shifters.  As a result, he tasked Big Bertha to move this express car because it needed to be moved quickly to connect with train #21 heading to New York.

The C1 and B60 are Weaver products.

The C1 has been upgraded with ERR cruise for nice, slow shifting.  While the first generation of electronics had some growing pains, command control and sound is what brought me back to the hobby and it has worked well for me.  What I find great about this hobby?  So many different folks from different backgrounds enjoying the hobby in so many different ways.

Well, back to finishing stage 1 of my layout so I can again run trains!

One of my favorites of my switcher photos:

I got these two RS3s to lash up this week.

Hello Switcher Fans...here is my input...AT&SF Alco S-3 moves out with a car full of cows headed for Chicago on the evening symbol freight.  They have just moved out of the watering siding where everybody got a drink (IAW FRA rules for moving livestock).  Moving a few empty car racks up to those new plants in South Carolina to get filled with fancy cars as well. All in a day's work for this hard working loco.

Don, that is my favorite Marx engine. Although I am a hi-railer with a switching pike someday I'm going to break down and get one of those engines and a string of cars.  IIRC the Marx couplers actually work quite well with coupling/uncoupling.

Thanks everyone for a wonderful SWSAT with lots of great pics&videos! Hasta la vista until next Saturday.   

sidehack posted:

RSJB18 posted:

sidehack posted:

Lew nice selection, here is my RS11

That's a beauty Ray. I have a Lionel D&H RS-11 w/command that I need to unpack and get on the rails.

Is your's Lionel?

yes it's a great engine, unpack that D&H would love to see it

Ray- not unpacked yet but I forgot I had taken some pix of my RS-11 when I bought it. stay tuned....

          NICE Bob !!  ready to see it on the rails

GEYSERGAZER :  thanks for the comment on my Marx 1998 AT&SF switcher...I am a retired ME design engineer and I just love the mechanical design innovation on this engine.  Marx created an 8 wheel switcher out of a 4 wheel motor.  A simple "U" shaped extension in front and back carries the extra wheels.  I believe that the 4 wheel motor is the same as used in many, many different Marx GE 70-ton switchers, so if you find a 1998 that doesn't' work, you could probably substitute  the motor from any 70- ton easily.  I also agree, that despite a completely UN-prototypical appearance the "pickle fork" couplers actually WORK really well.  I don't have too much switching opportunity on my layout but I bet this loco would be fun on a switching layout.  I have no idea (you mentioned a "hi-rail" layout) how close to scale these things are but they seem reasonable when compared to the other Marx engines like the F-3.

Anyway thanks again for your comment.

Don McErlean

Don, I find another interesting engineering bit is the use of a double-reduction drive which should give the Marx switchers superior slow-speed performance.

GEYSERGAZER: Wow, forgot about that (must be getting old...HA! who am I kidding, there is no "getting" about it ) but you are absolutely right.  I am going to put some Marx cars on one of my passing tracks and see what the switching performance might be (I don't have any sidings, a bit of planning shortsidedness I may have to correct). 

Don

Don, I'll be curious to see what you learn.