Switcher Saturday Mark II, 11-14-20

Rusty

I rode from Urbana to West Liberty to Bellefontaine Ohio hoping to see them switching hoppers thru the grain elevator.  No luck and all the hoppers were in use somewhere else.  I did get to see a CSX intermodal train pass by.  Here are pics of the elevator and empty storage tracks.

Have a SAFE and HAPPY SWSAT, everyone!

On the PER a little drama:

While the Main has crossing lights the East End lead does not so the Conductor has the additional work of flagging that crossing. This complicates switching the East End. As well, a train cannot block either crossing for extended periods of time so the length of  the train in foreground is limited without fouling the East End switch (off to the right) which can further complicate the day's Job.

Set to pull the West End siding:

While switching the West End the Engineer gets to watch this pump-jack at work lifting Pennsylvania Crude to the surface:

Western Pa illustrates the principle of Peak Oil. After all these years (starting in 1859 at Drake's Well) of extracting oil half of it is still in the ground there. BUT, when each new barrel is extracted the flow rate on that well decreases (by a tiny amount) so over time the flow rate approaches but never reaches zero. The speed of the pump jacks is geared down and down over time. By now wells in Western Pa are left to rest most of the time (giving crude time to slowly seep into the rock zone available to the well) with pump jacks operating for a few hours at a time. And so it goes around the World. Probably the most closely held secret in the oil biz is the flow rate of wells, especially newer plays  with unconventional [Frack] wells. Indications are that Frack wells play out much sooner than conventional wells and this knowledge could/can tank investment in new plays.

Yay! SWSat is on track!

@jhz563 come on over to the dark side. The next steps are going two rail British O Scale. Very nice engine on its way to you. I have never had or even seen in person a Darstead.

Here is my engine to run when the power goes out. A Clockwork Hornby LMS 3600 0-4-0. Here it is left its two carriages and has been pressed into freight duty posed shoving some  German Bing gondolas.

Have a great weekend.I can’t wait to see what you guys post.

Stay safe. Wear a mask.

Good morning fellow switcher fans!!   Thanks JHZ563 for throwing the switch, notching out the throttle, and getting us rolling this morning!   Great photos and info guys! 

Today on the FJSR the B&O switchers are at it again, doing their thing in and around Patsburg.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!  "Be safe = Be well!"

Andy, I see you've abandoned 3 rail all together and went scale at home in addition to the club.

@coach joe posted:

Andy, I see you've abandoned 3 rail all together and went scale at home in addition to the club.

I still have plenty of 3 rail. I have a micro layout and enough for around the tree. The nice thing about the clockwork is that I can run it where ever.

That said I have recently taken up actively seeking out some holes in my missing scout sized double door boxcar collection. Slowly getting there. Spurred on by a friend (wink, wink. Say no more.)

The ShopRite one I didn’t even know existed. But fodder for my few MPC engines to shift around.

Happy SWSat!
Another great start to the weekend.

Currently there is another thread running about your favorite K-line item. While I have many to choose from, the Plymouth to me seems to be one of their best offerings. Well detailed and heavy for their size, the humble Plymouth can pull a decent drag of cars. They can smoke out a room and are colorful and fun to watch run around the layout. And most important of all- -great for switching too!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Bob

AC&Y H16-44 #202 spots a boxcar at a factory:

Tom

Great photos and videos all.  Bob...looks like you got permission to get your smoke on!

@Fendermain posted:

Great photos and videos all.  Bob...looks like you got permission get your smoke on!

That's an old video.....one that got me in trouble to begin with

@RSJB18 posted:

Happy SWSat!
Another great start to the weekend.

Currently there is another thread running about your favorite K-line item. While I have many to choose from, the Plymouth to me seems to be one of their best offerings. Well detailed and heavy for their size, the humble Plymouth can pull a decent drag of cars. They can smoke out a room and are colorful and fun to watch run around the layout. And most important of all- -great for switching too!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Bob

Bob,

Looks like you cornered the market on Plymouth Switchers!

Here is a photo of my latest switcher project.  An MTH Premier Virginian 0-8-0 switcher that was "Frankensteined " to CNW by replacing the tender.

@ThirdRail

Not quite yet....K-line made them in many RR's. There are sets with ore cars too.
I'm running Northeast lines mostly so there are still a few I want to get.

Bob

Yesterday's switch-job ready for a shove to Interchange:

Leaving town:

Rolling into Town with today's switch-job:

The crew has their work cut out for them with five set-outs:

                                      American Flyer 1957  (uncatalogued) Pennsy 0-6-0 #21004.

@RSJB18 posted:

@ThirdRail

Not quite yet....K-line made them in many RR's. There are sets with ore cars too.
I'm running Northeast lines mostly so there are still a few I want to get.

Bob

I have the Western Pacific model. Very impressive.

A Rock Island Geep is dropping off a couple of tank cars full of fuel oil at the local powerplant.

A day late....

Great posts everyone, I hope you all are well...Rich

@Murnane

Looking good Rich!

Bob

Dockside works the Mountain Division.

Thank you to everyone for an amazing Switcher Saturday!

Since we are talking K-Line switchers,  here's my with a familiar figure hanging onto the front.

Have a great week everyone!