Switcher Saturday Mark II, 11-21-20

Yay SWSat is on track!

Oh no! So sorry to see that @jhz563. That is really too sad to see. I got a book in the mail yesterday that looked like it had been shot out of an air cannon into a wall on one corner. Every single page was rippled by the impact. It looked like water rippling in a pond.
Here I will post pictures of it because it is tangentially relevant.

So yes something is in the air of the postal service these days.

In a happier note here is my weeks contribution. My new to me Dapol 2 rail O scale London Brighton and South Coast A1 Terrier “Thames”. I don’t know what is happening on the number plate. This paint scheme is called “Improved Engine Green” these engines wore in the 1870’s and 90’s. The car it is pulling is my first scratch built COVID 19 project. It is still a work in progress. A second class salon car from the 1860’s. Sadly I made it a fair bit over scale. Oops.

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

Happy SWSAT.....

To all here: Have a safe&happy SWSAT!

"Pulling the Scrapyard"

A Mill Gon stands loaded and a tank car stands empty. The Scrapyard guy is always looking for a way to make a buck so he got in the heating oil delivery bizz on the cheap. Just a truck and room to spot a tank car. He pumps directly from the car to his truck, using the car as a storage tank and paying daily demurrage:

So here is PER #1545 coupled and aired up, ready to pull the siding:

Seen here is my modified Lionel Portal Gantry Crane with shortened legs.

Rolling through Town on the East End lead:

On the PER its all switching all the time

Good morning fellow switcher fans!  You all have some really great posts!!  Thanks JHZ563 for notching out the throttle and getting us rolling this morning    Today I have photos of a C&O 0-8-0 doing early morning switching just before full sun up.  Also a Ma & Pa SW1 high up on the Mountain Division pulling a train of flats loaded with pulpwood... and a closeup shot of the SW1 and crew as they arrived at their destination.  I then follow with a couple more shots of the 0-8-0 showing off it's gleaming new paint job on it's first day out of the shop.  

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.  Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy Thanksgiving!  Please be safe and be well!

HOPING EVERYONE ON THE FORUM HAS A HAPPY THANKSGIVING

HERE IS AN MP-15 I RECENTLY HAD WEATHERED BY HARRY HIEKE

Happy SWSat!

Just passing by this week.

Bob

With snow just around the corner, the yard crew prepares a Jordan spreader for duty:

Tom

A pair of Marx 588 switches & NYC Pacemaker boxcars(2 variations).

Morning guys I was able to catch a couple shots this morning before my meeting.

Here you see the Coors 2008 and the BNSF 3505 waiting there turn to get back into the yard, I think the Coors will get to go first as it has a really desired load to off ship.

After a long day, both are parked and ready for tomorrow. I guess its beer time!

I hope everyone has a great Saturday and finds more time to have fun with your trains.

jhz563, while I liked your post I surely didn't like your misfortune.  Was there any attempt at protecting the engine or was t just thrown in the box?

Andy is that an upside down 5?  Maybe intended to be a 9?

Fendermain the fishing can't be too good in that pond.

Mike, green light that Coors load right to the unloading dock.

@coach joe posted:

Andy is that an upside down 5?  Maybe intended to be a 9?

Haha Nothing gets past you Joe!

Apparently These models sometimes had this flaw when they first came out. Was a manufacturing whoops. It is supposed to be #57 I have no idea how it got that messed up. I was just able to get it off to flip it the right way.

Here on the other side the number plate is on correctly.

@coach joe posted:

jhz563, while I liked your post I surely didn't like your misfortune.  Was there any attempt at protecting the engine or was t just thrown in the box?

Two layers of bubble wrap super tight, and crammed into cardboard folded into a box shape that it barely squeezed into.   One of the front buffer buttons is missing.  There is a corresponding hole in the box and bubble wrap.

@jhz563

ouch. 😧

@tnkMarx posted:

A pair of Marx 588 switches & NYC Pacemaker boxcars(2 variations).

Love your Marx 3/16's tinplate and LOVE what I can see of your layout! Can you post some more pictures of your layout over in the Marx tinplate thread? (Or have you already?) I would really enjoy seeing more of your layout and trains.

Those little 3/16th cars look great sitting among the flats on the backdrop!

Andre

Jhz563 and Silver Lake, I feel your pain.  Just this morning, I received an engine like in Bob’s post with a smoked radio wheel. An easy fix but it could have been packed better.  I even requested special attention to packaging.

Silver Lake, I like your COVID project.

Coach Joe, keen eye sir.  HaHa. Bluewater and fishing are a bit optimistic there.  I should update the color to railroad runoff brown?........😎

Lots of great looking switchers, Folks!!  I'm going to post these two GP7s since they are about as big as a switcher when compared to today's monster diesels!    A local brick and mortar dealer had these two for sale at the Monroeville Greenberg show at the beginning of the month.  Great Northern is a far cry from my normal choice of Western Maryland, but I do like the color scheme and the price was amazing.  One has Legacy, and the other is non powered.  I saw both had taken a bit of a beating, but well worth $150 for the pair.  The most glaring issue is the missing hood cover, which was lost because the magnets in the shell fell out.  I got all the parts I need to whip them into shape at the Lionel parts weekend sale.  Oh yes, they run, sound, and smoke great!!

Well jhz563 I see you have your Lionel #41 US Army Switcher working this morning.  So it happens that the Army is also working the docks at Savannah on the Leonardtown and Savannah today.  Moving an "up-east" NH automobile car containing some new Jeeps for Hunter AAB in Savannah.  Today its 1950's vintage trains from Lionel.

Here is "old" #41 made 1955-57 and has had a  career working hard for the Army as you can see.  She is a long way from "new" or perfect but she is perfect for negotiating the tight turns at the port and at the Army Air Base.

Here she is loaded up with that NH Auto-Box car.  Its a 6468-25 also made by Lionel between 1956-58.  With only one car, she will use the L&S commuter line (its mid afternoon between heavy commuter runs to the north away from the port ) to move this car to Hunter.  Easy load and the Army needs these Jeeps.  

OBTW today is dark and rainy in Texas and the lighting in the layout room under these conditions makes picture taking hard.  So today's scene's are taking place on a true "table top" layout where I can get better lighting.

Have a great weekend everyone

Don

Wow, lots of great Switchers, and great pictures. I’ve been away for a few days and am amazed at all of the great progress being made by all here. Happy Railroading Everyone.

@Fendermain- That sucks! Mine is a Lionel PWC edition with TMCC, railsounds, and crewtalk. The radio wheel is the volume control. Bought mine from Trainz. They always pack stuff securely.

@Mark Boyce- I smell a repaint in your future. Those would look great in WM Red and white! Don't forget the speed lettering! . That's a great spot for photos on your layout too!

So I had to run out early this morning....both of our cats have fleas and one had to go to the vet because she refused to take one of her pills. Big fun!

As you can tell by this photo from last Christmas, she's not the most cooperative beast

SWITCHERS!

RSJB18 Bob, Since I already have the Western Maryland #21 GP7 in black Speedletter, and you have the #23, the black-white-red Speedletter would probably be the way to go.  I used to hate that scheme, but after 40 years it has finally grown on me.    I would definitely take them to CJB Custom Painting and Design.  Christine does a tremendous job.  I would botch them up, like I did on an MTH Protosound (PS1) ABA F3 set I have packed in a box to not remind me. 

Our dog will only take her pills if they are wrapped up in a piece of chipped chopped ham.  I wonder if it would work with your cat. 

@Mark Boyce posted:

RSJB18 Bob, Since I already have the Western Maryland #21 GP7 in black Speedletter, and you have the #23, the black-white-red Speedletter would probably be the way to go.  I used to hate that scheme, but after 40 years it has finally grown on me.    I would definitely take them to CJB Custom Painting and Design.  Christine does a tremendous job.  I would botch them up, like I did on an MTH Protosound (PS1) ABA F3 set I have packed in a box to not remind me. 

Our dog will only take her pills if they are wrapped up in a piece of chipped chopped ham.  I wonder if it would work with your cat. 

Look up finicky cat in the dictionary....you will find her picture. 😂😂😂

Bob, 😄😄😄😄😄

Ford’s newly acquired Alco S2 is getting the job done just before lunch at the Hamburg NY Ford plant!

B&O GP9 with mail train on restricted speed orders.  Canton Railroad SW1500 and calf pulling mixed freight.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Lots of great looking switchers, Folks!!  I'm going to post these two GP7s since they are about as big as a switcher when compared to today's monster diesels!    A local brick and mortar dealer had these two for sale at the Monroeville Greenberg show at the beginning of the month.  Great Northern is a far cry from my normal choice of Western Maryland, but I do like the color scheme and the price was amazing.  One has Legacy, and the other is non powered.  I saw both had taken a bit of a beating, but well worth $150 for the pair.  The most glaring issue is the missing hood cover, which was lost because the magnets in the shell fell out.  I got all the parts I need to whip them into shape at the Lionel parts weekend sale.  Oh yes, they run, sound, and smoke great!!

IMO, you got a great deal for yourself, Mark. You are a smart, skillful scrounger, a quality I highly admire in a model railroader. Both locomotives look great, and from what you say, run great too. Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

IMO, you got a great deal for yourself, Mark. You are a smart, skillful scrounger, a quality I highly admire in a model railroader. Both locomotives look great, and from what you say, run great too. Arnold

Thank you very much, Arnold!!

I know I am a couple days late and I am sorry for that!

Jim NYC Z-Man, wonderful video of your Alco S2 in action. It really is a smooth operator there! You must really love your Ford, Question about your Ford plan, did you scratch build it and if so how did you do the roll up door?

Patrick, Sweet video, the GP9 looks like it is keeping with in the restricted speed limit!  The Canton RR SW1500 must be in a little hurry, I think its going a little faster! LOL

Mike, Thanks for the kind words! I have no affinity to Ford or any other automobile company. It is loosely based on a plant in WNY where I live. The building is built with foamcore bd and sheet styrene. The doors are sheet styrene as well. The operator is built on a frame of plastruct and the doors are guided in vertical ‘H’ beams. The drive is done with Tamiya motor/low speed gearbox units I picked up on Amazon. I configured some relays for up/down operation.

Jim with the height of the building I believe the doors go straight up in the vertical position without transitioning to horizontal like a garage door at home.