Switcher Saturday Mark II!, 3/28/2020

Happy and healthy SWSAT!

Every day finds PER #1545 hard at work.

"Switching the Paint Factory":

{Holy "S" curves, Batman!}

"Finishing the day's switching job":

"Evening work commences. The Dinner Train spotted for boarding":

Here is a 1615 pulling some cars out to make a train up on my “temporary” floor layout while I wait to get access to my old layout in the attic again. 

              happy "SWSat" !!      hope everyone is doing well !

                me, Marci and Izzy,  train watching at the Anderson's this week ...

             Marci's photos...

                    have a great day !!

Steamtown switcher.  

Happy SWSat!

So after a two year break I find myself back here for a second week in a row. I had (and still have) some issues with the way this forum is handled from the top but it is the most active and this topic is really the only one I post to. I have all of this free time these days because I live in infected Manhattan and I haven’t been out except for groceries for weeks now. 

I have been going through my things cleaning up as a break from work from home and homeschooling duties. 

Today I am posting some pictures of an early Lionel 150. These were based on the New York Central S Motors that were used for Passenger Duty and passenger car switching in the city up to Croton-Harmon. 

I had started restoring this one because the shell had been very badly repainted and had been dented. I worked out a lot of the bad dents and soda blasted it.  Then I polished it some and then stopped and lacquered it because I actually liked the look of it. I have not replaced the headlight but it has an unusual transitional hole pattern. 

All in all it looks pretty good for a 100 year old toy.

So stay safe out there. Have a great weekend and I can’t wait to see what people post. 

Happy SWSat!

NYC 0-4-0 # 9998 (MTH) shifting some cars this week. Picking up a couple of loaded REA cars for delivery.

Spotting the two REA cars on the new siding in town. The cars are loaded with building supplies. Site construction should start soon.

Job complete, the crew stops at the switch tower to get their next set of orders.

Hope everyone is healthy and doing well.

Bob

As I sit here.  Possible projects come to mind.  Materials, paints, on hand, with no field trips, even to the local hardware store, seems acceptable, but in limited supplies.  Spent the day re-organizing the work bench.  Scrapped several spray cans, that shelf life was unkind to.    Cleaning shelved models with lots of dust, probably a couple day job.  Back to the brush kit. 

Unfortunately, even with careful cleaning, some repair may be required.  

AC&Y H16-44 #202 (Lionel) spots a boxcar at a local industry:

Stay safe, everyone.

Tom

NYC shop switcher X-8688 is called into service again! This time the 0-6-0T is towing NYC Alco RS-1 8106 to the shop due to a bad traction motor.  The old timers in the shop will tell you the new fangled diesels ain’t worth a you-know-what!

RSJB18 posted:

Bob, I always enjoy seeing photos of your K-Line S-2's. It's like a walk down memory lane for me: "Oh yeah, I had that one too before I repainted it." 

Thanks Brian. I went on a buying spree for a while and grabbed a few of these. All have been re-wired in series to make their speed manageable.

I accumulated a collection of Atlas O diecast switchers years ago. This one is a model of New Haven Railroad SW1200 #649. On the bridges of my 12'-by-8' layout.

Haven’t done any model railroading lately. Just staying in, sitting at the computer, following the news, doing some computer programming. However, the OGR Forum is always up on my computer so that I don’t miss anything. Best wishes to all.

MELGAR

A PRR FS10 is in the coach yard repositioning a P70 for a commuter train leaving in one hour. The commuter train, to be headed up by a G5, will have four P70s taking commuters out to the suburbs at the end of the workday.

The FS10 (FM Switcher/1,000hp) is a MTH H10-44, all cars are 3rd Rail/GGD.

Switcher action on the Seattle & Yakima RR

Happy Switcher Saturday. 

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Happy Switcher Saturday. 

                            Johan, nice pics! Makes you feel like you are right there. Great work.

Top of the afternoon to fellow switcher fans!  My hope is that you are  ALL well and safe .... and enjoying your trains immensely!  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!

Today I want to focus on one type of switcher and call my post " The Adventures of a B&O GP9."   If I had to only keep one locomotive, that locomotive would be the venerable GP9.  Why? ...  Because of it's immense flexibility.  After all GP stands for general purpose.  The GP9 can be used anywhere the railroad so chooses ... way freight, long haul road freight, yard duty, MOW duty, local and long distance passenger trains.  You name  the task and the GP9 can do it.  ( So could a GP7, however, the GP 9 has 250 more hp)  

Today I feature photos of my MTH Railking passenger equipped ( hence the air tanks on the roof to make room for the water tank to fuel the steam generator) GP9 and Williams dummy GP9.   In some photos/video other switchers are included as well .  I close  this post with a video of the GP9 running at near top speed with a mail train.  

YESTERDAY MORNING  around 7:30 a.m. seen here at Patsburg Ave. grade crossing pulling a transfer freight out of the yard and onto the main.  

Last year ... at same location with an ALCO B unit for extra power. 

Blasting out of " Big Rock Tunnel"  with westbound " Merchants Limited" as Alco RS 1 observes from adjacent track. 

Two GP 9's on the service track as "Mr. Bo" keeps an eye on the entire operation. 

Dual GP9s pulls a long coal train as Y6b says " Hey, that's my job!" 

On the service track topped off with fuel, sand and ready for next assignment. 

Taking a break at the engine terminal. 

Doing some switching around Patburg.

GP 9 with it's B&O wagon top caboose. 

GP 9 in action heading east with a B&O mail train.  

Again have a wonderful, safe, and healthy weekend!! 

Great pics as always. Great to have a fun hobby like this under present circumstances, isn’t it?  

“Stay safe out there.”  Preferably only in your backyard for now.

PAUL ROMANO posted:

BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Happy Switcher Saturday. 

                            Johan, nice pics! Makes you feel like you are right there. Great work.

Paul. Thank you Sir. 🤝

Johan

Wow Guys, lots of really neat modeling work.  Silver Lake you posted some work on your Lionel 150, my posting tonight is from a Lionel 53 from the 1920's that was restored from bare metal about 25 years ago when I lived in Pa.  Tom Densel...I don't know how you guys do it, get the loco's to run that SLOW...can't do it without stalling. 

Here is my input.  Old 53, a NYC S motor likely born when aircraft were still fabric and wood and came out of the Lionel shops in about 1925 gets ready in the tunnels of Grand Central to make sure the 20th Century's all set to roll up to the red carpet. 

I am only 76, I hope I look this good when I'm 95 ! 

Happy SWS...

Don McErlean

I beg your pardon?  Some aircraft are still fabric and wood.  I was covering a J3 Cub aileron this afternoon, and did a Stearman wood wingtip last month, laminations and all.  Flew a wood spar J4 before lunch today.

Cappilot - did you copy my request about those stone walls last week?  If so I missed it.

Bought this Reading switcher a few weeks ago and cleaned and lubed it up. I knew about this loco being in a set from the 80s and I jumped on it when I saw the whole set for sale on Craigslist. A little noisy but runs good at about 16v.

Wonderful SWSAT again.  Andy is your 150 still three rail or have you two railed since you went over to the dark side?

Bob have you weathered the NYC S2or is that just a shadow in line with the bell on the hood?

coach joe posted:

Wonderful SWSAT again.  Andy is your 150 still three rail or have you two railed since you went over to the dark side?

Bob have you weathered the NYC S2or is that just a shadow in line with the bell on the hood?

Shadow Joe. It's from the high-hat above the layout, there is a street light opposite the engine. No weathering for me just yet. Still not sure if I even want to weather stuff. I kind of like the factory finishes on my trains.

Bob