Switcher Saturday Mark II!, 5/9/2020

Yay! SWSat is on!  
Thanks for getting us rolling today  @jhz563. I see we are off to a good start as usual. Nice switchers guys. 

I am back again this week with some 2 rail O scale switching shenanigans. This time some late 1800’s action with a 4-4-0 that has to make up a freight train before departing. The coal bunker on this one has been built up to increase capacity and it has a freight pilot. 4-4-0’s for awhile were assigned to nearly every duty. 
We see it sorting cars and then after a run around the wye it is ready to head out with a local of empties. 

Have a great weekend guys. I cant wait to see what you post. 

Switcher action on the S&Y RR

 The Rutland rostered two 0-8-0’s. I had already done a Proto 3 as #109. I liked the fact that they went to 3 rollers. The earlier Proto 2’s had 3 but the later ones only featured 2 on the tender.  Just couldn’t find anything at a good price. I ended up buying shells at a reasonable price on the bay. Repainted them for #110. I had a New Haven not in use at this on the layout so it was just a matter of swapping shells. Which can be switched back. After a couple of tries with guessing to what I needed for rollers to add to the engine it now has 4. I run Kadee’s. With the front coil  coupler removed. I was able to use the wire for it  in the tether to wire the rollers together.

Pulled out the little Switcher for this SWSAT.

The photographer was able to get a picture of the yard's last B6 moving a tank car over to the interchange track. 

The B6 is K-Line, the tank is Atlas.

Happy SWSAT!

I caught Penn Central RS11 7608 (Lionel) as is switched some local industries.

The eastbound train pulls to a stop at the edge of town.

The locomotive uses the crossover to the westbound tracks to access the lumberyard siding.

Earlier in the day, on the westbound leg of its journey, train set out a gondola on the lumberyard siding.  A crew member guards the crossing as the locomotive slips into the siding to retrieve the gondola.

The gondola is pulled from the siding to begin its shuffle through the switches.

The crew member, again, guards the crossing as the gondola is shoved into the scrap yard siding.

With the gondola spotted, the locomotive returns to the train to make its next move.

A tank car is eased through the switches.

The locomotive spots the tank car at a customer's business.

A cut of three covered hoppers is set out for the grain elevator.

The work completed, the locomotive and its transfer caboose continue eastbound back to the yard.

Stay safe, everyone!

Tom

This new LIRR MP15 on the table after its weathering by Harry Hieke. Should be able to travel to his shop in the next week or so to pick it up. and then I'll post a few more photo's

Happy SWSat!

Lot's of great switcher action today. Some more of the littlest of the little today.

Good morning fellow switcher fans!!  Wonderful photos, videos, and info guys ... and I'm enjoying it all 

Today I'm featuring the adventures of my K line  Pennsy A5 switcher.  I bought this switcher back at a train show  in Feb. of 2019 brand new.   Once at home I weathered it and had fun doing so.  

The crew tops off the tank of old number 94 as they ready her for the day's switching assignment.   Suddenly the conductor gets an order from the dispatcher to pull away from the tank immediately!  Get this one switch move completed then go back and continue filling the tank.   An industrial road grade crossing needs to be cleared pronto!   

After pulling away from the tank, moving forward  and past the turnout,  Clarence, the brakeman, throws the switch and Luke, the engineer, reverses the locomotive easing her backward onto the merging track with great skill.  After coupling on to a string of freight cars the mighty little A5 pushes the cars back beyond the dirt road grade crossing.  Once the crossing is cleared, several dump trucks are able to cross over the tracks.  The truck drivers all give a grateful toot of their air horns to the crew of 94. 

The conductor, Wally Harris a 31 year railroad veteran, and Clarence are trying to figure out who in the world was the crew that left those freight cars blocking that old dirt road.  "The dispatcher was really teed off when I spoke to him this morning" Wally says in an animated tone of voice.  "I sure don't want to be around when he finds out who did it!" Clarence says while shaking his head wildly from side to side.  Wally goes on to say " I'll tell ya .... that particular dispatcher has got one heck of a temper and you can bet your sweet life that once he gets hold of that crew there will be some new four letter words invented and ... and ... they will be written up big time!!  Whew!   Those dump trucks have been sitting there waiting with their loads for well over an hour!  Can you believe it!!   

Having completed it's first switching assignment this morning, the powerful 0-4-0 returns to the water tank and Jasper the fireman continues to top off the tank. 

Having coupled to it's train, the 0-4-0 continues out of the yard. 

With the morning sun glistening off the railheads, the A5 approaches the commuter station at 10 mph. with bell clanging and a long toooooot of the whistle. Luke and Jasper keep skillfully trained eyes ahead on the track and platform ahead.  Their foremost thought " safety first always." 

The passenger platform is full of folks waiting for the next commuter train. 

As the freight approaches a grade crossing Luke calls out to Jasper " Hey J Man!", Lukes nickname for Jasper, " Check out this new Ford sitting at the crossing!  She looks terrific!"  

Later, about to cross over another at grade crossing which accommodates a bulk of the morning rush hour.  " Guess lots of those folks are going to be frustrated sitting there waiting for us to get our train across at 10 mph." says Jasper.  " Yep. Sure thing!" It sure doesn't help them that we are pulling a longer consist than usual this morning.  Luke nods back to Jasper. " Yep, you got that right J man.   These folks need to take the train  to work instead of wasting their gas and time !"  Jasper adds.  Luke emphatically nods in agreement.  

After being on the job for 5 hours number 94 is ready for a good sized swig of water, before carrying out more switching duties.  Jasper attends to aligning the spout as he thinks to himself how nice it will be when he and the rest of the crew wet their whistles at the Side Track Tap once they finish work today.   

Old 94 at yet another grade crossing after having set out a tank car at a local fuel oil dealer. 

With the best part of the day behind number 94's crew, they watch 0-8-0 number 75 shove a cut of cars,  as 94 waits on a red signal.  When their signal turn green, it won't be long before Luke eases 94 up to the water tank where the this day began for a topping off of the tender and the day will be done.   After that a hostler will take her back to the roundhouse for lite servicing.  The crew of 94 will then sign out at the yard office and head off to the Side Track Tap to top off their own tanks with some great craft brews before heading home for dinner.   

Ahhhh - the day is done.  

I hope everyone is well!   Keep your distance and wash those hands!  Have fun this weekend and be sure to run some trains!!!  

trumptrain...these are your best photos ever...track lever shots are almost like being there...

Howard...

@sawdust43 posted:

trumptrain...these are your best photos ever...track lever shots are almost like being there...

Howard...

I really appreciate your comment Howard.  Thanks so very much

Here is one of my favorites by K Line:

Well folks, you know the old Leonartown and Savannah, always short of cash, people, road power... (fill in the blank) but management is open to try new ideas.  Carl, the senior conductor on the afternoon Savannah - Macon - Atlanta run had an idea that the scenery is pretty nice once into the mountains and woodlands, so maybe if we added a dome car for scenery viewing we could increase ridership on the train.  Management agreed at least to try it to see if it works.  Too many tight clearances at Savannah itself, so they are adding the car in Small Town where they have additional room and less competition for track time.  Afraid that the sole diesel switcher available is working the industrial run, so old 1615 the ex-Pennsy 0-4-0 steam switcher has emerged from the yard with a dome car to add to the consist.  She may be old, but she can handle this one car without even breaking a sweat...although it is 97 deg and 100% humidity in the Georgia August.  Here comes old 1615 under the sure hand of Pete, a 50 year man from the yard crew who has been handling 1615 since she came on the property in '39 and knows every bolt and nut and just how to make her "sing".  That fancy dome looks good to the passengers, and Carl will soon be re-seating folks to enjoy the scenery.

Here is a closer look at old 1615...as Pete says...she may be old and she may be slow...but she's ahead of YOU!

Have a good rest of the weekend and stay healthy and safe.

Regards

Don McErlean

Executive Press Agent

L&S RR

Wonderfully entertaining story Don!  Got to love that old switcher too!!

I want to thank everyone for their awesome entries into Switcher Saturday again this past weekend.  I usually like to give a follow up near the end of the day and was unable to do so given some work requirements.  I just didn't want anyone to think their contributions were not appreciated.  

Let's do it again this Saturday!