Switcher Saturday: 2016-July-23

...forgot to mention, the kids have another swim meet today, so I'll be offline until later today...

The Reading Company rostered ten MP15DC units which were built for the railroad in December 1974. Upon the formation of Conrail on April 1, 1976, these locomotives were conveyed to the new carrier. As was the case with most CR power, the ex-RDG MP15s continued to operate in the full livery of the predecessor road until such time they were relettered and numbered for Conrail over the existing colors with a full repaint in CR blue to follow at some point. 

Pictured here is a K-Line MP15 which was released as a New York Central model. Having always been very interested in Conrail's early years, I had the model repainted by Mr. Gerry Bernet of The Model Railroad Shop in Piscataway, NJ to represent the CR 9626 which was the former Reading 2776. As per early CR practice, the unit features minimal identification applied over the colors of the component road. This philosophy was by no means extravagant but it served the purpose and kept locomotives out on the road during the early days when Conrail was suffering from a severe shortage of reliable power. 

All the best and a great Switcher Saturday to all!

Bob

A new arrival this week...

Happy Switcher Saturday. Glad to see Bob CNJ3676 has some snow on the ground in his picture. I was actually looking for a steam switcher pic in the snow to cool us off from the oppressive heat in the Northeast. Could not find one, but I did find a steam switcher with some interesting looking characters posing for the camera. 

The photo is of a switcher for the Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway which operated to carry copper ore from mines to the smelters in Montana. 

Rich, as far as the poem, no problem and thanks for mentioning it. How can I prove that I wrote it? Well, I live in Yonkers, my friend grew up in Binghamton, NY (she also built my website) and the "mechanic" is my friend who fixes my troublesome switchers, when needed! Also, I found many years ago that poems and railroads went together in some instances like the Lackawanna and their famous Phoebe Snow ads. 

Tom

Tom:

Glad you like my snow scene. Winter landscapes have been a tradition on our family pikes ever since the days of my Grandfather building Christmas layouts in their New York City apartments way-back-when. The following photo was posted previously but I'll put it up again with the hope it will keep us cool, even if just emotionally. The combination of snow on the ground and the soft glow of the lantern give the impression of a chilly late afternoon as the crew go about their work.

Lastly, kudos to Rich for posting the poem from Tom's website. His dedication to the preservation of these old locomotives is most commendable. Thanks to folks like him, this classic equipment will be around for future generations to enjoy!

All the best,

Bob

Happy Switcher Saturday . This weekend Rock Island Alco RS3 #493 working at Cape Shark Yard.

Happy Switcher Saturday fellow switcher friends!!  

WOW!! Tom you poetry is wonderful!  Thanks too for the photo with the characters and the 0 6 0.  Phoebe Snow is quite  a fictitious character as well and the Lackawanna advertising of her namesake was always very poetic too!

BAR GP 7 #63- great job on the weathering of the RI loco.... as always your weathering work is stunningly awesome as does your scenery work!!  

Rich - thank for sharing Tom's poem and thanks so much for getting up early, every Saturday,  and getting this thread started while the coffee is still brewing  I always look forward to this thread and my Saturdays would not be complete without it 

Bob your MP15 looks great man ... your friend did a wonderful job with the paint!  What manufacturer produced your MP 15?  AND yes your snow scene photo is cooling it off a bit here in Maryland where temperatures today will most likely hit 3 digits!  Your thoughtfulness is much appreciated!

Mike C.  Very nice looking Reading switcher.  Congratulations on your new arrival ( purchase I assume? )

Here's my contribution for this week.  I apologize for the reruns.  I haven't had time to take any new photographs.  FYI - I will be away the next two Saturdays and look forward to returning to SWSAT on August 13.   Enjoy your weekend and stay cool!!

TURTLE 2 posted:

Nice switcher consist and layout too!!

Yay SWSat is on ! 

Great start so far guys.

Bob CNJ 3676 that Conrail (ex Reading) switcher is great! I really like the transitional paint schemes I like the story of change that shows in them. Lately I have been really researching the both the early PC and the later change over to Conrail. I think the Bee Line Service Reading Scheme painted out patch job to CR is one of my favorites.

Tom MNCW I always look forward to the Pre war PRR switcher stories you have and have been enjoying the poems. I am really sorry I had to miss chance to meet up with you two guys and the walking the old Put. 

Rich good luck at the swim meet. Swimming sounds great on this hot day. 

BAR GP7#63 great looking very inspiring  layout. The Rock Island line is a mighty good road. That paint scheme is one of the neatest out there. What is the make?

TURTLE2 I love a good cow and calf set. Very cool. 

Last night I was walking back from the Bronx across the 149 st Bridge into Manhattan and I heard a train on the Oak Point Bypass. In the year that I have lived in the neighborhood I have only seen one train on it. To explain what it is it is a relatively new single track that is on pilings in the Harlem River that by passes most of the commuter lines to get trains from the east side of the Hudson to Oak Point and the east side of the South Bronx. Unfortunately my phone cam was not up to catching pictures because it was a very model railroad consist. A CSX GP38, a  covered hopper, four tank cars, another hopper and a bay window Caboose. I wish I got the shots oh well here are someone else's images of the bypass. 

The first here is from around where I was walking.

This next shot is where the bypass breaks away from Metro North at the service yard  by Segwick Ave. The far right track is where the bypass cuts away and starts the passage over the Harlem River.

This last one is of the Oak Point yard. Hiding under the bridge behind the hybrid switcher is the Bay window caboose.

Here are a few shots of my Chessie GP38 (I don't have any CSX) in recognition of the train that I saw last night. 

Great pictures guys, here's another one for fun!

September 3, 1955 at C&NW Terminal , Chicago; 0-6-0 #2624; photo by John Dziokbo; posted to the C&NW Historical Society FB page by Chad Peterson.

April, 2014 at IRM. This might be Com Ed #5, but I'm not certain.

Nice pics.

great pics guys!

jay jay posted:

September 3, 1955 at C&NW Terminal , Chicago; 0-6-0 #2624; photo by John Dziokbo; posted to the C&NW Historical Society FB page by Chad Peterson.

This one was taken 20 years to the day before my birthday. Kind of neat. 

jay jay posted:

April, 2014 at IRM. This might be Com Ed #5, but I'm not certain.

Don't think it's Com Ed #5.  As I recall, the Com Ed's a little chunkier and once upon a time an operational locomotive (ancient photo... somewhere in the very late 60's)

Even out of service, I'd be surprised if IRM would let it to deteriorate so much.

Rusty

trumptrain posted:

Happy Switcher Saturday fellow switcher friends!!  

WOW!! Tom you poetry is wonderful!  Thanks too for the photo with the characters and the 0 6 0.  Phoebe Snow is quite  a fictitious character as well and the Lackawanna advertising of her namesake was always very poetic too!

BAR GP 7 #63- great job on the weathering of the RI loco.... as always your weathering work is stunningly awesome as does your scenery work!!  

Rich - thank for sharing Tom's poem and thanks so much for getting up early, every Saturday,  and getting this thread started while the coffee is still brewing  I always look forward to this thread and my Saturdays would not be complete without it 

Bob your MP15 looks great man ... your friend did a wonderful job with the paint!  What manufacturer produced your MP 15?  AND yes your snow scene photo is cooling it off a bit here in Maryland where temperatures today will most likely hit 3 digits!  Your thoughtfulness is much appreciated!

Mike C.  Very nice looking Reading switcher.  Congratulations on your new arrival ( purchase I assume? )

Here's my contribution for this week.  I apologize for the reruns.  I haven't had time to take any new photographs.  FYI - I will be away the next two Saturdays and look forward to returning to SWSAT on August 13.   Enjoy your weekend and stay cool!!

 

 

 

Patrick W. Thank you very much.

-Johan

Silver Lake posted:

Yay SWSat is on ! 

Great start so far guys.

Bob CNJ 3676 that Conrail (ex Reading) switcher is great! I really like the transitional paint schemes I like the story of change that shows in them. Lately I have been really researching the both the early PC and the later change over to Conrail. I think the Bee Line Service Reading Scheme painted out patch job to CR is one of my favorites.

Tom MNCW I always look forward to the Pre war PRR switcher stories you have and have been enjoying the poems. I am really sorry I had to miss chance to meet up with you two guys and the walking the old Put. 

Rich good luck at the swim meet. Swimming sounds great on this hot day. 

BAR GP7#63 great looking very inspiring  layout. The Rock Island line is a mighty good road. That paint scheme is one of the neatest out there. What is the make?

TURTLE2 I love a good cow and calf set. Very cool. 

Last night I was walking back from the Bronx across the 149 st Bridge into Manhattan and I heard a train on the Oak Point Bypass. In the year that I have lived in the neighborhood I have only seen one train on it. To explain what it is it is a relatively new single track that is on pilings in the Harlem River that by passes most of the commuter lines to get trains from the east side of the Hudson to Oak Point and the east side of the South Bronx. Unfortunately my phone cam was not up to catching pictures because it was a very model railroad consist. A CSX GP38, a  covered hopper, four tank cars, another hopper and a bay window Caboose. I wish I got the shots oh well here are someone else's images of the bypass. 

The first here is from around where I was walking.

This next shot is where the bypass breaks away from Metro North at the service yard  by Segwick Ave. The far right track is where the bypass cuts away and starts the passage over the Harlem River.

This last one is of the Oak Point yard. Hiding under the bridge behind the hybrid switcher is the Bay window caboose.

Here are a few shots of my Chessie GP38 (I don't have any CSX) in recognition of the train that I saw last night. 

Silver Lake: Thank you. I am glad you like it. Always nice see your pics with good information.

-Johan