Switcher Saturday 02-25-2023

Switcher Saturday!!!  Here’s our SP H12-44 FM diesel moving an SP boxcar on our SP layout.

My switcher for today is a highly detailed Atlas O model of New Haven Railroad ALCO RS-1 #0668 (item 6888-2) with TMCC. It runs on O-36 curves and was delivered in March 2004 at an MSRP of $429.95. This is one of New Haven engines that I like to run but I am looking to buy an MTH New Haven RS-1 or RS-3.

ALCO produced RS-1s between 1941 and 1960. They were powered by a 1,000 horsepower 539T diesel engine, weighed 240,000 pounds and had a top speed of 60 mph. New Haven #0668 (Class DERS-1b) was delivered in 1948. Five New Haven RS-1s lasted into the Penn Central era that began in 1969.

The locomotive is running at 21.6 scale-miles-per-hour in the videos.

MELGAR

Top of the morning fellow switcher fans!!  JHZ 563 thanks for getting us rolling this morning!   Today's photos were captured by a local rail fan as she saw switchers coming through Todd's Junction on the Free State Junction Railway..   Shirley Jean Simons has been in love with the " little engines that do big things " ever since her grandfather, a FJSR engineer named Scoots Simons would bring her along to work  when she was just a little girl. Scoots  spent most of his years operating switchers.,  He would often let young Shirley Jean  ride in the cab with him as he performed his tasks as a switcher engineer.  O'l Scoots sat at the throttle of switchers big and small, both steam and diesel.  He got his nickname " Scoots" because he just loved to scoot freight cars around the yard.   If you ever visit Todd's Junction, especially on a weekend, you most likely will find Shirley Jean with  camera in hand sitting on the hillside with a big smile on her face as the switchers roll by.

Have a great weekend everyone!!  

A Baltimore and Annapolis SW9 with a B&O Docksider both of which O'l Scoots used to operate once upon a time.

Later a Patapsco and Back Rivers VO1000 trundles through the junction with some P&BR gons.

A 0-8-0 just leaving the water tower to go out on a road assignment ... most likely a local freight.   Shirley Jean loved it when gramps was at the throttle of  this locomotive.  He would let her blow the whistle at grade crossings.  

Shirley Jean  climbed to the top of the hill to capture this photo of a 44 tonner pulling a couple of hoppers loaded with black diamonds.

SwSat nation, we’re rollin early today!  This is the “Midnight Special” of SwSats.  JHZ, great kick off!  I love that mallet!

SwSat regulars will recall I visited the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway with my grandson and son in law last Saturday (the girls went shopping).  I hope you’ll enjoy some of the photos I took that day.

John

A few of my favorites checking out the new layout……

Have a great Saturday, folks!

Peter

Busy morning at the L&N yard. The switcher in Family Lines Paint is the new just released MTH MP15AC. The switcher in gray L&N is a MTH SW1500 custom run from MrMuffins that was released a year ago.

Happy Switcher Saturday! Great pics so far from everyone as usual. Here is an interesting view from the El of my Boxcab doing what she does best - switching  things around my yard -

Happy Switcher Saturday!  A little GT action moving some grain this morning.

Have a great day!

Here is my new MTH  MP-15 in CNW Colors.   You  guys have some looking layouts & Switchers ! 

Here's a couple at the Fox River Trolley Museum.

Here's a pretty lady getting ready to deliver this morning's OJ:

And a few other things. At 2.5V:

Thanks to @MELGAR, @RSJB18, and @Matt_GNo27 for suggestions that have turned this little switcher from one of my most problematic into one of my favorites

@trumptrain

I enjoy reading your posts with such imaginative detail. One of the many reasons I joined this forum last May.

Thanks, Gene

Yay SWSat is on track!

Great stuff so far guys. @@Steam crazy that trip looks great and cold. Love those Forneys. @DaveRipp those little switchers are great what a cool collection.

Here is a morning line up of some road switchers at Hoboken on the 2 rail O scale NYSME layout.

The NYC RS1 is bringing in the Milk Train from the Catskills. It is an Atlas engine as is the Erie RS3 on layover from commuter duties.

Last week I removed the funeral decorations from my Lionel Lincoln Funeral Train engine the Nashville.

It is a model of a 1851 Cuyahoga Boiler Works built 4-4-0. At that time 4-4-0s were used for all movements freight, passenger and switching. To accomplish switching on the front of the engine where the pilot/cow catcher was was a long drawbar that could be coupled with link and pin to push and pull cars from that end of the engine. Lionel’s model includes this feature. At the moment I don’t have cars with link and pin couplers (they are in my “to be built” kit pile) so I have propped the drawbar up so you can see it.

I have plans to make this a two rail deadrail (battery powered) engine. The decoration removal was the first step because I did not like what Lionel had done and I felt like it really limited it to one service. I will say removal was not easy.

Have a great weekend everyone and I cannot wait to see what you guys post.

Here is an inexpensive conventional early Williams Great Northern diesel switcher. INormally it has a shiny plastic look necessitating that I temporarily weather it using white and gray chalk dust that minimizes/eliminates said shininess.

I rarely run it because it often stalls out on My numerous 022 switches. Arnold

Happy SWSat!

Following up on last week's discussion about my NYC ALCO RS11, the time space continuum has shifted and its alter-ego has appeared. Through some exhaustive research- or google search as it's known today....., the Delaware and Hudson did purchase several RS11's from Alco that had been built on spec for the New York Central.

Units #5000-5005 were originally delivered to the New York Central as units #8009-8014, but were never accepted by the NYC. They were later painted into the D&H "Lightning Stripe" scheme before delivery to the D&H. Units #5000-5005 were delivered with high short noses. (Bridge Line Historical Society)

So my model of NYC 8010 actually wound up as D&H 5001 so kudos to Lionel for doing their research.

So who says something can't be in two places at the same time.

And thanks to @coach joe for bringing this to our attention.

I had planned to put a video together but the D&H shops have been slacking off and she needs some maintenance before being put back into revenue service.

Have a great weekend!

Bob

@Bill Swatos posted:

Here's a pretty lady getting ready to deliver this morning's OJ:

Thanks to @MELGAR, @RSJB18, and @Matt_GNo27 for suggestions that have turned this little switcher from one of my most problematic into one of my favorites

Glad you got your 70 tonner to cooperate Bill. That's what this forum is all about. Happy to help out!

Bob

@MELGAR posted:

My switcher for today is a highly detailed Atlas O model of New Haven Railroad ALCO RS-1 #0668 (item 6888-2) with TMCC. It runs on O-36 curves and was delivered in March 2004 at an MSRP of $429.95. This is one of New Haven engines that I like to run but I am looking to buy an MTH New Haven RS-1 or RS-3.

ALCO produced RS-1s between 1941 and 1960. They were powered by a 1,000 horsepower 539T diesel engine, weighed 240,000 pounds and had a top speed of 60 mph. New Haven #0668 (Class DERS-1b) was delivered in 1948. Five New Haven RS-1s lasted into the Penn Central era that began in 1969.

The locomotive is running at 21.6 scale-miles-per-hour in the videos.

MELGAR

Mel- I have a Railking RS1 (3v PS2). It's a great model.

Bob

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Here is an inexpensive conventional early Williams Great Northern diesel switcher. INormally it has a shiny plastic look necessitating that I temporarily weather it using white and gray chalk dust that minimizes/eliminates said shininess.

I rarely run it because it often stalls out on My numerous 022 switches. Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari, your weathering job does the trick, but an alternative could be giving it a dullcoat finish, yes?

Shouldn't the second pickup roller prevent the stalling out? Could it have a bad connection from one of the power pickups? I've had the pickup wire in my powered Williams GN geep break.

One last thing, which I only learned within the last year or two, probably on this forum: the GN ran their early geeps long hood forward.

P.s. If you add the ERR RailSounds Commander, maybe even ERR Cruise Commander, and cab figures, you can make it a more expensive locomotive. ;-)

I recently acquired a used Atlas SW-9 at a very good price that I want to re-paint and upgrade.  It's missing some handrails that I will need to make.  Upon inspection last night, this engine has a lot of detail parts.  I typically like to completely disassemble a model for painting.  This one looks difficult.  I hope I did not bite off more than I can chew.

Ron

CSX Genset  hard at work this morning.

Make it a good Saturday all. 

Ron, that SW-9 looks really good as is!  I'd think twice about repainting it!

John

@Ron045 posted:

I recently acquired a used Atlas SW-9 at a very good price that I want to re-paint and upgrade.  It's missing some handrails that I will need to make.  Upon inspection last night, this engine has a lot of detail parts.  I typically like to completely disassemble a model for painting.  This one looks difficult.  I hope I did not bite off more than I can chew.

Ron

I agree with John. Maybe a patch-over repaint for the new road with some heavy weathering? What road are you planning on changing it to?

Bob

Ron. It would be great if you could install a battery with RailPro or Bluerail.

@Steam Crazy posted:

Ron, that SW-9 looks really good as is!  I'd think twice about repainting it!

John

I know.  That is always the hard thing about repaints when you already  have something  nice.  But it's like removing a band aid.  You gotta just rip it off.  While beautiful, I have no interest in the Grand Trunk.

@RSJB18 posted:

I agree with John. Maybe a patch-over repaint for the new road with some heavy weathering? What road are you planning on changing it to?

Bob

I'd like to paint it SMS.  My son works there and has worked with this one of a kind engine.   Most of their stuff is Reading green, but when they acquired this one, the paint was in really good shape, so they just put their name on it.

Ron I might add she would look even better with Kadee couplers

@Bill Grafmiller posted:

Ron. It would be great if you could install a battery with RailPro or Bluerail.

Getting Blunami (New BluRail gen).  Hope the battery will fit inside.

Ron

Keep us updated . Do hope it all fits.

@Ron045 posted:

I know.  That is always the hard thing about repaints when you already  have something  nice.  But it's like removing a band aid.  You gotta just rip it off.  While beautiful, I have no interest in the Grand Trunk.

I'd like to paint it SMS.  My son works there and has worked with this one of a kind engine.   Most of their stuff is Reading green, but when they acquired this one, the paint was in really good shape, so they just put their name on it.

Well, considering that my wife's initials are SMS.....go with god! That is a sharp paint scheme.

Question on the dead-rail ops. Do you remove the batteries for charging or is the charging circuitry onboard?

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Well, considering that my wife's initials are SMS.....go with god! That is a sharp paint scheme.

Question on the dead-rail ops. Do you remove the batteries for charging or is the charging circuitry onboard?

Bob

I prefer on board charging.

@Ron045 posted:

I prefer on board charging.

Now that's thinking outside the box. Love it!!!!

Bob

@Matt_GNo27 posted:

@Arnold D. Cribari, your weathering job does the trick, but an alternative could be giving it a dullcoat finish, yes?

Shouldn't the second pickup roller prevent the stalling out? Could it have a bad connection from one of the power pickups? I've had the pickup wire in my powered Williams GN geep break.

One last thing, which I only learned within the last year or two, probably on this forum: the GN ran their early geeps long hood forward.

P.s. If you add the ERR RailSounds Commander, maybe even ERR Cruise Commander, and cab figures, you can make it a more expensive locomotive. ;-)

Matt, I bet you're correct about one of the pick up rollers not working because of a bad wire connection.  I will check that out.

I agree that converting this conventional engine to one with command control would make it much more desirable and valuable.

I also agree there are other weathering techniques that are superior to chalk dust. If dullcoat that you mention is a permanent form of weathering, then I'm not interested. I like having the option of removing the weathering, which can easily be done when using chalk dust. Arnold

This video shows an MTH Railking PS1 Erie diesel switcher hauling freight through a town in upstate NY:

Don't try to beat the crossing gates at the railroad crossing! LOL, Arnold

Once again SWSAT is one of my favorite recurring threads.  Thanks to Rich for starting it and thanks to John for keeping running down the tracks.  You've all posted some very good looking switchers here today.

Mel  I have a question about AlCo diesels.  Did they operate at a lower RPM range than the EMDs?  It seems like I can always make out the sounds of pistons on the AlCo diesel sound sets while once up to speed the EMDs just sound like a constant drone.

John and Dave thanks for some 1:1 switchers this week.

Andy you did a great job on the decoration removal.  I can't see any tell tale signs of where they were.

Arnold Williams did use some shiny paint.  Weathering was a good idea.  Since you used chalk dust how "fragile" is the weathering?  I know you're not big into working on your trains but removing the shell and hitting it with a few coats of matte or even flat clear from a rattle can isn't too difficult.  That would either tone down the shine or preserve your chalk weathering.

Bob I think I see Marty in 5001 trying to chase down Doc Brown in 8010 hoping to take him Back to the Future.

Ron that diesel fueling station makes a great charging station. Imagineering at its best!

Here’s my Weaver PRR 0-8-0 (poorly weathered by the previous owner)

and a very early Atlas SW Canadian Pacific that I bought at the October 2018 fall York for 60.00.

@coach joe posted:

Arnold Williams did use some shiny paint.  Weathering was a good idea.  Since you used chalk dust how "fragile" is the weathering?  I know you're not big into working on your trains but removing the shell and hitting it with a few coats of matte or even flat clear from a rattle can isn't too difficult.  That would either tone down the shine or preserve your chalk weathering.

Coach Joe, thanks for the advice. You now have me on the fence about permanently weathering this particular Williams engine, one reason being that it has so little value to begin with. This one would be a good one to break the ice doing permanent weathering.

Any engine with substantial value, like a Legacy or MTH PS3, I will definitely not permanently weather. I know that some hobbyists who are brilliant at weathering and have a great reoutation for doing it, can increase the value of a locomotive by permanently weathering it. I believe I will never be that good at it, and don't even aspire to be an expert permanent weatherer, especially now while I'm still enjoying most of the work I'm doing in my law practice. That, by the way, is an extraordinary change in me because during much of my career, I had mixed feelings about my career as a lawyer.

I share what I say below because some of you folks may relate to it. I have built a layout and run trains purely for my own enjoyment, and not to impress anyone. Lately, its been "a sweet distraction," not for an hour or two as sung in the James Bond theme song (a much different sweet distraction LOL), but rather for a minute or two, simply running trains, taking photos/videos of them, and posting the photos/videos on the Forum. Arnold

Here is a 1948-49 2-4-2 Lionel Scout moving some scout type box cars.

This is a Railking Imperial N&W 0-8-0, PS3, and I like everything about it, except the hooter whistle. I particularly like the manual smoke and volume controls located on the tender deck. So much easier to adjust when you don't have to remove loco from track and turn it upside down, which is a real PITA.

Mark, you could bring your 0-8-0 to a MTH technician to install a sound file with a different whistle.  My B&M 0-8-0, converted to PS3, doesn't have a hooter whistle.  Note many N&W engines had hooter whistles, so it may be prototypically correct.

John

@Steam Crazy posted:

Mark, you could bring your 0-8-0 to a MTH technician to install a sound file with a different whistle.  My B&M 0-8-0, converted to PS3, doesn't have a hooter whistle.  Note many N&W engines had hooter whistles, so it may be prototypically correct.

John

Have already tried that, and the tech couldn't locate a PS3 sound file that didn’t have a hooter whistle. Can you find out what sound file your guy imported when doing your conversion? Thanks.