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Sorry for the late start this morning folks, your conductor's home ac died, it's been a busy week.

Switcher Saturday is a weekly thread celebrating the smaller locomotives that do the big work of railroading.   No matter the size, scale,  gauge, or age, all Switchers are welcome here!



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For this morning we have my intrepid custom paint lionel 4 wheeler pulling a special find.  While not as impressive as @MELGAR finding a locomotive under the layout, I found this car behind a book shelf while getting ready for today's ac unit swap.

So please share your Switcher stories, videos and photos.

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

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Last edited by jhz563
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Happy SWSat!

Sorry to hear about the AC John. My system is getting up there in years, I cross my fingers every spring when I start it up.

Some of the red white and blue on my layout for Independence Day Weekend.

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I got this HO AFT from a former co-worker. It's still in the shops waiting for repairs to be completed.

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Have a great Holiday Weekend!

Bob

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I recently purchased Boston & Albany USRA 0-8-0 #53 from forum sponsor Trainz. The model was produced by Lionel (6-28702) in 2006 with TMCC at an MSRP of $649.99. I had been wanting to buy a small B&A locomotive model that fits on my 10’-by-5’ O-54 layout but it seems to me that there aren’t many such Boston & Albany locomotive models being made or for sale on the secondary market these days.

Trainz had rated this model as C7 (excellent) and described some minute scratches and wheel wear that made me somewhat hesitant to buy but, after a day or so, I relented and ordered it. The model arrived after nine days in transit and was packed securely. I found no scratches or wheel wear and it looked to me as though it had never been run. I bought a Lionel Mogul from Trainz last year that was rated as C9 (new). In my opinion, both models were fairly and conservatively rated. But neither was low-priced. I’m satisfied with my two purchases from Trainz.

The model operated properly when I began to run it. Initially there was some sound dropout so I installed a 9V battery in the tender, but cleaning the rails later eliminated the issue and I don’t think the battery is necessary.

Unlike recent diecast steam locomotive models that are made in China, this one was made in South Korea and, in my opinion, its design, manufacture and details are excellent. My pictures show that the boiler is fully round on the underside with a prototypical clear space between the boiler and the frame.

B&A #53 was a U-3b class switcher built by Lima in April 1921.  It had 25-by-28 cylinders, 51-inch driving wheels, weighed 219,000 pounds, and produced 51,040 pounds of tractive effort at 175 pounds-per-square-inch boiler pressure. It was renumbered to New York Central #7725 in 1951 and ran on the Harlem Division until it was retired in January 1955.

A further observation - in tracking the modern O-gauge steam locomotive models for sale on Trainz, it seems to me that the most prevalent type is the 0-8-0 switcher – mostly by MTH and Lionel.

MELGAR

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Last edited by MELGAR

I just got this Lionel 41 switcher on a Stout auction.  It was in fantastic shape with little run time.  I added a small warm white LED for the front headlight (I can't believe they go around in the dark), and a little person inside.  I had to put black paper underneath the 3 open smoke stacks to stop the light bleed.  I'll be adding a small flashing red LED for the back light when they arrive in a few days.  It may not be prototypical, but I will like it.

I think I'd like to add a brass bell to it.  Does anyone have a suggestion on what to buy?



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Jhz563, there must be a conspiracy of air conditioner revolts! My AC went out last week also. Technician found it to be a faulty capacitor that blew. Those babies cost $600 but we had it replaced 2 years ago and was still under warranty so no cost to us this time.

My contribution to SWAT  is my venerable CNW NW2 sitting on the runaround track as a cut up iron ore jennies gets delivered.

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Happy Independence Day and SWAT to all.

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@Steam Crazy posted:

Johan, I think the switchers fit very nicely into the landscape too!  I also was very pleased to hear Finland will be admitted to NATO!

John

John,

NATO was definitely the right solution and I believe that now many people here feel much safer. Recently, Finland and the USA have also had a lot of joint military exercises here in Finland.

Johan

Wow!  Gentlemen this has been an amazing Switcher Saturday.   A great international flavor with not only @BAR GP7 #63 checking in from Finland, but also @Fatman posting from Australia.

Johan, that shop scene looks great. And Tom, who doesn't love a good string of cabooses? And as has become the standard,  no-one provides a more thorough Switcher Saturday post than @MELGAR

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A Republic Locomotive switcher in its natural habit, working coal hoppers in the yard.

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Great posts by everyone!!  Thanks JHZ563 for notching out the throttle this morning and getting us rolling.

As I'm in western North Carolina playing concerts this weekend, I'm seeing lots of beautiful country which of course includes lot of mountains.  The first photo is titled " Switchers on the Mount" IMG_5815

Running lite at first light.IMG_1738

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@MELGAR posted:

jhz563,

Beautiful. Your kids must love that layout. Who made the 0-4-0 tank engine? Recently, there was a similar locomotive - brass - for sale on Trainz.

MELGAR

Thank Melgar!  That is a R-O-W Industries Switcher.   I picked it up at an auction somewhere.   Suethe smoke unit and no whistle,  but absolutely beautiful finish.   Runs smooth and quiet.  There's a little mechanical noise but not enough to care, top of the line for it's day.  I like to use it with two or three mpc passenger cars, and think of the train as either a local or a tourist line run.

It took me about 36 hours to get through this week's SWSAT.  And a great one it is. 

jhz563 your layout looks like tons of fun.

Mel, sweet 0-8-0.  Looks, runs and sounds great on the 10x5.

Johan the new module is coming along nicely.

Larry and Don lighting it up at the train show!  Nice.

Ed, the prime mover for the Big Stick is really the icing on that cake.  Don't think I've ever seen that model kit before.

@coach joe posted:

It took me about 36 hours to get through this week's SWSAT.  And a great one it is.

jhz563 your layout looks like tons of fun.

Mel, sweet 0-8-0.  Looks, runs and sounds great on the 10x5.

Johan the new module is coming along nicely.

Larry and Don lighting it up at the train show!  Nice.

Ed, the prime mover for the Big Stick is really the icing on that cake.  Don't think I've ever seen that model kit before.

Coachjoe, thanks. great model kits are available at 1/35 scale. 1/48 impossible to find. This one is a 3D resin model at 1/48.

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