Switcher Saturday 12-12-20

Christmas trees are being delivered to the tree lot.  Less than 2 weeks and they will go quickly.

Happy SwSat!

jhz563: God Bless you guys.  The smile on Jr. Engineer's face makes my day.  Thanks for sharing!

The steam locomotive no. 2525 reminds me of the song "In the year 2525, if man is still alive" and here we are in 2020 with this Corona Mess.  One has to wonder, today at least, if man will really make it to 2525?

On this Switcher Saturday my Lionel Toymaker Santa 0-8-0 is busy making laps around the Christmas tree.

Happy SWSAT.  

It’s good to give the junior engineers some throttle time Mr Z.

Double headed C and O freight.  Also, some Pennsy A-5 and Santa Fe NW-2 activity.

Happy SWSat!
Our tree is going up today so more trains to run soon

Earlier this week I was up on the roof of one of the buildings on the campus I run. We are right along the LIRR Hempstead Branch line. Typically it's passenger service only M-5's, 7's and now the new M-9's.
The branch does connect to the Central Extension which used to serve many industries in the area including Curtis Aviation, the Atlantic and Pacific supermarket warehouse, Roosevelt Field (Lindberg's Trans-atlantic flight took off from there), among others. It even was used to send Doughboys off to WW I from Camp Mills, Rainbow Division. It's most famous use in recent years was to deliver the RBBX Circus train to Nassau Coliseum each year. Sadly that is no more either.
I digress, the LIRR does still use the extension track to store MOW and work trains occasionally. Well I heard the familiar horns of a MP-15 coming so I was able to shoot a short video as the train passed.

Since this is SWSat, I recreated the train on my layout this morning.

And the real thing

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Bob

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Atlas RS1 and SW9's   Atlas Pratt Truss double track bridge.

Let's go where it's cold outside and see this Burlington Northern MTH Proto 1 Premier diesel switcher:

It's making an important delivery to keep people from freezing:

Yay SWSat is on track! As usual we seem to be off to a good start. Nice pictures guys.

I have not ridden a train since March. I usually ride the subway several times a day and I miss it. I have been riding my bike to work and to run errands. This old Alco is the only preserved engine in Manhattan. It is on the Westside bike path where the Westside Yards of the New York Central used to be. It is actually in disguise because it is really BEDT #25. I am happy it is still around but wish it was in better shape. If it was 15 feet back it would be under the Westside Highway and maybe more safe from the elements.

These are a few from my three rail layout in my old apartment. I’m sure I posted them in the old SWSat.

Here is the car I have been working on this week. I have been making Scratch-built plastic both British and American 18th century passenger cars that have interested me since the COVID shutdown started back in March. This car is called a brake wagon and these ran at each end of passenger trains. They were the only cars (beside the tender and sometimes the engine) with brakes on the train. The far end had 3rd class passenger accommodation the close end was luggage and the guard who controlled the brakes.

Have a great week. I can’t wait to see what you guys post.

Penn Central SW8 8616 (Atlas O) prepares to spot a Hi-Cube boxcar at an automobile plant:

Tom

Wow, there’s some cool switches in the pictures above, Happy Saturday....

SWSAT for those of us with hiking proclivities.  

Have a great and safe weekend everyone!

Rusty

I trust everyone here is having a safe and HAPPY SWSAT!!

Today's switching job rolling into Town:

The recent addition of a [suggested] village with a couple houses and a highway with grade crossings has serendipitously enriched switching operation on the PER.

You see, on the PER we [more or less] follow proto-operations protocols. This means as well as  meat-space engine moves virtual-space moves by the Conductor (Switchman, Brakeman) are also accommodated. While the Mainline has crossing signals:

the East End lead does not, which necessitates the Conductor flag it's grade crossing:

This means time and thought must be devoted to this practice. Also, because each move into the East End blocks the crossing only one move is permitted before the crossing must be cleared for auto traffic to pass (PER has a strict friendly-neighbor policy). This complicates switching by adding several moves. It is interesting and satisfying "work".

After the East End switching work was [finally ] completed the day's job is just wrapping up at the West End after switching the Paint Factory where there were three set-outs and two pick-ups:

Good afternoon fellow switcher fans!!   Great pics and videos everyone!   JHZ563 - Got to love your Jr. Engineer!   That facial expression is fabulous!     

Today on the Free State Junction Railway the Ralph the Railfan has photographed switcher action around Patsburg this week.  

A WM BL-2 is getting ready to set out a baggage car on team track one.

SW-9 has MOW train duty.  Here the brakeman and engineer stretch their legs and shoot the bull as the MOW crane operator does some heavy lifting with BIG HOOKER.

MOW train moving thru Butler Junction.

Ralf the Railfan was able to get the engineers of these switchers to line up their locos for a "family photo." at

B&O SW9 coming atcha as a Canton Railroad SW1500 idles on a neighboring track.  Lots of busy busy on the team track.

B&O SW9 waits for next order from dispatcher.

Patapsco and Back Rivers Baldwin VO-1000 pulls a train of junk loads.   Canton Railroad SW1500 and calf running lite on the main. h

The crew of B&O Docsider take a break as B&O SW 9 idles on neighboring track.

                                                      New MTH RS-11 Lemon...

                          Almost all issues re-worked, waiting on missing detail parts. 

Happy Switcher Saturday.

                            BAR, perfect in every way. Stunning layout scenes!

@BAR GP7 #63 posted:

Happy Switcher Saturday.

Johan - exquisite!!!

TALES OF THE DOCKSIDER

Traction tire failures continue to plague engines in the Worcester, MA area!  This week it’s B&M Doodlebug no. 181 that is stalled due to a defective tire.

NYC shop switcher X-8688 is back in service; she’ll have no problem towing 181 and the trailing reefer to the shop.  The shop has replacement tires in stock, but the foreman is starting to worry about replenishing his stock because his main supplier, MTH, is going out of business.  He made a note to order new tires soon, hoping they are still available.  

Great pics and videos this week, guys, as usual!  Johan, I see you allow foreign power on your layout too!  

John

Johan, you have the best backdrops'... Love them'.. Superb work'... 🎅🏻👍

Here's my Lionel Legacy UP SW-7 getting serviced:

@SIRT posted:

                            BAR, perfect in every way. Stunning layout scenes!

Steve. Thank you so much. It`s nice to hear positive feedback from one of my role models.

Johan

@trumptrain posted:

Johan - exquisite!!!

Patrick. You`re welcome.

Johan

@Steam Crazy posted:

TALES OF THE DOCKSIDER

Traction tire failures continue to plague engines in the Worcester, MA area!  This week it’s B&M Doodlebug no. 181 that is stalled due to a defective tire.

NYC shop switcher X-8688 is back in service; she’ll have no problem towing 181 and the trailing reefer to the shop.  The shop has replacement tires in stock, but the foreman is starting to worry about replenishing his stock because his main supplier, MTH, is going out of business.  He made a note to order new tires soon, hoping they are still available.  

Great pics and videos this week, guys, as usual!  Johan, I see you allow foreign power on your layout too!  

John

John. I have a lot some railroad stuff also than Maine R.R, specially i like my own Shark Bay R.R. I have also that MTH Railking B&M Doodlebug #181.

Johan

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Johan, you have the best backdrops'... Love them'.. Superb work'... 🎅🏻👍

Ted. Thank you very much. More new backdrops coming after Christmas.

Johan

@SIRT posted:

Quality issues –

This unit was not up to acceptable standards.

1. Missing both fuel filler pipes. Waiting on Andy to send.
2. Crappy, distorted audio. Had to add felt over speaker grill.
3. Unexplainable software quirks. Put unit in lash up mode and all the audio voices scrolled through repeatedly. Had to shut entire system down. Hit smoke off button, lost all audio, had to do a feature re-set.
4. Sloppy yellow step paint. Chipped black paint down on piolet from coupler. Had to touch up.
5. Missing 2 diamond plate deck walks. Waiting on Andy to send.
6. Had to move 3 of 4 protruding marker LEDs flush with shell. Had to re-glue in proper position.
7. Scratch on inside motor man’s forward window.

HA-HA-HA, WEE FOO U DUM MER-A-KAN!

so basically it wasn't up to your impeccable standards. Operational issues would have bugged me too, not sure about the fit and finish stuff but I'm glad you were able to get them fixed.

No pictures of switchers this week but in honor of "He who starts us off every week"

Candy tins full of English Toffee would fit right in.  Available at the local Home Goods.  Can likely be found at Marshall's and TJ Maxx also.

Also almost forgot. Happy Birthday 🎉 to the guy who got this beast rolling Rich Murnane  @Murnane .

Hope you had a good one my friend.

@coach joe posted:

No pictures of switchers this week but in honor of "He who starts us off every week"

Candy tins full of English Toffee would fit right in.  Available at the local Home Goods.  Can likely be found at Marshall's and TJ Maxx also.

So as far as Big Ben goes, I am all set.  See picture below with USRA 0-6-0 and Thomas for scale.

That castle however is a must have!!  I am avoiding stores in person due to covid,  but hopefully I can find it online.

To everyone, your artistry and abilities never cease to amaze me.  Thank you all so much for continuing to make Switcher Saturday a success!!

Happy SwSat everyone...its 7 pm here in Texas so I am a little late to the party.  My input today is somewhat strange.  It seems that we had an "international" train meet on the L&S this afternoon.  A short cattle and milk train pulled by a UK LMS tank engine had to occupy the main line in front of the depot to allow the afternoon Macon passenger train that was on the team track behind the depot take the main to start its turn north.  Post this meet, the cattle train will move behind the depot and off load its cows and milk.  Strange days but the operations staff take it all in stride.

Here is the start of the meet, the LMS freight train consisting of a Hornby M3 LMS tank engine from 1939-1941 pulls two cattle cars (after all it is TEXAS!) , an M1 cattle car from '51 and a M50 cattle car from '57 plus a SR Milk Van from '51.  They pull this train in front of the depot to allow the passenger train, departing from the team track in the rear to occupy the main for its run up the line. The folks left on that platform got a real opportunity to see (and smell) some cows up close!!

A close up of the LMS cattle / milk train.  M3 Tank on point.

Here is that leased SF Alco S2 from Kline pulling out the Lionel 2400 series, red stripe, streamline passenger cars and taking over the main for a run to the North.  Its the 2444 Newark Pullman, 2442 Clifton Vista Dome, 2445 Elizabeth Pullman , and 2446 Summit observation, all from 1956 in trail.

Well Happy Sw Sat folks

Don

In honor of Rich Murnane's birthday ... the entire switch crew of Patapsco and Back Rivers number 146 salutes this terrific guy who started this wonderful Switcher Saturday thread several years ago!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICH!!!!   Hope you celebrated in grand style    Thanks to Andy ( Silver Lake ) who let the cat out the bag

@trumptrain posted:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICH!!!!   Hope you celebrated in grand style    Thanks to Andy ( Silver Lake ) who let the cat out the bag. Below is an actual photo of the cat coming out of the bag.

Happy Birthday Rich @Murnane

Happy Birthday Rich!  @Murnane

Bob

Thank you all, especially Andy for remembering, John for keeping the thread alive, and for all your comments and pictures, I'm honored and humbled by them.  

We had a nice day yesterday at the Murnane residence, ran a few trains in the afternoon, Tina made a nice dinner, we drove around looking at Christmas lights when it got dark, and had cake - I'm blessed.  

We also had some good news on Friday night, my older daughter has just been accepted into the engineering school at Virginia Tech University, so we'll have a "Hokie" in the family come fall of 2021.  I guess I need to finally pick up some model trains from south of Baltimore/Chesapeake now that I've been down here in Virginia for over 3yrs and I have a kid that's going to be going to college here!  Any good Virginian switchers out there?  I was thinking an RF&P S2, but we'll see.

The first SWSAT picture ever - the one that started it all!

and the one year anniversary picture...

Best to all...Rich

What great photos of all your switchers guys! I wish I had some to share with you but it wasn't in the cards yesterday. I hope to get out there before next Saturday.

I sure hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the weekend!

@Murnane posted:

Any good Virginian switchers out there?  I was thinking an RF&P S2, but we'll see.

Yay! Great news @Murnane on Friday.
Congratulations. Very good school and a nicer in-state price for Virginians.

MTH made this S2. It was part of a two unit set.  This particular one is unpowered and is missing it’s side frames. I was more familiar with these in their later unpowered cabless form in Potomac Yard as slugs working the hump paired with SW1500s. I saw them like this when I was growing up in Alexandria. Apparently one of these slugs is at a museum in Florida. Someday I’ll get a powered unit, swap the shells and use the other long hood for the slug on this unpowered frame. You know... so many projects and plans.

Really great news on the college admission.