Switcher Saturday: 2016-May-21

From the Northeast Railfan site.  A pair of Bethlehem Steel Whitcombs:

Note the coupler AND the drawbar for ultimate switching pleasure...

Rusty

It's been awhile since I've touched upon this particular railroad so I figured I was overdue to once again dip into my stash and post more pictures of one of my truly sentimental favorites, the Raritan River. 

In the diesel era, the railroad relied upon a fleet of six SW900 units to serve its many customers. Each morning, RRRR crews would pick up the inbounds at the CNJ/Conrail interchange at South Amboy and with units fore and aft, heave their heavy trains upgrade away from the bay shore across Sayreville to the road's principal yard at Parlin where crews would simultaneously work the west and east ends in assembling the day's consists. 

Pictured here are switching activities at Parlin. Raritan River employees were extremely friendly and gave you the run of the property as long as you didn't try anything foolish. On really cold days, perhaps you'd even get invited up to share in some soup or coffee. Good times to be sure. 

Bob

Great photos and info everyone!!  Happy Switcher Saturday everyone!  Rich, I hope your daughter recovers quickly!   Thanks for sharing the new NS slug photo.  I assume one of the model trains manufacturers will be coming out with this slug in the next year or so.

Bob - wonderful photos and narrative of the Raritan River switchers and operations.   MNCW that is a nice little postwar switcher.  I love how you got the signal bridge in the photo too!  

Here are a MA & PA switcher working on the Free State Junction Railway here in Patsburg, Maryland where the weather is wet and dreary today.... A good reason for not having to cut the lawn today !! AND a good reason for running trains!

Patrick:

I love your Ma&Pa SW1. I was very pleased when MTH introduced its model as I had long felt the SW1 was overdue in three rail O. I have one in Chessie livery. 

Did you get a chance to ride any streetcars while you were in Toronto?

Bob

hope the kid feels better Rich. had a few allnighters myself with sick kids. 

Tom I like that 227. Love to have a six drivered switcher...but the ones I see for sale are outta my budget.

Here's my 1662 moving some new to me Marx tinplate.

Have a great Saturday guys.

Street running.

Hey guys Happy SWSat!

You guys are off to a great start so far. Great images and video so far.

My contribution this week is a classic engine to O gauge and the real scene the NYC S motor. These engines ran in the electrified areas of NYC and could run on the third rail as well as the ceiling wire in Grand Central.

The toy train companies like Ives and Lionel seemed to both like the idea of thier new electric toy trains running like the real thing on electricity so they made many copies of this engine in both Standard and Oscale.

After nearly 70 years Lionel finally made a true scale version of this icon around the millennium and again around 2007.

Have a great weekend guys. 

I'm tired and grumpy, a good reason to go downstairs to the workbench and run a switcher!

https://youtu.be/Sz8bIekdnSU

Rich,

 Nice video, it made me smile. Hope it worked for you, too.

Tom

I went for a train ride at the Oklahoma Railway Museum today. The train was pulled by a switcher. 

MURNANE: I hope your child feels better real soon.

Rich there is nothing worse than a sick kid. I know the feeling all too well. Good luck get some rest.

In 1995, SW 900 #633 handled the "varnish" in the form of RDC #9913 at Baltimore's B&O Railroad Museum.

So, I had to re-create the scene, sort of, on the home layout.

Great stuff guys, my daughter is feeling better finally, rough night and morning though for sure.

B&O Bill, love that video, here's a pic of my B&O SW900
(B&O #9416 Atlas O Gauge p/n 6114-1)

Here is a Lionel Legacy Switcher.