Switcher Saturday: 2019-Jun-22

I bought a derelict GM switcher last week and restoration is just on the way. I always dreamed to have one as it is an all die cast model and I am very pleased with it. Maybe be it is the only one in France and i am sure it will have some success in train shows. I hope to present the finished model next Saturday.... Still have to make a choice, Pennsy or NYC or maybe something less common...

Have a nice weekend,  Daniel

New York Central SW-1500 #9654 (MTH 30-2217-1 with PS2) appeared in the 2001 Volume 1 catalog. I purchased this model when it was released and hadn’t run it in many years, so I opened it up to replace the battery and found that I had installed a BCR. I put the shell back on, coupled up NYC caboose #19654 - also by MTH – applied power to let the BCR charge for a minute, and off they went at 24 scale mph. The engine is #9654 and the caboose is #19654. Did the New York Central or MTH realize they had such similar numbers?

MELGAR

Yay! SWSat is in the “on” position!

Off to a great start this AM. Rich @Murnane that GP 30 looks awesome. How do you like it? Tempting. Daniel @FRENCHTRAINS those General Models diecast switchers are great and worth restoring. Thomas industries made third rail rollers for them. Can you see the makers mark on the roller?As far as roadnames if you like NYC and or Pennsy why not make it a PennCentral? A nice weathered unit with the old paint coming back through would look cool. @MELGAR that is a nice looking pair. Funny about the numbers I don’t have my books at hand so I have no idea if they are prototype based or just lazy.

I was timing a swim meet all weekend last week up in the Bronx and got some pics of some nice MTA GE units in the yard up there.  This is probably the most end cabs I have seen in a row. 

Here is a personal record of 7 units in one picture.

A little peek into the car shop  

Later in the week a work train in transit 

I am making some slow progress on my NYC Tri-power. I got borrowed the one truck side frame from a friend and had a mold made with 4 more cast in brass. The guy did a quick turnaround and I got them (and 8 more) back in a week. My first try to do something like this.

Original 1930’s pice on the top and new 2019 brass castings below. I would not do this for a currently manufactured piece not trying to rip anyone off but this one was so long gone and obscure. I will still need to make 3rd rail  shoes as that was one of the three power sources in the name. You can tell the new ones are very slightly smaller as well.

Last up a new to me O scale 2 rail Varney B&O B18 ten wheeler. It still needs a front coupler and handrails to do much switching on the NYSME layout.

Looking at this model really helped me figure out some strategies for how to complete some of my other models. The finish on the cab and tender with rounded wire finishing the edges looks great and has a much better finish. Also all of the brakes are functional. I can’t imagine how to do that on the models I am building. Baby steps. 

Andy, I know that yard(s) well.  I grew up two blocks away on Villa Ave.  Was the swim meet at Lehman College?

Silver Lake posted:

Yay! SWSat is in the “on” position!

Off to a great start this AM. Rich @Murnane that GP 30 looks awesome. How do you like it? Tempting. Daniel @FRENCHTRAINS those General Models diecast switchers are great and worth restoring. Thomas industries made third rail rollers for them. Can you see the makers mark on the roller?As far as roadnames if you like NYC and or Pennsy why not make it a PennCentral? A nice weathered unit with the old paint coming back through would look cool. @MELGAR that is a nice looking pair. Funny about the numbers I don’t have my books at hand so I have no idea if they are prototype based or just lazy.

I

Good idea, but finding PennCentral decals in France is near impossible, I just repainted it all black as it was originally. I have to think about it and look on eBay for decals.

It's a three rail one, look at the second picture, i think it has been equiped with Lionel rollers, Thomas ones are different I think

Very best, Daniel

coach joe posted:

Andy, I know that yard(s) well.  I grew up two blocks away on Villa Ave.  Was the swim meet at Lehman College?

You got it in one Joe. Lehman college has a very nice pretty new  pool. The commute from the B/D is not so bad with the distraction of the walk across the storage yard.  You are right about Yard(s) on the other side of the road are the narrower cars from the 4 train.

Here are a few more with the car wash ironically next to the automobile car wash. 

Have a great weekend. Can’t wait to see what you guys post. 

briansilvermustang posted:

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

Love this one. It looks like a boxcar end was cut down. Very Cool. 

Good morning fellow SWsat friends!!   You guys have some great stuff up already!

Rich - very nice looking WbB GP-30!   Andy - Love all those photos of the subway yard! 

Frenchtrains - I can't wait to see your finished product next Saturday!  Melgar - I love your SW 1500  with caboose posed on the trestle!  

Today on the FSJR, we start with  a B&O GP9 leading an F3 on the point of a long freight. 

Maryland Short Line Railroads of the post WW2 period gather for a photo.  In order is the Baltimore & Annapolis SW9, Patapsco & Back Rivers VO1000, Canton SW1500, and Maryland & Pennsylvania SW 1. 

B&O Switchers at the ready.

MTH WM BL2 and a Williams 44 tonner ( imitation of the PW Lionel 44 tonner ) w/ crews. 

Have a terrific weekend everyone!!!!!

Brian Silvermustang -  wonderful photos of switchers doing their thing! Especially love the one of the SW1 receiving fuel from the Mack fuel truck.   Prototypical of the way things were done back then  and very modelable ( is that even a word? LOL! ).  

Happy SWSat!

Great switcher stuff everyone!

Some more NY Central action this week.

Bob

Happy Switcher Saturday everyone!

Happy Switcher Saturday everyone! Great pictures, all. 

Here is my panning shot of my Lionel prewar #228, check out those round pegs that show as ovals in the picture :

If any of you belong to the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society, I have an article in the latest edition (Summer 2019) of their quarterly magazine, The Keystone.  I will give you a hint and say it is about a certain class of Pennsylvania Railroad switchers that have slope-back tenders! 

If you don't belong already, it is a wonderful historical society and this issue is one of the best (even if you took mine out of the issue). Coverage of the T-1 and a rubber-tired Budd-Michelin project are just 2 of the stories. 

Going out to run errands now...

Tom 

                                   Late era details, no footboards, correct horn placement and firecracker antenna.

Some Marx switchers in my collection....

Peter

I'm with Andy, that NP thing looks great, whatever it is.

Silver Lake posted:

briansilvermustang posted:

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

Love this one. It looks like a boxcar end was cut down. Very Cool. 

It looks like the cab of a Doodlebug and the rear part being a slug...just my two cents though...so a Doodle-slug? 

Tom 

I got this from a good friend of mine whose stepdad was a conductor and I was a breakman back in 77, the road was the Monessen-Southwestern Railroad. it served the operations of Wheeling-Pittsburgh steel Corp.

MNCW posted:

Silver Lake posted:

briansilvermustang posted:

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

Love this one. It looks like a boxcar end was cut down. Very Cool. 

It looks like the cab of a Doodlebug and the rear part being a slug...just my two cents though...so a Doodle-slug? 

Tom 

I like that Tom. Can we change your title from @PRR8976 to Doodle-Slug.

Haha...

I am going to New Egypt, NJ  tomorrow and hope to do a little bit of exploring the Engine house site.

Yes, Andy, go ahead and use it. I get 50% of any cash you take in! 

While in New Egypt, keep an eye out for Red Barn antiques on Maple Ave. I bought a rubber stamp pad for Fort Dix station (when it was once part of the Pennsy System). I figured since the last Pennsy steam loco, B6sb #5244, operated through there and my dad spend time before WWII at Fort Dix, it was the right thing to do. 

Tom 

Great stuff as always this week guys, I'm sending this from a hotel room in Gaithersburg, Maryland - kid #2 has a lacrosse tournament this weekend up here and it was just a bit too far to drive back/forth after an entire day in the sun.

@Silver Lake - Yes, I like the WBB GP30 very much, I opened it up a couple years ago and "wired it in series" at some folks direction here on the forum, it helped slow it down some, even though it's still zooming around in the video.  It's a nice model, no command or anything, no smoke, but it's great at looking great and running, and I like the sounds (some folks don't I've heard).  It's a little bit of a stretch for  the "switcher"/"critter" role on SWSAT, but no big deal, we're all friends here.

Separate topic, I saw this pic on Fakebook the other day, too good not to share.  No date/location/photographer, but someone commented that they thought it was Troy, NY.

See you guys next week, more lacrosse all day tomorrow!

Best...Rich

Rich,

  I was also going to say it looked like Troy. A few years ago there was a nice video on YouTube of the Troy area with vintage locomotives. It still might be around if you try searching. 

Tom 

Murnane posted:

... I saw this pic on Fakebook the other day, too good not to share.  No date/location/photographer, but someone commented that they thought it was Troy, NY.

 

 See you guys next week, more lacrosse all day tomorrow!

Best...Rich

Rich,

A great picture. I wish that I could build a model railroad that looks exactly like it.

As usual, thanks for starting SWSAT and have a good day at lacrosse.

MELGAR

@PRR8976 /@Doodle-Slug My sister lives on Maple and I have been in the Red Barn before. I was amazed at the very high prices they wanted. But very nice things. There is a really great used book shop/florist on the way out of town that I always enjoy looking around in with my dad.

Cool Picture Rich @Murnane. I think Troy sounds like a good guess. It was an old station and really wound through the streets to get there. About 8 years ago I was in Tribeca here in Manhattan and there was a very high priced antique store that had the terra cotta clock from the Troy Union Station. It was really large and striking Green with 4-4-0 engines on it. North of $30K so I was not buying. It would be nice if it ended up at a train museum probably not though.

Here's the video of Troy, NY, circa late 1950's showing many types of first generation diesels.

Tom 

Spent some time cleaning, my SW collection. 

Dust, and grease/grim removal from 10 years of sitting on the shelf, a little more work than I expected. At one time, a light air hose dusting, did the work, not so, as the engines, and I age.     Best wishes all, Mike CT. 

Postwar twin center cab diesel switchers hauling oil:

Arnold

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Postwar twin center cab diesel switchers hauling oil:

Arnold

Arnold, Nice video and layout.

Finally i have work faster than what i thought, here is the near finished GM switcher, just fresh painted. For me it looks not bad, still in needs of decals or... not. Most important it is a great model and made in USA which is better than made in C.... for me.

For a 70 years old model it is ready for another great time of service.

All my best wishes,  Daniel

Great job on that switcher Daniel.

I have a NW-2 from the era and it is one of my favorites.

Me too:

Ding ding ding ding . . .

This bell ringer will either drive you crazy, or you will think it's adorable. I'm one of the latter. Arnold

Frenchtrains -these are my suggestions...

Thanks DAVEP,    I think the Strasburg scheme is definetely a serious option.... and as I visited the place some time ago i have many pictures of it.

Very best,  Daniel

FRENCHTRAINS posted:

Hello Daniel:

Your EMD NW2 switcher is looking very good.

Your model is an EMD NW2 with the "stepped" hood. Perhaps consider representing a prototype that also used the EMD NW2 with stepped hoods. You already have the handrails painted a nice yellow. If you want yellow stripes, then I suggest you consider this railroad's NW2:

Whatever you decide, I'm sure it result in a fine looking model.

Andre

Montour RR had SW7's with the arched windows.  Later model of the SW9's. 

I have the decals if interested. Montour did not have NW's.  

Also Pennsylvania. 

BTW:

For all you switcher freaks that feared the last of the RMT Bang diesels were GONE and NO MORE... rejoice!

I just received an email from RMT and... hallelujah!

RMT miraculously found yet another case of Bang's!

I was so fearful the Bang's were gone,  never to be seen again. Hopefully, RMT will continue to find more cases of Bang's for decades to come.

Andre

laming posted:

BTW:

For all you switcher freaks that feared the last of the RMT Bang diesels were GONE and NO MORE... rejoice!

I just received an email from RMT and... hallelujah!

RMT miraculously found yet another case of Bang's!

I was so fearful the Bang's were gone,  never to be seen again. Hopefully, RMT will continue to find more cases of Bang's for decades to come.

Andre

LOL, It's the never ending going out of business sale. I actually liked the product and got duped into buying a bunch in what seems like 500 emails ago.

Dave:

Yes, a few years ago I purchased a Bang for exploring the idea of using it on a traditional-size equipment switching layout. The little Bang ran pretty stinkin' good. I have no issues whatsoever with RMT's product, but I DO get a hoot out of that "never ending going out of business sale" business model!

But I digress. Back to the urgent topic at hand: Better hurry, 'cause "when these are gone there will be no more!"

Andre

Mike CT posted:

Montour RR had SW7's with the arched windows.  Later model of the SW9's. 

I have the decals if interested. Montour did not have NW's.  

Also Pennsylvania. 

Many thanks for your kind offer Mike CT, and appreciate also Andre's suggestion.  The choice is hard and I will do it later. And with all your proposal I think I need to buy another one model of that switcher in two rails....  If I may have one I must recognize that a Montour RR scheme would be very nice. 

If I continue this way I am afraid I could buy several other and they are not an easy find for me....

All my best wishes, Daniel