Switcher Saturday - Mark II !, 4/18/2020

Happy SWSAT!

Switcher action on the PER:

Have a safe and healthy SWSAT, everyone!

Here is a little switching video I created this week.

Happy SWSat!

Hope everyone is well.

Three generations of the humble NW-2

Lionel Post War ATSF 623
Lionel PWC C&O 622
WbB PRR 8543

                              BN SW1500s switchers at the refinery- NJ Hirailers in Paterson, NJ.

Happy Switcher Saturday.

Good SWSaturday morning everyone. I see we are off to a great start this weekend. 

The days are really bleeding one into another and time is doing strange things. This week I am posting some pictures of the little Switching layout I have started. Yes it is two rail now and yes it mixes brass and steel track. I know. I know. It is what I have. I am thinking that it will be British or maybe late 1800’s US because that is what I am mostly interested in nowadays.  The turnaround size is  very tight #4s. So that may help determine what I am doing.

Yes it is small. I live in the city. 

The engine is a 2 rail O scale Dapol 3F “Jinty” 0-6-0T with side tanks. It is in Somerset and Dorchester Joint Railway paint. I got it second hand and was able to remove most of a bad weathering job. I have it switching most of my British 2 rail O gauge collection. The short Wagons and hand couplings make my tiny layout seem bigger.

Have a great weekend everyone 

I hope you are able to get a good start on one of those big projects we all have. 
I can’t wait to see what you guys post. 

TALES OF THE DOCKSIDER

Oh no!  Say it ain’t so!  NYC shop switcher X-8688 has broken down due to a steam leak from a valve!

The Docksider’s crew is chagrined, to say the least!  They pride themselves on having the cleanest and most reliable engine in the roundhouse!  X-8688 is usually out of service only for routine maintenance.

NYC consolidation 1149 is assigned to push X-8688 to the shop.  You can bet the Docksider’s crew will “be on top” of the shop people to get their engine back in service ASAP!

Busy today so here is a quick shot of my PRR FS10 doing some shifting.

The FS10 (FM Shifter-1,000hp) is a MTH H10-44.

Silver Lake posted:

Good SWSaturday morning everyone. I see we are off to a great start this weekend. 

The days are really bleeding one into another and time is doing strange things. This week I am posting some pictures of the little Switching layout I have started. Yes it is two rail now and yes it mixes brass and steel track. I know. I know. It is what I have. I am thinking that it will be British or maybe late 1800’s US because that is what I am mostly interested in nowadays.  The turnaround size is  very tight #4s. So that may help determine what I am doing.

Yes it is small. I live in the city. 

The engine is a 2 rail O scale Dapol 3F “Jinty” 0-6-0T with side tanks. It is in Somerset and Dorchester Joint Railway paint. I got it second hand and was able to remove most of a bad weathering job. I have it switching most of my British 2 rail O gauge collection. The short Wagons and hand couplings make my tiny layout seem bigger.

Have a great weekend everyone 

I hope you are able to get a good start on one of those big projects we all have. 
I can’t wait to see what you guys post. 

Neat little project Andy.

When life gives you lemons.....

                        happy  "SWSat"  !!

                     steam is still in use shuffling ore cars down at the mine...

      while diesel takes over building trains of loaded cars headed to the ore docks...

                          have a great weekend everyone !!

Good morning fellow switcher lovers!!  I'm really enjoying all of your pics, information,  and videos this morning!  My contribution today is another short story with captioned photos.  I hope everyone has a most enjoyable weekend and above all I hope you all are healthy and safe.  Keep those hands washed and those engineer bandanas over your face

Early this morning in Patsburg:   The dispatcher summoned these two small switch engines from the ready track.  The C-16 Dockside was ordered  to wait at a siding for  freight train 210, the TP Limited.  Seems the TP Limited had some precious cargo which needed to be moved to team track one in Lower Patsburg immediately upon arrival.  A special 8 axle depressed center flat car, carrying a very special load,  would be cut out of the TP Limited and pulled off the main by the C16.   The C16 was then ordered to move the car to team track one.   The C16 crew's curiosity had been peeking all morning as to what the special precious cargo could be ... since they had also heard that the TP Limited took the longer route to Patsburg which had no tunnels. 

The Plymouth switcher was ordered to the MOW siding to move BIG HOOKER to the track neighboring team track one. 

Some of the towns people ( mostly retired railroaders ) gathered down at the switch tower to witness the arrival of the TP Limited.  They too were curious as to what the special cargo was all about.  

More town folk began to wonder down to Team Track One as the special cargo arrived.  Some could not believe their eyes!!  " Holy cow!" " Shweeeeweeee!!! was heard throughout the crowd as their eyes were in disbelief.   Special Loads Supervisor, Skeet Marx, shown on the flat car deck, dislodges one of the chains that held the load in place.  He and his crew will ready the load for removal by Big Hooker once the crane arrives. 

Pulled by the C16, the load finally arrives!  Yes!!! .... there would be no toilet paper shortage in Patsburg.  The super roll had arrived!!!  AND ... It was not wiped out during transit!  

Big Hooker arrives, powered by the tiny Plymouth critter.  

An ariel photo from WPBR - TV shows the massive load.  The WPBR new's commentator,  Ted Mack, exclaimed  " This is no unloading job for an amateur!  I'll bet no one can squeeze this Charmin!"  Both of the tiny switchers are unsung heroes, for they are the ones that facilitated getting this job done. 

The crew relaxes after a job well done.   Special Loads Supervisor Skeet Marx stated " The usual sequence for special loads is to; first safely unload the cargo then secondly follow up with paperwork.  This is the first time in my career the paper work came first ... and second."   

I thought a little chuckle in these uncertain times might be good medicine ;-)   Have fun playing with your trains everyone!! 

AHAHAHAAH.......SO FUNNY

Trump train, great, I love it!  This topic has to be the most fun on the Forum.  I look forward to Saturday every week!

Lets try this again

Happy SWSAT.  I hope everybody is staying safe.

Today we are going to chase AC&Y Fairbanks-Morse H16-44 #202 as it performs its duties.

The train rolls past the Penn Central yard as it begins its journey.

The engineer eases the train across a long bridge.

The FM hammers the PC diamond as the tower operator performs a roll by inspection.

The small town silence is broken by the throb of the opposed piston diesel engine.

The crew spots a boxcar load of lumber at the pipe organ factory.

A hopper is set out on the interchange track to be picked up by the Penn Central local.

The FM ducks into an industrial siding to pick up a loaded freight car.

Our chase ends by watching the crew couple up to an empty tank car at an agri-business.

Stay safe, everyone!

Tom

trumptrain posted:

Good morning fellow switcher lovers!!  I'm really enjoying all of your pics, information,  and videos this morning!  My contribution today is another short story with captioned photos.  I hope everyone has a most enjoyable weekend and above all I hope you all are healthy and safe.  Keep those hands washed and those engineer bandanas over your face

 

Early this morning in Patsburg:   The dispatcher summoned these two small switch engines from the ready track.  The C-16 Dockside was ordered  to wait at a siding for  freight train 210, the TP Limited.  Seems the TP Limited had some precious cargo which needed to be moved to team track one in Lower Patsburg immediately upon arrival.  A special 8 axle depressed center flat car, carrying a very special load,  would be cut out of the TP Limited and pulled off the main by the C16.   The C16 was then ordered to move the car to team track one.   The C16 crew's curiosity had been peeking all morning as to what the special precious cargo could be ... since they had also heard that the TP Limited took the longer route to Patsburg which had no tunnels. 

The Plymouth switcher was ordered to the MOW siding to move BIG HOOKER to the track neighboring team track one. 

Some of the towns people ( mostly retired railroaders ) gathered down at the switch tower to witness the arrival of the TP Limited.  They too were curious as to what the special cargo was all about.  

More town folk began to wonder down to Team Track One as the special cargo arrived.  Some could not believe their eyes!!  " Holy cow!" " Shweeeeweeee!!! was heard throughout the crowd as their eyes were in disbelief.   Special Loads Supervisor, Skeet Marx, shown on the flat car deck, dislodges one of the chains that held the load in place.  He and his crew will ready the load for removal by Big Hooker once the crane arrives. 

Pulled by the C16, the load finally arrives!  Yes!!! .... there would be no toilet paper shortage in Patsburg.  The super roll had arrived!!!  AND ... It was not wiped out during transit!  

Big Hooker arrives, powered by the tiny Plymouth critter.  

An ariel photo from WPBR - TV shows the massive load.  The WPBR new's commentator,  Ted Mack, exclaimed  " This is no unloading job for an amateur!  I'll bet no one can squeeze this Charmin!"  Both of the tiny switchers are unsung heroes, for they are the ones that facilitated getting this job done. 

The crew relaxes after a job well done.   Special Loads Supervisor Skeet Marx stated " The usual sequence for special loads is to; first safely unload the cargo then secondly follow up with paperwork.  This is the first time in my career the paper work came first ... and second."   

I thought a little chuckle in these uncertain times might be good medicine ;-)   Have fun playing with your trains everyone!! 

“Roll on?”   “Roll off?”    “Let it roll?”    

Howdy switcherites.  Here are a couple of shots of very recent roster additions: 6250 Seaboard NW2, 6436 Lehigh Valley 4-Bay Hopper (Coal  black version), 6415 and 6315 Tank Cars. 

Patrick,

That was great. Loved your story.

Charlie

Trumptrain:  Your "story" on the delivery of important goods was really funny.  I will relate that I managed to score a 24 roll pack yesterday via a very early trip to our local grocery.  I have been treated like a hero ever since...(basking in the glory )

So here is my entry for Switcher Saturday...The Leonardtown and Savannah (L&S) being perennially short of motive power continuously begs help from its neighbor and big brother, Southern RR.  so here is a borrowed Southern 44 T switcher doing some moving of freight cars up in "small town" in order to clear the yard and prevent demurrage charges.

Happy SWSAT folks

Don McErlean

Silver Lake posted:

Good SWSaturday morning everyone. I see we are off to a great start this weekend. 

The days are really bleeding one into another and time is doing strange things. This week I am posting some pictures of the little Switching layout I have started. Yes it is two rail now and yes it mixes brass and steel track. I know. I know. It is what I have. I am thinking that it will be British or maybe late 1800’s US because that is what I am mostly interested in nowadays.  The turnaround size is  very tight #4s. So that may help determine what I am doing.

Yes it is small. I live in the city. 

The engine is a 2 rail O scale Dapol 3F “Jinty” 0-6-0T with side tanks. It is in Somerset and Dorchester Joint Railway paint. I got it second hand and was able to remove most of a bad weathering job. I have it switching most of my British 2 rail O gauge collection. The short Wagons and hand couplings make my tiny layout seem bigger.

Have a great weekend everyone 

I hope you are able to get a good start on one of those big projects we all have. 
I can’t wait to see what you guys post. 

 Andy - great to see you posting regularly again!  Your switching layout looks fantastic!!  Prototypically speaking real 1:1 scale railroads used whatever rail they had available for use in yards and branch lines ... so what you are doing is right  on target.   Your 0-6-0 T looks great too!  

My mother's hometown of Swanage, Dorset is located somewhat near Dorchester.   There is still a steam railroad ( tourist ) that pulls several trains up to Corff Castle and back to Swanage daily.  When I lasted visited in 2000, I made several round trips one day.  A wonderful railway operation through some gorgeous  countryside!  

Do keep us posted on your switching layout progress.  

The only switcher I can offer today is a 1/1 scale Tradepoint Rail geep.  While I was in the queue to get a truckload of organic corn Friday, I heard a horn (always a good omen), and trundling down the tracks came 8706.  Tradepoint Rail serves the former Beth. Steel -  Sparrows Point, MD complex.  8706 was heading past me to pull out a cut of boxcars loaded with imported aluminum ingots.

Hi All from the Richmond, Chesapeake, Hudson Yard and RR!  :-) 

Great video Rich. I'm still on the hunt for a B&O Plymouth.

Abrail- love the old fashioned effect on your video too.

Murnane posted:

Hi All from the Richmond, Chesapeake, Hudson Yard and RR!  :-) 

Rich this is great!

I love those B&O ore Jennies from K-line that 316 is pulling. They look exactly like some real cars from the 1800's. I have a small fleet myself and always pick them up when I see them. They are one of my favorite things K-line put out at the end that were just wonderful. I am thinking of the Shay, Plymouth, Porter, SuperStreets, these Ore cars and the 4-6-4T.  I was actually working on these cars today.

I have a bunch of cars to adjust to 2 rail I am swapping out axels but it seems like I just don't have the right ones for these little guys in my stock. The axels I have are too long.

I missed the B&O ones but I have a bunch of them. 3 sets of the Reading, 2 sets of Ford and some Coca-Cola ones from a handcar set. Some are going for a repaint some day. But they are really great.

That's awesome Andy, whenever I bring out the B&O Plymouth or Porter with these little cars people love them.  I'm glad you're getting a switching layout going again, look forward to seeing more pictures.

Bob, thanks for the comment, I hope all is well.

Stay safe and healthy everyone...Rich 

Amazing stuff everybody.   I can issue a follow up today with a little bit further away view of the mp-15 at work.   Call it the "public view "

I grabbed this shot on the way home today,  sorry if the resolution is a little low.

just took another peek at all the posts, videos, pictures, comments, this was no doubt a good week for SWSAT.

@jhz563 - thank you for keeping this thing running.

Stay safe everyone...Rich 

@Murnane, it's been my privilege Rich, it's a lot of fun.   It's also a challenge to come up with a fresh picture every week.   The narrative folks like yourself,  Andy, Tom, and Patrick have come up with lately are great. 

I should be off the ext couple of Saturdays so I hope to turn up my contribution a bit.

Cheers - John Z

Few days late but I think I tool this video on Sat or Sunday. My poor old 203 switcher and 14 cars....