# The dockside switcher any good?



## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

I found a Dockside Switcher steam locomotive. 0-6-0, released in 1995. Is this a decent loco? I found it for under $100 brand new... thinking about pulling the trigger.

Charles.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Charles, you're coming up against the wall of S Scale snobbery, here. Let me explain. The locomotive you are considering is probably a good unit---I don't want to come across as criticizing it. That said, the era normally considered the golden era for AF is the late 30's to late 50's, usually identified by the 3-digit number sequence. Around 1960, the company was taken over by someone who cheapened everything in an effort to forestall bankruptcy. Not every loco with more than 3 digits falls into this less-desireable group, but most do.

A 1995 unit would fall into the Flyonel era: manufactured by Lionel after the bankruptcy. Those of us who run the old stuff look in askance at Flyonel, but I would be the first to admit it's not fair of us. I can't help it---it's like looking at a Labradoodle and trying to keep a straight face about the name.


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

Well, I have all old stuff now, and I'm wondering at the future viability of this scale. I mean, I love it because I'm restoring my dad's old trains, and it's getting me back into the hobby... but honestly, if all I can get is stuff from long before I was born, chances are I will build one S-gauge layout to keep Dad's trains alive, and then switch to Lionel or HO. 

My loyalty is to my dad's memory, and once I've got this layout complete that will be taken care of... whether I stick with S depends on what I can buy for it new. I mean, there's the big boy, but that's a little... no, a LOT out of my price range. I need to keep it interesting if I want to build more layouts, and honestly there isn't a lot of variation with the old flyer locomotives. 

Charles.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Come on over to O-gauge, we welcome S-scale castouts.


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

Thing is, I really do like the S-scale. It's right between HO (too small) and Lionel (too big)... it's just, finding anything from scenery to rolling stock to locomotives is largely impossible. Flyonel isn't a bad thing as far as i'm concerned... i wish they'd make more of it. Otherwise S scale is just going to die with a wimper.

Charles.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

ChopperCharles said:


> Thing is, I really do like the S-scale. It's right between HO (too small) and Lionel (too big)... it's just, finding anything from scenery to rolling stock to locomotives is largely impossible. Flyonel isn't a bad thing as far as i'm concerned... i wish they'd make more of it. Otherwise S scale is just going to die with a wimper.
> 
> Charles.


I like Flyonel.. I understand there's quite a few problems with it, but still, it's ok..I don't know where you're looking for AF, but in my area there's lots of it around. Is it as available as MTH or Lionel? Nope. But here in my area, I can go to my local train dealers and find it quite easy. As for AF dying with a wimper, it will never happen. There's too much of it out there, along with S Helper Service, etc.There's a train show coming up in March here, and there will probably be several dealers with 4-5 tables each all with flyer, and more separate tables.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Charles, you're absolutely right---there's nothing wrong with Flyonel. There's no reason for people like me to have tunnel-vison about it: it's not like the old stuff is perfect and never needs maintenance. I guess it's like '57 Chevy's or the original Corvettes: the story is better than the car ever was. A 2012 Corvette is undoubtedly a better car than a '53 or '60 Vette, but it lacks the mystique. If the unit's in good shape, then the only opinion that matters is your own---and that includes my opinion. Buy lots of Flyonel and feel blessed someone is still making AF for us.

Sincerely,


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Reckers said:


> Charles, you're absolutely right---there's nothing wrong with Flyonel. There's no reason for people like me to have tunnel-vison about it: it's not like the old stuff is perfect and never needs maintenance. I guess it's like '57 Chevy's or the original Corvettes: the story is better than the car ever was. A 2012 Corvette is undoubtedly a better car than a '53 or '60 Vette, but it lacks the mystique. If the unit's in good shape, then the only opinion that matters is your own---and that includes my opinion. Buy lots of Flyonel and feel blessed someone is still making AF for us.
> 
> Sincerely,


Where else can you get re-issues of the great PA-! sets?? I wish Lionel or someone would re-issues a lot of those gorgeous diesels sets again!! I know Lionel has the Sanata Fe freight engines but I want a NP set!!!! WAAAAAAAA!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Reckers said:


> Buy lots of Flyonel and feel blessed someone is still making AF for us.


You're just trying to keep him from going over to the dark side.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

"Like it he would not the dark side. Repairs they constantly are needing the Lionel equipment, " observed Yoda.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

Reckers said:


> "Like it he would not the dark side. Repairs they constantly are needing the Lionel equipment, " observed Yoda.


Hmmm... I could argue with you about that one :laugh:

S gauge stuff is pretty nice and it's a good size. But.....

Everyone knows its O gauge or no gauge  (Sheldon from the "Big Bang Theory")


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

I recall correctly, Sheldon decided O gauge was no gauge: he settled on N scale as the perfect size. "Look: you can put it in your mouth!"


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

Maybe the train show next month will color me different... it's just, my local hobby shop has new straight track, new 54" curves, old 19" curves, a couple of beat-to-hell electric switches he's charging way too much for, one locomotive in his layout that's not for sale, and a handfull of beat-to-hell cars under a glass counter that I'd think twice about taking off his hands for free. But o-gauge? He's got tons of that. HO? N? That too. Even G... no Z or S though. You want to keep S alive, you have to sell it to children, which means you need new cool stuff, in a price range that is affordable. $800 locomotives and $460 intro kits are a bit much for most parents to afford, and that's really all I see being made new these days.

Charles.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Truth, that is....


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## ChopperCharles (Jan 3, 2012)

One other little thing... why doens't the dockside switcher come with a tender? (What is a switcher anyways?)

Charles.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Look closely at the Dockside, it has a small coal bin attached. It was a self-contained unit, hence the "dockside" name. It was just used for local switching, probably initially on the docks.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Charles, a switcher is essentially a locomotive made for the purpose of moving around the yard, assembling the collection of cars in the correct order to continue on for delivery. It never gets far from the fuel or water supply, so it has a much smaller tender if a steamer. The tender often is short and angled down in the back so the engineer can better see the coupler as he's reversing to it. The locomotive is generally of shorter length: it's never going to race cross-country, so pilot wheels and traileing wheels aren't really needed.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

And water is kept in the tank that is over or next to the boiler. In the case of the AF docksider, it's a saddle tanker so the tank covers the boiler. That adds some weight over the drivers (on the real ones anyway) and allows the small engines to pull a lot more.

Some switchers did have tenders. They weren't all tank engines (no tender).


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Some switchers did have tenders, but since we're talking about the Dockside switcher...


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## Aflyer (Nov 10, 2010)

Ok, I'll add my two cent's, that’s all I have because I spent the rest on trains. I also think that "S" is a great size, the original AF stuff has some great detail for the era, and maintenance is pretty easy in most cases.
The LHS scene is definitely not a good option, at least at the ones I haev found. But in addition to Flyonel, and S-Helper already mentioned there is also American Models and others producing Locomotives, rolling stock, buildings and scenery all in "S".
As for Flyonel, I have the New Haven EP5 6-40875 electric, and it is a pretty sweet engine, looks good runs great and has allot of power.
There are currently around 4600 items on eBay that are American flyer "S", several more American Models and S-Helper items too. I know you have to be careful on eBay but it is another resource for our "S" habit, just ask my wife about that.
So happy "S" to all, what some say is the perfect size.
Aflyer


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Aflyer said:


> Ok, I'll add my two cent's, that’s all I have because I spent the rest on trains. I also think that "S" is a great size, the original AF stuff has some great detail for the era, and maintenance is pretty easy in most cases.
> The LHS scene is definitely not a good option, at least at the ones I haev found. But in addition to Flyonel, and S-Helper already mentioned there is also American Models and others producing Locomotives, rolling stock, buildings and scenery all in "S".
> As for Flyonel, I have the New Haven EP5 6-40875 electric, and it is a pretty sweet engine, looks good runs great and has allot of power.
> There are currently around 4600 items on eBay that are American flyer "S", several more American Models and S-Helper items too. I know you have to be careful on eBay but it is another resource for our "S" habit, just ask my wife about that.
> ...


Well put...


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## Aflyer (Nov 10, 2010)

Flyernut,
Thank you. One other thing I should have mentioned, if we don't support the new suppliers in "S", they may not be around for the next generation.
Aflyer


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Aflyer said:


> Flyernut,
> Thank you. One other thing I should have mentioned, if we don't support the new suppliers in "S", they may not be around for the next generation.
> Aflyer


You're welcome, and you're right.


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