PRR NW2 Switcher

The Prototype - General Information

EMD built these NW2 switcher engines from 1939 to 1949. The engine is recognizable by its half-height front radiator grill (which is different from a SW1, which had a large "porch" under the radiator grill), and a straight section of the engine cover before sloping up right in front of the cab (which it shared with some of the early the SW1s). It has a minimum track radius of 100 feet (19-inch radius in S-scale). Its maximum speed was 60 miles per hour, although it could only do 10mph under maximum tractive force load. It measured 44'5" (13.5m) in length, 14'5" (4.4m) in height, and 10'0" (3.0m) in width. It weighed 248,400lbs (112,672kg). The locomotive has the 567 EMD, 12 cylinder engine, which could produce 1000hp.

The Prototype - Pennsylvania Railroad

In October 1941, the Pennsylvania Railroad bought NW2 #3909. That was its second diesel engine purchase (an EMD SW was the first). The other NW2s were added in 1945 through 1948. The delay in the purchase of the other NW2s was because EMD was not allowed to produce switcher engines during World War II (it was assigned to only produce road diesel locomotives during the war). In 1942 #3909 was renumbered to #5912. The engines were classified as ES-10, which stands for EMD Switcher with a 1000hp engine. Every single one of the PRR's NW2 engines made it through the merger into the Penn Central (1968), and a good number of them made it to the Conrail era (1976) as well.

(PRR #9163, source: Fallen Flags web site)

The Model

The model shown below of #5912 is by S-Helper Service, Inc., part number 01563. The engine came pre-installed with a SoundTraxx Tsunami TSU-1000 Digital Sound Decoder for EMD 567 prime movers (product ID 827101). This link will let you hear the SoundTraxx recording. S-Helper Service has fully programmed the decoder, and it is ready to go right out of the box.


(all changes described below have been applied)

Speaking of the box, it includes a manual for SHS switchers, the original Tsunami package, four scale wheels, two SHS couplers, two extra pair of different style smokestacks, extra screws, extra wheel wipers, and two MU pilots with walkways (although the PRR's NW2s were never MU'd).

I placed the engine on some test track when I received it and it responded right away. The sound is fantastic and very authentic. The engine crept along. The LED headlights are directional, and the interior cab light can be controlled separately. There are two crewmen inside. The engine weighs a hefty one pound, 4.6 oz (582g).

The model is extremely accurate. The only minor issue I found was that the "r" is missing from the "Danger 600 volts" decal. I plan to remove that text anyway, because it wasn't there in the original 5912, but it was added to the later releases of the NW2 engines.

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