Gotta love the EMD SW1!
a classic early diesel switcher.
nearly every American railroad owned several.

The SW1 was first introduced in 1939 as the EMC SW1.
(EMC is Electro Motive Corporation, before EMC was bought by GM and became EMD, the Electro Motive Division of GM)

There were many variations in the SW1 over its 20 years of production.
Early models have the curved front windows matching the curve of the roof, and the 2-part taper of the hood.
Later models have the retangular windows, and a one-part taper..
(there are many other minor changes too)

I am going to model Lehigh Valley SW1 #112.
She was bought new by the LV in 1939, operated her entire career with the LV, and today still exists!
and..still exists sporting her last LV paintscheme!
unchanged since the LV ceased to exist in 1976!
 

First, some history of LV 112:

Her EMD Builder's photo! 
Photo taken April 1939.
This is the First of Three paintschemes 112 wore during her 37 year career with the LV.
(she operated right up to the end of the LV in 1976)
This is the "Pre War Scheme", the scheme all LV switcers wore that were delivered prior to WWII.  Red, Yellow & Grey.

The second paintscheme 112 wore is the most common LV Diesel paintscheme.
the "Cornell Red 3-stripe scheme"
nearly every LV diesel wore this scheme from WWII - the mid 60's
I don't know exactly when 112 was repainted in this scheme, but it was most likely sometime during the war years.

Third and final paintscheme.
Tuscan red, with a single yellow stripe.
#112 recieved this scheme sometime between August 1970 and April 1971.
based on photos in 2 books:

"Lehigh Valley Railroad, The Wyoming and Buffalo Divisions." By Mike Bednar
page 84.
8-19-1970.
112 is seen along the Sayre shops, still in the Cornell 3-stripe scheme.

8 months later, April 1971, 112 is photographed wearing her new Tuscan scheme,
on page 124 of "Trackside around Sayre-Towanda-Waverly with Lloyd Hall." 
by Jeremy F. Plant and Bill Caloroso.

and again in the Bednar book, 112 is shown in 1972 in the Tuscan scheme.
(I remember those Christmas lights in Sayre! :)
 
 

Here is 112 in her final paintscheme:

So the 3 paintschemes are well documented.
1. "Pre-war scheme" 1939 to (1944-1948) - 5 to 9 years.

2. Cornell Red 3-stripe scheme. - (1944-1948) to 1970/71 - 25-30 years.
by far, 112 spent the most years (with the LV) in this scheme.

3. Tuscan - 1970/71 to the end of the LV - only 5 years with the LV,
but! 112 STILL wears this scheme today!! 35 years since being repained last in 1970/71.

112 clearly spent a majority of her career as a Sayre yard swicher.
nearly every photo I have seen of her was taken in Sayre.
(which is extra-cool for me personally, since I was born in Sayre!)
 

And that brings us up to Today. the year 2005.
We know that 112 never belonged to Conrail, she never recieved a Conrail number.
but..what exactly DID happen to her after 1976??
we dont know...yet.

The book "Trackside around Sayre-Towanda-Waverly with Lloyd Hall." states that 112 was "scrapped in 1976 without making it to the Conrail roster."
clearly that is wrong.

Here is a photo of 112 heading..somewhere!
Sandusky OH - 05/04/1977 - Michael Lippus Photo

She clearly stayed with the LV up to, or at least near "the end" in 1976.
she wasnt transferred to Conrail.
She was heading somewhere, through Ohio, in 1977.
then what???

26 years go by, its 2003, and the LV internet forums light up with reports of a LV switcher discovered still in her LV paintscheme!! 
its 112! sitting seemingly abandoned in Rockwood, Tennessee.

AMAZING picures of 112!:

http://64.246.11.82/images/l/LV_112_SW1_18June03.jpg.12905.jpg

http://64.246.11.82/images/l/LV_112_SW1_F_18June03.jpg.59123.jpg

she has never been repainted, no LV markings have ever been painted out. 

She is the only surviving LV locomotive that is still in her LV paint, 
not repainted, and she is also the oldest known surviving LV locomotive.
Her future is likely (hopefully) secure, but uncertain..there are a few groups hoping to obtain and preserve her. That process is on-going. I havent heard any updates on any of the LV forums in a few years now..but I know a few groups are hoping to save her.
(anyone have any updates??)
meanwhile, she still sits in Tennessee.

 UPDATE!
I began this page in 2005..at that time, LV 112 was still sitting in Tennesee..
she is now, in 2010, preserved and saved! :)

LV 112 was purchased by Scott K. of Pennsy Railcar.
and in early 2010 she was moved from her long-time resting place in Tennesee, to her new home in New Jersey..she is going to be restored and repainted into her as-built scheme! and will eventually operate with the Black River & Western RR in Ringoes NJ.

click here for the full story! :)
thanks Scott, this is great!

Another 2010 update..concerning the photos on this page..
back in 2005 I was using imageshack for some image hosting..
from 2007 through early 2010 virtually all the photos on this page looked like this:

Makes for a pretty useless webpage! :(
when no one can see any of your photos..
and..btw..that error message is wrong..there was no "violation of terms" or "user request"..all that happened is that imageshack just began deleting images..it began after about a year, and got progressively worse..

so then I switched to photobucket..which was better, but still had some hassles..
so finally I wised-up and stopped using the free hosts..(you know the old saying.."you get what you pay for"! ;)  when you pay nothing, you get nothing..)

So now im using smugmug:  http://www.smugmug.com/
yes, there is a cost..but its very cheap, and IMO it's SO worth it..
(if you want to sign up, use my email address for a discount! :)
use: scotlawrence at gmail dot com

So now with my excellent webpage hosting at www.mylargescale.com
plus some extra image hosting at smugmug, I think I have a winning combination
for all my webpages..

so know this page is finally fixed..sorry for the inconvience when all the photo links were dead..

On to page 2, consruction of the model begins.