SWeep 7104 Switching

Two or three weeks ago, I was emailing with Brian, telling him that I couldn't decide whether or not to "pre-order" one of the new Rapido SWeep engines or not.  I can't decide.

They look really, really nice of course, but the price has got me asking if I really want to spend that much.  Maybe I should or could sell a few things to offset the cost.  But also the other thing that bothers me is, do I really need another engine ?

I have a SWeep that I kitbashed about 20 years ago.  It's nice, built from an Athearn switcher and the long hood from an Athearn GP 9.  It runs quite well, plus I had the lighting upgraded just a few years ago.

And George over at the White River Division, has posted about the SWeeps, with lots of great prototype photos from both Peter Mumby and Keith MacCauley, twice this week as well.  Here's links to those posts:

https://whiteriverdivision.blogspot.com/2026/10/cn-sweeps.html

https://whiteriverdivision.blogspot.com/2026/10/throwback-thursday-canadian-national.html

Around the same time as I was emailing with Brian (he thinks that I should get one of the Rapido ones) I brought out my SWeep, CN 7104 and put it to work doing a little switching on the layout here.

So here's a few looks at some of that:7104 with a pair of empty RailGons

The view from beneath the overpass

Outside the gate looking in at the Ferrous Metals & Trading recycling yard

Made it through the gate and into the property.

This is the first time I've run this engine this far into this spur since I lengthened the scrap yard and it's spur last spring.  I wanted to see if the SWeep would have any problems in here (which it did not), so that's why I ran it in without the two gondolas.

Almost the same picture, I know, but here we've hooked onto the loaded GT gondola.

A nice look at the GT gondola passing by as 7104 is pulling it out of the scrap yard

7104 about 200 feet away as it shoves in that pair of RailGons for loading.

Happy Hallowe'en out there.