LIRR Fairbanks Morse H16-44 Engine Roster page

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirrFM ... H16-44.htm

FM H15-44 demonstrator #1503 and LIRR train at Bethpage, NY - 5/14/50 Photo: George E. Votava, Archive: Dave Keller

Work in progress

The locomotive shown, No. 1503, was known among LIRR fans as "an odd one." As a demonstrator, it was actually a 1500hp H-15-44. After it was sold to the LIRR, the railroad tweaked the engine to bring it up to 1600hp.

As you can see from the photo, it looked a little different from the eight H-16-44s which arrived later. It had single large headlights, cosmetic skirting around the fuel tank, and it rode on AAR Type B trucks, just like Alco diesels. The rest of the fleet rode on F-M trucks. This unit did not have MU capability. The others had WABCO pneumatic throttles and air MU. This one had lower-speed gearing and was mostly used in freight service, although it had a steam generator and sometimes hauled passenger trains.

keyboardkat wrote:The locomotive shown, No. 1503, was known among LIRR fans as "an odd one." As a demonstrator, it was actually a 1500hp H-15-44. After it was sold to the LIRR, the railroad tweaked the engine to bring it up to 1600hp. As you can see from the photo, it looked a little different from the eight H-16-44s which arrived later. It had single large headlights, cosmetic skirting around the fuel tank, and it rode on AAR Type B trucks, just like Alco diesels. The rest of the fleet rode on F-M trucks. This unit did not have MU capability. The others had WABCO pneumatic throttles and air MU. This one had lower-speed gearing and was mostly used in freight service, although it had a steam generator and sometimes hauled passenger trains.

Keyboardkat, thanks for pointing this out to folks. FM H15-44 #1503, built 2/1949 as an FM demonstrator as the photo title indicated, and prime mover upgraded. I added the other unit photos and and a paint scheme change info paragraph.

LIRR #1503 H15-44 Demonstrator Cab Bethpage 05/14/50 (Votava-Keller)


LIRR #1503 H16-44 Morris Park Shops 1953 ARchive: Dave Keller Rebuilt by LIRR to 1600HP and classed with the rest of the H16-44s

I'd love to see more about the F-Ms. The H-16-44s were real workhorses on the railroad. The C-Liners tended to break down a bit more often, but the railroad liked them because they made good time. The LIRR was one of very few railroads to rely on F-M locomotives, as well as Alcos for its service. The railroad had tested an EMD GP-7 demonstrator, but for some reason never bought any EMD products until the end of the Alco era in the mid '70s, with the arrival of the GP-38s and MP-15s.
I was really sad when F-M left the business and the LIRR retired its F-M fleet. I was 18 years old then, but I'm glad I was around to see and hear the F-Ms. I was even given a cab ride in an H-16-44 between Oyster Bay and Albertson by Engineer Buddy Emblar.
I understand that the big F-M Trainmasters of 1953-'54 (2400hp, six axles) demonstrated on the LIRR, but apparently the railroad didn't see a need for more locomotives at that time.

keyboardkat wrote:I'd love to see more about the F-Ms. The H-16-44s were real workhorses on the railroad....
I understand that the big F-M Trainmasters of 1953-'54 (2400hp, six axles) demonstrated on the LIRR, but apparently the railroad didn't see a need for more locomotives at that time.

Folks, wasn't the Trainmaster declined due to its acceleration/braking which didn't fit in with LIRR commuter ops?

Here's #1504 to complete the roster:
LIRR #1504 FM H16-44 Oyster Bay turntable 1957 Archive: Dave Keller Sure a nice shot!

I don't know the answer to that question. The railroad already had 8 2000hp C-liners and four 2400hp C-liners, and they could take off like a rocket with heavy trains. The Trainmaster would have given better footing on the hills on, say, the PJ branch. But it costs more to maintain six traction motors than four. Was it that with the same power divided among six motors, the acceleration wasn't fast enough? And braking, I don't know about that, either. The Southern Pacific, the Central of NJ, and the DL&W all used Trainmasters in commuter service. And the Trainmaster offered standard MU capability and bi-directional visibility, which the C-Liners did not.
Oh, well...

nyandw wrote: Folks, wasn't the Trainmaster declined due to its acceleration/braking which didn't fit in with LIRR commuter ops?

Per Keyboard Kat's mention of SP's trainmasters in commuter service, the story goes that the Trainmaster was the only thing that had the guts to keep schedule on SP commuter trains. The GP9's just couldn't do it. Once the SDP45 came along they could manage. How much do I believe this? Not sure, because Caltrain runs F40's all day...

Another feature that the Demo 1503 which was removed when delivered to the LIRR was dynamic brakes. On the demo you can see the screened opening for the dynamic brakes, while on the LIRR 1503 the screen is plated over.

Stuart

That seemed to be F-M's style, to put the dynamic brake resistors right in front of (or behind, if the short hood is the front) the cab. In the C-line cab units, optional dynamic brake equipment was located right behind the cab. In fact, a customer could add dynamic brakes later, because the space for it was there. F-M actually had a neat idea with the C-Liners - the same carbody, choice of three different horsepower-rated engines, 1600, 2000 and 2400, flexibility about dynamic braking being factory installed, or added later; flexibility to add a steam generator and three-axle A1A rear truck at a later date - it's too bad that the timing was wrong. The C-Liner was introduced just as the road-switcher concept was becoming dominant. LIRR, as far as I know, never had problems maintaining the OP engines, although other railroads complained loudly about them.
These H-16-44s were real workhorses - they served in both freight and passenger service. The railroad used them to haul heavy rush-hour trains on the hilly, curvy OB branch; 11 and 12-car trains that would have rated a larger locomotive on the PJ branch. Unlike other roads like the NYC, the LIRR tended not to double-head locomotives on trains of over 9 cars or so. The H-16-44s could handle the job, and did it well.