FM H-12-44
Encyclopedia
The FM H-12-44 was a yard
switcher
produced by Fairbanks-Morse
from May, 1950–March, 1961. The units featured a 1200 hp, six-cylinder opposed piston engine
prime mover
, and were configured in a B-B wheel arrangement mounted atop a pair of two-axle AAR
Type-A switcher trucks
, with all axles powered and geared for a top speed of 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h).
303 were built for American
railroads, 30 were manufactured in from August, 1951–June, 1956 by the Canadian Locomotive Company
for use in Canada
, and 1 unit was exported to Mexico
. Initially, H-12-44s were visually indistinguishable from their predecessor model, the FM H-10-44
. However, beginning in September, 1952 the Raymond Loewy
design elements were removed as a cost-saving measure: cab lines were squared-off, the slanted-nose styling was discontinued, and the roof visor
was eliminated. The following year, the fairing
over the battery box was removed and louvers added to reduce the possibility of battery explosions. None of the units was produced between May and October 1956, after which time the carbodies were shortened by some three feet and outfitted with a deeper side skirt.
Sixteen intact examples of the H-12-44 are known to survive today, all of which are owned by railroad museums or historical societies.
Classification yard
A classification yard or marshalling yard is a railroad yard found at some freight train stations, used to separate railroad cars on to one of several tracks. First the cars are taken to a track, sometimes called a lead or a drill...
switcher
Switcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
produced by Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks Morse and Company was a manufacturing company in the late 19th and early 20th century. Originally a weighing scale manufacturer, it later diversified into pumps, engines, windmills, locomotives and industrial supplies until it was merged in 1958...
from May, 1950–March, 1961. The units featured a 1200 hp, six-cylinder opposed piston engine
Opposed piston engine
An opposed-piston engine is a reciprocating internal combustion engine in which each cylinder has a piston at both ends, and no cylinder head.-Configurations:...
prime mover
Prime mover (locomotive)
In engineering, a prime mover is an engine that converts fuel to useful work. In locomotives, the prime mover is thus the source of power for its propulsion. The term is generally used when discussing any locomotive powered by an internal combustion engine...
, and were configured in a B-B wheel arrangement mounted atop a pair of two-axle AAR
Association of American Railroads
The Association of American Railroads is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freight railroads of North America . Amtrak and some regional commuter railroads are also members...
Type-A switcher trucks
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
, with all axles powered and geared for a top speed of 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h).
303 were built for American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
railroads, 30 were manufactured in from August, 1951–June, 1956 by the Canadian Locomotive Company
Canadian Locomotive Company
The Canadian Locomotive Company, commonly referred to as CLC, was a Canadian manufacturer of railway locomotives located in Kingston, Ontario. Its works were located on Ontario Street and Gore Street on Kingston's waterfront....
for use in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and 1 unit was exported to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Initially, H-12-44s were visually indistinguishable from their predecessor model, the FM H-10-44
FM H-10-44
The FM H-10-44 was a yard switcher produced by Fairbanks-Morse from August, 1944–March, 1950. The units featured a , six-cylinder opposed piston engine prime mover, and were configured in a B-B wheel arrangement mounted atop a pair of two-axle AAR Type-A switcher trucks, with all axles powered...
. However, beginning in September, 1952 the Raymond Loewy
Raymond Loewy
Raymond Loewy was an industrial designer, and the first to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine, on October 31, 1949. Born in France, he spent most of his professional career in the United States...
design elements were removed as a cost-saving measure: cab lines were squared-off, the slanted-nose styling was discontinued, and the roof visor
Visor
A visor is a surface that protects the eyes, such as shading them from the sun or other bright light or protecting them from objects....
was eliminated. The following year, the fairing
Fairing
A fairing is a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline and reduce drag.These structures are covers for gaps and spaces between parts of an aircraft to reduce form drag and interference drag, and to improve appearance.-Types:...
over the battery box was removed and louvers added to reduce the possibility of battery explosions. None of the units was produced between May and October 1956, after which time the carbodies were shortened by some three feet and outfitted with a deeper side skirt.
Sixteen intact examples of the H-12-44 are known to survive today, all of which are owned by railroad museums or historical societies.
Units produced by Fairbanks-Morse (1950–1961)
| Railroad | Quantity | Road numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-Morse Fairbanks-Morse Fairbanks Morse and Company was a manufacturing company in the late 19th and early 20th century. Originally a weighing scale manufacturer, it later diversified into pumps, engines, windmills, locomotives and industrial supplies until it was merged in 1958... (demonstrator) |
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to Yankeetown Dock Corporation 1 |
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859... |
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| Ayrshire Collieries Corporation | |
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to Thunderbird Collieries 1; to Yankeetown Dock 3 |
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which... |
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310–319 renumbered 9710–9719, 196–197 renumbered 9720–9721 |
| Canadian National Railway Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad".... |
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built by Canadian Locomotive Company Canadian Locomotive Company The Canadian Locomotive Company, commonly referred to as CLC, was a Canadian manufacturer of railway locomotives located in Kingston, Ontario. Its works were located on Ontario Street and Gore Street on Kingston's waterfront.... |
| Central of Georgia Railway | |
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| Chicago and North Western Railway Chicago and North Western Railway The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s... |
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| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names... (“Milwaukee Road”) |
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Renumbered 700–710, 715–744, 750–756 (not in order) |
| Columbia and Cowlitz Railway Columbia and Cowlitz Railway The Columbia and Cowlitz Railway , is a wholly owned subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Company, and is headquartered in Longview, Washington; the railroad serves an route from the Weyerhaeuser Company mill in Longview to the junction just outside the city limits of Kelso... |
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Renumbered #700) |
| Ferrocarril de Chihuahua al Pacífico | |
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| Indianapolis Union Railway Indianapolis Union Railway The Indianapolis Union Railway Company , is a terminal railroad operating in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was organized on May 31, 1850, as the Union Track Railway Company by the presidents of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company , the Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad Company , and the... |
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| Kentucky and Indiana Terminal Railroad | |
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| Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad was a Class I railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the Midwest U.S. Commonly known as the Soo Line after the phonetic spelling of Sault, it was merged with several other major CP subsidiaries on January 1, 1961 to form the... (“Soo Line”) |
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| Minnesota Western Railway | |
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to Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway The Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway was an long American short line railroad connecting Minneapolis and Northfield, Minnesota. It was incorporated in 1918 to take over the trackage of the former Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester and Dubuque Electric Traction Company, also known as... 10 |
| New York Central Railroad New York Central Railroad The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States... |
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| New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad , abbreviated NYC&St.L, was a railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. Commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, the railroad served a large area, including trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois... (“Nickel Plate Road”) |
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to Norfolk and Western Railway Norfolk and Western Railway The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence.... 2134–2155 |
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| Pennsylvania Railroad Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.... |
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to Penn Central 8327–8342 |
| Sandersville Railroad Sandersville Railroad The Sandersville Railroad was originally operated from Tennille, Georgia, to Sandersville, Georgia and chartered in 1893 as a subsidiary of the Central of Georgia Railroad.... |
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Renumbered 10 |
| St. Louis-San Francisco Railway St. Louis-San Francisco Railway The St. Louis – San Francisco Railway , also known as the Frisco, was a railroad that operated in the Midwest and South Central U.S. from 1876 to 1980.-History:... (“Frisco”) |
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| Southern Pacific Company | |
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| Southern Pacific (Texas and New Orleans Railroad Texas and New Orleans Railroad The Texas and New Orleans Railroad is a former railroad in Texas and Louisiana. At one point the company was the largest railroad in Texas, with of trackage in 1934, but by 1961 there were only remaining when it was merged with parent company Southern Pacific.... ) |
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to Southern Pacific 1575–1576; renumbered 2373–2374 |
| Tennessee Valley Authority Tennessee Valley Authority The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected... |
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| United States Army United States Army The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services... |
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| U.S. Steel U.S. Steel The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales... , Morrisville, Pennsylvania |
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| Wabash Railroad Wabash Railroad The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,... |
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to Norfolk and Western 3384–3386 |
| White River Lumber Company (Weyerhaeuser Timber Company Weyerhaeuser Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber... ) |
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to Pacific Transportation Services 121 then transferred to Northwest Railway Museum where it is preserved in running condition | |
| Yankeetown Dock Corporation | |
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| Total | 336 | ||
Preservation
Several examples of the H-12-44 model have been preserved around the US and Canada.- US Army # 1843 is a part of the collection at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad MuseumRochester & Genesee Valley Railroad MuseumThe Rochester and Genesee Valley Railroad Museum is an operating railroad museum located in Industry, New York. The museum started in 1971 with the leasing of a former Erie Railroad Depot from the Erie Lackawanna Railroad...
in Rush, NY (south of Rochester, NY). It is in operable condition and is a key locomotive at the RGVRRM.
- US Army #s 1850, 1853, and 1861 are stored out of service at the Heart of Dixie Railroad MuseumHeart of Dixie Railroad MuseumThe Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum is the official state railroad museum of Alabama. Dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and operation of historically significant railway equipment, the museum is located at 1919 Ninth Street, Calera, Alabama, on I-65 approximately south of Birmingham.The...
in Calera, AlabamaCalera, AlabamaCalera is a city in Chilton and Shelby counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is the location of Birmingham's Shelby County Airport. Its population was 3,158 at the 2000 census, but as of 2010 the population had nearly quadrupled to 11,620 making it the fastest growing city in...
.
- Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, #1 is preserved at the Northwest Railway MuseumNorthwest Railway MuseumThe Northwest Railway Museum is a railroad museum in Snoqualmie, King County, Washington.-Snoqualmie Depot:The museum owns the Snoqualmie Depot built in 1890, of railroad right-of-way, and of the former Northern Pacific Railway North Bend branch...
in Snoqualmie,Washington. While still being occasionally run after undergoing a full rebuild and engine overhaul. The locomotive is now ran for special events with its partner caboose White River Logging Company number 001 but is not run for regular service.
- Former U. S. Army 1857 is preserved at the Western Pacific Railroad MuseumWestern Pacific Railroad MuseumThe Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California, formerly known as the Portola Railroad Museum before , is a heritage railroad that preserves and operates historic American railroad equipment. The museum's mission is to preserve the history of the Western Pacific Railroad and is...
at Portola, CA. It was used at the Sierra Army DepotSierra Army DepotSierra Army Depot is a United States Army post located near the unincorporated city of Herlong, California northwest of Reno, NV and southeast of Susanville, CA. Sierra Army Depot is in the highest desert plain east of the Sierra Nevada mountains at an elevation of . The high desert plain is only...
at Herlong, CA, located along the former Western Pacific RailroadWestern Pacific RailroadThe Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
.
- former US Army unit #1860, worked at Sunny Point Military Ocean Terminal. It later went to Beaufort & Morehead Railroad in North Carolina as #1860, based at the Morehead City State Ports. The North Carolina Transportation MuseumNorth Carolina Transportation MuseumThe North Carolina Transportation Museum is a transport museum in Spencer, North Carolina.The museum is largely devoted to the state's railroad history, however its collection also includes exhibits of automobiles and aircraft....
acquired the locomotive in 2004 after disposition from the State Ports.
- Former U.S. Army 1847 is preserved at the Golden Gate Railroad MuseumGolden Gate Railroad MuseumThe Golden Gate Railroad Museum is a non-profit railroad museum in California that is dedicated to the preservation of steam and passenger railroad equipment, as well as the interpretation of local railroad history....
in Sunol, CA. It is currently operational and has been painted in "Tiger Stripe" scheme to represent Southern Pacific #1487.
- Former U.S. Army 1849 is preserved for static display at the Bluegrass Railroad Museum in Versailles, KentuckyVersailles, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35%...
- Former U.S. Steel 9121 is preserved by the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey. Restoration is underway at SMS Railroad in Bridgeport, New JerseyBridgeport, New JerseyBridgeport is an unincorporated area within Logan Township, located in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08014....