F-M's Train Master Series
Peter Arnold Photo • Doug Harrop Collection • June 1, 1974
By June of 1974, the service life of Southern Pacific's Fairbanks-Morse H-24-66 "Train Master" locomotives was winding down. In this fine roster shot, 3021 is missing a few parts when photographed in SP's San Jose, California yard.
SP rostered 16 of the beasts, and two of them were demonstrators. Dressed in "Black Widow" paint and delivered in 1953, the Fairbanks-Morse H-24-66, dubbed the "Train Master", was known for its substantial car body. At 2,400 hp, it was the highest-horsepower road switcher on the market when introduced.
While initially praised for its high power output, the complex opposed-piston engine and other design features led to maintenance challenges, ultimately impacting its overall acceptance and the eventual departure of FM from the locomotive industry.
Southern Pacific utilized them for heavy freight and passenger service. In their final years, they could be found pulling commuter rail trains up and down the peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, California.
F-M's Train Master Series
Peter Arnold Photo • Doug Harrop Collection • June 1, 1974
By June of 1974, the service life of Southern Pacific's Fairbanks-Morse H-24-66 "Train Master" locomotives was winding down. In this fine roster shot, 3021 is missing a few parts when photographed in SP's San Jose, California yard.
SP rostered 16 of the beasts, and two of them were demonstrators. Dressed in "Black Widow" paint and delivered in 1953, the Fairbanks-Morse H-24-66, dubbed the "Train Master", was known for its substantial car body. At 2,400 hp, it was the highest-horsepower road switcher on the market when introduced.
While initially praised for its high power output, the complex opposed-piston engine and other design features led to maintenance challenges, ultimately impacting its overall acceptance and the eventual departure of FM from the locomotive industry.
Southern Pacific utilized them for heavy freight and passenger service. In their final years, they could be found pulling commuter rail trains up and down the peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, California.