On Track, with Deano

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Gus, those "monsters" are two FM demonstrators that roll through the RVS from time to time, though TM4 is currently touring my dads layout:winki: .

i have had BOTH those FM demonstrators for awhile now. TM4(the red engine) is an H24-66 TRAIN MASTER. In real life, TM4 was one of four FM H24-66 demonstrators. TM3-TM4 was originally sent out to UP, but UP passed them on to SP, and SP bought them on 12/53, and used both of them for passenger service for some time. TM4 was SP #4801, then renumbered to #3021 and used for freight service.

the two tone green FM demonstrator, #1500, is an H15-44. IN REAL LIFE, FM demonstrator #1500 was sent out to Jersey Central, and bought by Jersey Central on 3/48.

...And that concludes todays history lesson folks:thumb::mrgreen: .
:deano: -Deano
FM_TM4.JPG

FM_H15-44.JPG
 

cnw1961

Member
These two are really nice looking engines. I especially like the Trainmaster. Deano, was your engine made by Atlas (the only Trainmaster I know :eek:ops:)?
 

steamhead

Active Member
Thanks for the info....Is #1500 what they called the "Baby Trainmaster"..?
There's sumpin' about those early diesels....
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Matt & Kurt, THANK YOU GUYS!:mrgreen:

These two are really nice looking engines. I especially like the Trainmaster. Deano, was your engine made by Atlas (the only Trainmaster I know :eek:ops:)?
Kurt, the FM demonstrator TM4 Trainmaster IS an Atlas engine, though Athearn made them too, i have an Athearn Trainmaster in CNW colors...see pic below:winki: .

Thanks for the info....Is #1500 what they called the "Baby Trainmaster"..?
There's sumpin' about those early diesels....
Gus, no, #1500 is not what they call the "baby Trainmaster".
FM did make three different H16- models, one of them was a Lowey design and looks exactly like the #1500 i have pictured in the above posts. the other two looked quite similar to the trainmaster body, one was an H16-44 and the other was an H16-66 and BOTH of those were called the "Baby Trainmaster", though REALLY, the ONLY TRUE BABY TRAINMASTER was the H16-66:winki: . i have in CNW colors an example of the NON-Lowey design H16-44(pictured below). the only way you could get a model of the REAL baby Trainmasters is to either scratch build them(i know a guy that has done a FANTASTIC JOB of doing that)OR to get one in brass.

Gus, i hope that helped:thumb: , and THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your interest:smilie: .

:deano: -Deano
H24-66 TrainMaster
FMH24-66.jpg


H16-44(BTW, this was painted and decaled by ME:mrgreen: )
CNWFMH16-44.jpg
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Fantastic Job Deano. Are they both good runners & how well do they handle the curves?
THANKS MATT!:smilie:
how do they run?, well...the Athearn CNW Trainmaster #1904 i turned into a dummy:eeki: , it handles curves well though, and 99% of the time when i run it, its the lead unit followed by CNW #4242, an Atlas RS-32:winki: (pic below).

The CNW H16-44 #1692 started out BRAND NEW as an undecorated Bachmann Spectrum, but right out of the box it was total junk:frowns: , the motor wouldn't run right, and the front truck was bent, so it derailed constantly:madd: . i took the shell and put it on a brand new P2K RS3, the spread between the trucks was the same, so it worked out. i also put the FM fuel tank on it, and wasn't worried about the Alco trucks, when FM got out of the Train engine business, many shops replaced worn out FM trucks with Alco trucks anyways.
after all that work, that engine runs FANTASTIC:thumb: .

THANKS for asking Matt:smilie: .

:deano: - Deano
CNW_RS32.JPG
 

CNWman

CNW Fan
Two can play at that game, Deano!:twisted:
First_Day_on_the_Job.jpg

This one's WAYYYYYYYYYY back when 4242 was the new kid on the block and my engine count was 2sign1


Anyways, those are some [DEANO-ISM]SLAP FANTASTIC:thumb:[/DEANO-ISM] FM's! If you get any more engines, you're gonna need an engine terminal/storage expansion to the Rock Valley sub!:eek::mrgreen:
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
...And that concludes todays history lesson folks
Well, almost.

TM-1, and TM-2 were sent east of the mississippi, TM3-, and TM-4 went west.
The Trainmaster was the largest locomotive to run on the Long Island Railroad, They didn't buy the Trainmaster, but they did purchase H-16-44's (Raymond Lowey design [your 1500], vice "baby Trainmaster [your 1692]).
I picked up a copy of TM-2, with sound. Setting the acceleration rate high, when the train starts up the prime mover is running full, and I can back off the prime mover sound as the train approaches speed.....nice effect!
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
CNWman, NICE ENGINE!:thumb:
BTW, i like your CNW hopper too:winki: .
AS far as getting more engines, i have had those for some time, and i really don't plan on getting anymore for awhile.

Gus & Jim, THANKS GUYS!:mrgreen:

Pete, i have the whole "tour" TM1 & TM2 went on, but i am having a hard time finding it:eek:ops: , HOWEVER, i do know that it was Wabash that was the original buyers of them, Wabash purchased them in February of 1954:winki: .

The Wabash numbers on them was: TM1 = #3598 and TM2 = #3599
Wabash liked the Trainmaster Demo's so much, they ordered 6 more of them:thumb: . Six of the eight Trainmasters the Wabash had came with the unusual(for FM) low front and rear step sills too, only the two Demonstrators they had came with the "usual" high front & rear step sills.


**Pictured below, another FM H15-44 "Lowey" body i have:mrgreen: .
deano1.gif
-Deano
h15-44aa.JPG
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
For Fm Fans Only...

Living here in the HOME TOWN of Fairbanks-Morse, i have acquired a multitude of FM stuff:winki: , but for any of you out there that are ALSO interested in FM's, i have three books that i would HIGHLY RECOMMEND you getting, if you are into FM's:thumb: . you can pick these up at various places online, or at train shows, etc.

These books are jam packed with facts & just about anything you could want to know about FM's, WELL WORTH the money:thumb: .
Just wanted to pass this on to ANY FM fans out there:mrgreen: .

deano1.gif
-Deano
FM_BOOKS.jpg
 

CNWman

CNW Fan
CNWman, NICE ENGINE!:thumb:
BTW, i like your CNW hopper too:winki: .
AS far as getting more engines, i have had those for some time, and i really don't plan on getting anymore for awhile.
Thanks! As you can probably tell, my photography skills SUCKED back then, but it's gotten alot better thankfully:mrgreen: BTW that CNW hopper is an Intermountain cylyndrical Covered hopper, can't remember the number.


**Pictured below, another FM H15-44 "Lowey" body i have:mrgreen: .
deano1.gif
-Deano
h15-44aa.JPG


What does "D.S." stand for on the fine looking enigine with ALCo trucks and hauling a CNW boxcar? Plus, are those two gray areas on the top and bottom different shades?
 

Chessie6459

Gauge Oldtimer
THANKS MATT!:smilie:
how do they run?, well...the Athearn CNW Trainmaster #1904 i turned into a dummy:eeki: , it handles curves well though, and 99% of the time when i run it, its the lead unit followed by CNW #4242, an Atlas RS-32:winki: (pic below).

The CNW H16-44 #1692 started out BRAND NEW as an undecorated Bachmann Spectrum, but right out of the box it was total junk:frowns: , the motor wouldn't run right, and the front truck was bent, so it derailed constantly:madd: . i took the shell and put it on a brand new P2K RS3, the spread between the trucks was the same, so it worked out. i also put the FM fuel tank on it, and wasn't worried about the Alco trucks, when FM got out of the Train engine business, many shops replaced worn out FM trucks with Alco trucks anyways.
after all that work, that engine runs FANTASTIC:thumb: .

THANKS for asking Matt:smilie: .

:deano: - Deano

Thank You for the information Deano.:wave: Those units look sharp and from I can see nicely detailed. :mrgreen:
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Trying to get it all to make sense...

Well Folks, seems i am running into a problem, and i need it to make sense in my mind for it to feel "right", I'm just funny like that:119: .

Sure UP is -BAR NONE- my FAVORITE road, but my problem is i have & like to many engines that UP didn't have, but other roads did. Sure, Big Ed, the crew Chief on the Rock Valley Sub likes other engines UP doesn't have, but being with UP, his hands are tied when it comes to foreign power.

with my upcoming NEW layout, in the very near future, i have to make sense of all my non-UP engines being there, the only way i can see being able to do this is to have UP interchange with a shortline/local road:winki: . this way, i think, in my mind at least, i can pull off having engines from "other roads" that were bought by the shortline, and just not painted yet, as the shortline is new and just starting out, THOUGH i do have two unpainted engines i could put in the NEW shortline colors, a Baldwin Shark and a BL-2:winki: .

i will still keep the layout era in the late 60's-late 70's, so it still would be still be plausible using the older units. i also plan on keeping the layout based in southern WI. Sure, UP never was here in WI till the CNW merger, but like ALL my previous layouts, its as if UP was ALWAYS here:119: .

Heres what i was thinking, in the "tales and lore" of the RVS, i have mentioned Big Eds brother in law, Fred, he was the head mechanic on the RVS:winki: , I'm thinking Fred, who happened to be a miser mind you, has left UP's RVS, and started a shortline that runs from Beloit to the Canadian border:thumb: . i am unsure of the shortlines name at this point, perhaps something like "Beloit, Rock Valley & Northern" or something to that effect.

AGAIN, the layout will be based on the UP, but doing this is the only way i can see having engines from roads other then UP on the layout. (i think it will make for some interesting future stories too:mrgreen: ).

ANY thoughts or different ideas, throw them at me, NO promises I'll use them:toug: , but i am open to ideas:thumb: .

**just a couple examples of the engines i am talking about are pictured below.

Till next time...Stay on track!
deano1.gif
-Deano
GBWRSD15.jpg

EGE61.jpg

FM_H10-44.JPG

CNW_F7.JPG
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Deano, your shortline or interchange road could have a used locomotive dealer on-line. Non-U.P. locos could be in-transit from their original owners, or outbound, under lease, to a new road.
Another thought could be an interchange that connects to a major railroad museum (I'm sure that you could think of an example). ;) This would even let you run steam, as your chosen time period predates a lot of the restrictions that later made mainline steam excursions rare.

Wayne
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Deano, your shortline or interchange road could have a used locomotive dealer on-line. Non-U.P. locos could be in-transit from their original owners, or outbound, under lease, to a new road.
Another thought could be an interchange that connects to a major railroad museum (I'm sure that you could think of an example). ;) This would even let you run steam, as your chosen time period predates a lot of the restrictions that later made mainline steam excursions rare.

Wayne

ALL are FANTASTIC ideas Wayne:bravo: , gives me much food for thought:thumb: . i really liked the Museum idea, i could do it kinda like the BEST place in the WORLD, THE IRM:thumb::mrgreen: , though doing that would be hard to justify local switching:confused: .

**just a side note, i thought about this on dads layout at one time, as he has a long track just for my "touring" locos, it looks like a Museum track, but he refers to that track as the..."DEADLINE":eeki: ...just to rib me:119: .

FANTASTIC ideas, ALL will be considered:thumb: .

deano1.gif
-Deano
 
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