<kuid:58843:193> TM_EL

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In April of 1953, Fairbanks-Morse release the H24-66 Trainmaster, described by FM as 'The most useful locomotive ever built'. It featured a 12 cylinder, 2 cycle, 2400 HP Opposed-Piston engine (2 pistons per cylinder). It could carry 1800 gallons of fuel in its main tank, and had two additional tanks, one 1000 gallons, the other 1400 gallons, which could be used for fuel or for train heating water on steam generator equipped units. It had 4 sandboxes, holding 24 cubic feet of sand each. These represented increases of between 50 and 200 percent the capabilities of other road switchers of the era. It could produce enough steam to heat 15 passenger cars in 0 degree weather. Due to its single-equalized, six wheel trucks, it could deliver 32% of its total weight in tractive effort. All together 107 units were produced, purchased by 10 different railroads. The units were exceptionally large for the era, measuring 66 feet long and 15 feet high, with a distinctive sound produced by their opposed-piston engines. Shortly after production, FM ceased production of locomotives. Today the only surviving Trainmaster can be found in Canadian Rail Museum in Toronto.
Though purchase as 'dual use' engines, on the DL&W these units were mainly used in passenger service. They had very high rate of acceleration as compared to EMD locomotives. They were setup to run long hood forward which filled the cab with diesel fumes when in operation. The acceleration was better than the RS-3s that they normally operated. Throttle response was excellent. These locomotives were using in ore service in Cleveland near the end of their lives on the EL. In this service they ran in set of three moving 65 cars of ore from the Erie dock to North Randell. Many times these 65 cars sets would be joined together at North Randell and moved to Youngstown.
Units numbered from 1850-1861 (originally 850-861 on the Lackawanna)