Fairbanks-Morse H12-44

[Anonymous]

I recently bought my first brass loco--a Perfect Scale Models FM H12-44 switcher. Originally I was going to paint it for the Milwaukee Road, but the model has what seems to be the later carbody, with no roof overhang, no curved molding along the battery box, and sill-mounted stanchions and handrails rather than body-mounted ones. Just about every picture I can find of Milwaukee Road switchers is of the early style. For what roads is this late-style model accurate?

Gary

[Anonymous]

Gary--

The H12-44 had at least 4 different body styles. It's been a while since I last saw one of the Perfect Scale copies, and I can't recall if it represents the last (1956-61) or second-to-last (1953-56) body style. Photos and descriptions can be found at pages FM 328 to FM 330 of "The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide", published by Kalmbach.

Milwaukee Road had 16 H12-44s with the squared-off 1953-56 body style, Nos. 700-710 (former 2315-2325) and 740-744 (former 2310-2314). None of these units had sill-mounted stantions and handrails.

A great source of prototype locomotive photos is the Fallen Flags site: www.rr-fallenflags.org. You might want to compare your model to photos of the MILW units listed above, to NKP Nos. 139-145 and to SP Nos. 2373-2394. The NKP and SP units had the last carbody style, and had sill-mounted handrails.

--John

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much, John, for your answer. The Fallen Flags site is terrific! After looking at the photos, I'd have to say the PSM H12-44 is closest to the SP units, as it has grabirons on the nose. I might go NKP instead (I model the Midwest), but I'm half-tempted to paint it for the Milwaukee Road anyway.

[Anonymous]

Go for what you like. Nice thing about brass is that if you tire of a paint job you can always strip and repaint the model.