Fairbanks-Morse "Super Trainmaster"

[railfan1950]

I was wondering if anyone knows of an HO scale layout or club

that featured a fictional FM Trainmaster on the Santa Fe?  I discovered

their web site by chance while doing an internet search on FM locomotives some

time ago. I found a reference to http://home.comcast.net/~j.sing/tm-1.html

which now seems to be defunct. It was a fascinating concept about a locomotive

which was apparently fictional.  Thanks!

railfan1950

[cuyama]

That was John Sing's compact N scale layout, long since dismantled when he relocated. The locomotive was entirely fictional.

The photos below don't reflect the improvements in scenery John made over the years. An internet search for "John Sing N scale" will return many references:

[dknelson]

[Edited post - I stand corrected, quite rightly.  FM produced the Train Master.  A trainmaster is a person holding a particular railroad job with a particular title.  My mistake.  I have changed my posting below accordingly.  DN]

Intriguing because Fairbanks Morse had reportedly done some design work and planning for something very like a "super Train Master" before they decided to exit the locomotive market.  Supposedly someone who worked for F-M "saved" the plans before retiring and I have talked to guys who claim to have seen them.  But of course that is how rumors start (or end). 

When I toured the F-M factory a couple of years ago (part of a Chicago & North Western Historical Society meet in Beloit WI) it is evident they remain aware, and proud, of their railroad heritage.  And it's interesting that they bought the rights to make Alco 251 engines (not locomotives, engines) and still offer them for marine purposes.  So in a sense, Alco lives, in Beloit WI.

In their visitor center (the only place where photos were allowed) they have cut away versions of both the F-M opposed piston and the Alco 251 showing how they work.  Lots of railroad photos on the walls, and the old factory buildings themselves are fascinating. 

Dave Nelson

[DrW]

You can actually still see John Sing and his N scale Trainmaster on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSv5MAlsxBg

JW

[oldline1]

Since the referenced link about the Super Train Master doesn't work and you have given us a tid bit about the engine.............can you or someone give us some information about the engine? Having ridden TM's on the Virginian Ry back in the 1950's I can attest to them being awesome locomotives and wonder what would have improved them to elevate to "super" status?

Thanks,

Roger Huber

Deer Creek Locomotive Works

[doctorwayne]

railfan1950

...a fictional FM Trainmaster on the Santa Fe...

I'm guessing that the reason it was "fictional" is only because the Santa Fe never owned any Trainmasters.

The reference to a "Super Trainmaster" in the thread title is somewhat confusing to me, as it's not mentioned until Dave Nelson's post on a proposed prototype of such a beast.

After watching the video in DrW's link, and not being at all familiar with the capabilities of N scale locomotives, I'm wondering if a locomotive pulling 18 cars would be considered "super".

Wayne 

[BRAKIE]

cuyama

That was John Sing's compact N scale layout, long since dismantled when he relocated.

And that was a very nice layout for its size it was one of my favorite small  N Scale layouts since it wasn't over tracked like the majority of  similar size  layouts..

I'm sadden to hear its in the history books.

[SouthPenn]

Here is another fictional Trainmaster...a 'B' unit.

[jjdamnit]

Hello all,

Great build!

I love "B" units, to the extent that I have modeled a GP30-B!!

Hope this helps.

[oldline1]

I have to agree! Love "B" units. I made a Hustler "B", GP-30B and a BL-2B many years ago. I just may have to get a TM "B" too!

I'd still like to know what a Super TM would have been.

Roger Huber

Deer Creek Locomotive Works

 

[railfan1950]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post. I appreciate the correct information on Mr. Sing's layout along with the technical info. railfan1950

["JaBear"]

oldline1

I'd still like to know what a Super TM would have been.

Gidday Roger, this is an abbreviated version of what I’ve found from scratching around the internet, unfortunately some of the links that appeared more promising have disappeared into the ether.

 

Here’s an imagined drawing of a H-33-66 Super Trainmaster that looks like the one in DrW s video link.

 

http://paintshop.railfan.net/images/mosley/H-33-66.html

 

However, there is one reference, though somewhat contradictory, that suggests, in one Fairbanks Morse sourced drawing, (which Dave N  refers too) that they were to look something like an Alco RSD15 “Alligator”, while in the second drawing, a pug nose, something like the GE U boats.

 

 Apparently the fictionalised Super Trainmaster was powered by a 20 cylinder engine producing either 3500 or 3600 horsepower.

 

In the real world, it is not uncommon to add extra cylinders to gain more power but the additional length of the crankshaft going from 12 to 20 cylinders would have been likely to create some interesting engineering and operating problems.

 

I also gather that the electrical generation systems of the time would have created their own problems coping with that sort of horsepower.

 

I also read that after Fairbanks Morse stopped their locomotive production, they did indeed produce a 3600 horsepower version of their engine, for stationery purposes, by using turbocharging.

Cheers, the Bear.

[M636C]

Many people overlook the fact that many Fairbanks Morse 38D8-1/8 engines were built in Russia, after a US Coast Guard Icebreaking ship, fitted with four such engines, was loaned to the Soviet Union during WWII. The story goes that the ship actually ran with three engines while in Russian hands while the fourth engine was away being copied.

I suspect that many more FM opposed piston engines were built in Russia and the Ukraine than in Wisconsin. One class of locomotive, the 2TE-10 (two units with turbocharged ten cylinder engines) numbered around 7300 locomotives, so 14600 units, more than any single EMD type.

So the Russians had plenty of Super Trainmasters, even if they didn't look much like the US version.

The loco can be found at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TE10

A large scale cutaway model of the FM OP, at least the Ukrainian version, appears at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malyshev_Factory

Scroll down to see the cutaway OP engine. Only the crank handle shows that it isn't full size.

Peter

[SSW9389]

A Trainmaster is a railroad official. A Train Master is a Fairbanks Morse locomotive.