New York Central Train Layout: FM, No Static At All

Greetings Blog Followers,

Today's Blog title, FM, no static at all, is borrowed from the lyrics of the Steely Dan classic song FM. For our purposes the FM stands for Fairbanks Morse, a diesel locomotive builder from 1939 to 1963. The last US locomotive was sold in 1958. The company is still in business today and continues making diesel engines for ships among other things..

On the New York Central Train Layout passenger service was temporarily suspended due to snow and ice covering much of the country. Mail and Express trains were the first to roll on the layout powered by Fairbanks Morse (FM) H16-44s Four major railroads passed through Empire City Station.

The NYCTL fleet of H-16 44s are all from the Bachmann Spectrum line. The New York Central units were custom painted. The NH, PRR and B&O are factory painted. The units have proven themselves to be quite rugged with the NH, PRR and B&O units entering 20 years of faithful service. The NYC units have about 5 years of service.

B&O #926 and #927 pose at Empire City Station. The B&O operated their H16-44s long hood forward.

B&O and New Haven Fairbanks Morse H16-44s idle side by side. NH ran their H16-44s short hood forward. A NYC train sits on track #3

Some of the variety of Mail and Express cars seen at Empire City Station. Each M&E train has at least one track cleaning car

B&O, NYC, NH/PC and PRR trains at Empire City Station.

A B&O Hi-Cube 40' box on the rear of the B&O train. Two REA trailers on flatcar (TOFC) on rear of NH/PC train. Custom painted NYC H16-44s on point of NYC train. PRR M&E cars pulling out of station.