Fairbanks Morse introduced their 1500 horsepower road switcher in 1947, contracting Raymond Loewy to design the carbody. The locomotives balanced a functional design with a little bit of style and flair. Befitting their style, many were equipped for passenger service, although most were quickly relegated to freights. After just a few years of production and some improvements in the prime mover, the locomotive was upgraded to 1600 horses. There were no major changes in the overall body of the locomotive between the H-15-44 and early H-16-44s, though the majority of the latter were built with FM's C-Liner style truck as opposed to AAR trucks on the original model. Over the years ahead, railroads would make modifications and smaller differences in screen and vent styles and locations appeared in both models. The most common change, during or after construction in later years included moving the safety railings from the hood body to the outside of the frame. It did little to help Loewy's look, but safety came first. Some railroads experimented with reengining the locomotives as well, but most were in scrap lines by the early 1960s. Based on our H-16-44, we have made some tooling and truck modifications to backdate our models. Why? Some of these paint schemes were just too good to resist! In these striking liveries, the H-15-44 will look great on the point of a small passenger or freight consist. Perfect power for smaller roads or just adding a touch of style to your fleet of "look-alike" GP7s, an H-15-44 will be a standout on any roster.
LEGACY® Control System equipped – able to run in LEGACY® Control mode, in TrainMaster® Command Control mode, or in Conventional mode with a standard transformer
Bluetooth® Control - Operate with Universal Remote or LionChief® App
Lionel Voice Control (LVC) - run your locomotive by speaking commands into your phone via LionChief® App
Odyssey® II Speed Control
IR Transmitter for SensorTrack™
Dual powerful maintenance-free motors with momentum flywheels
ElectorCoupler™ on front and rear
Traction tires
Refined Conventional Transformer Control mode with lower starting speeds
Fan-driven smoke unit
Adjustable smoke output
Directional lighting including LED headlights
Marker lights on front and rear
Illuminated number boards
Lighted cab interior
Die-cast trucks, pilot and fuel tank
Metal frame
High levels of separately applied metal details
Engineer and conductor figures
LEGACY® RailSounds® sound system featuring:
CrewTalk™ dialog with different scenarios depending on whether the locomotive is in motion or stoppe
TrainSounds that mimic realistic radio chatter when the locomotive is in motion or stopped
Six official railroad speeds with CrewTalk dialog
Eight diesel RPM levels
LEGACY® "Real-Time Quilling Horn" control with instant response for realistic signature "quilling" and correctly timed warning signals
5 different horns to choose from for a more customized experience
Single hit or continuous mechanical bell sounds
5 levels of bell pitching for customized sounds
Sequence Control: Plays the sound effects of an entire trip, including warning sounds and announcements, based on the movement and speed of the locomotive
Current speed and fuel dialog, refueling sound effects
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Rail Line: Kansas City
Road Number: 40
Gauge: O Gauge
Power: Electric
Engine Type: Diesel
Min Curve: O31
Dimensions: Length: 15"
Most Recent Catalog: 2022 C2