| This photo appears to have been taken in an unidentified Reading yard shortly after the 1953 Fairbanks-Morse unit was delievered to the Reading Co. Interesting, Wikipedia states "Touted by Fairbanks-Morse as "...the most useful locomotive ever built..." upon its introduction in 1953, the 2,400 horsepower (1.8 MW) H-24-66 Train Master was the most powerful single-engine diesel locomotive available, legendary for its pulling power and rapid acceleration. While some railroads saw advantages in the Train Master's greater power, the perception on the part of others that the unit had too much horsepower (coupled with the difficulties inherent in maintaining the opposed-piston engine, inadequacies in the electrical system, and a higher-than-normal consumption of cooling water) contributed to poor marketplace acceptance of the Train Masters." This unit was the first of 17 built for the Reading. No photographer listed and the date is approximate. |