B&M Fairbanks-Morse/Talgo lightweight trainset Early '60's

[JCitron]

http://youtu.be/SWluNrJ5wPU

B&M Fairbanks-Morse/Talgo lightweight trainset Early '60's. I was too young to remember seeing it in action though, being born in 1961.

The B&M and the New Haven purchased these in 1957/58. The New Haven units were equipped with third-rail pick-up shoes for the Grand Central tunnels. The B&M unit did not of course. The units ended up in commuter service shortly after purchase even though they were meant for long haul.

The engines disappeared long before the coaches. There used to be a few of them left in the old B&M yard near North Station way up until the 1970s. Today the whole trainset is scrapped.

The coaches were permanently connected, which probably meant they had quite a maintenance issue.

The train set did look nice though.

 

[jacksonbarno]

I love the look of the locomotives. They could have had a better livery though... I've never been a fan of the McGinnis schemes.

 

[JCitron]

I agree. The paint job was a bit weird. I suppose the B&M was trying to reinvent its self with new equipment and a new paint job. I never saw these in operation, although they ran when I was very young. I was probably asleep in the baby carriage.

John

 

[jacksonbarno]

I wonder if there is an HO scale model of it anywhere. It would be nice to have.

 

[JCitron]

I've never seen any, but I suppose one could be kitbashed together. The engines, from what I've read, were FBM standard hood units. The coaches might be a pain though.

Did you notice the length of that train! I never saw anything that long running on the B&M, ever.

John

 

[jacksonbarno]

Were the cars permanently coupled together? If so, the B&M may have gotten more than they bargained for. Those early Talgo cars were known for their uncomfortable rides.
If I found a model of t or kitbashed the locomotive, I would probably just make a fictional streamliner. I don't really like the look of the Talgo cars compared to the locomotives, especially because they are so low to the ground.

 

[Blutorse4792]

Thanks for the link, John. In the last few years, I've started to come across lots of footage of rail oddities I've previously only seen pictures of.

I only wish tape recorders had been smaller and cheaper back then.

 

[JCitron]

Were the cars permanently coupled together? If so, the B&M may have gotten more than they bargained for. Those early Talgo cars were known for their uncomfortable rides.
If I found a model of t or kitbashed the locomotive, I would probably just make a fictional streamliner. I don't really like the look of the Talgo cars compared to the locomotives, especially because they are so low to the ground.

The coaches were permanently coupled which probably was a pain for maintenance. The cars do look too shiny and smooth compared to the locomotives, Maybe if they were corrugated sided aluminum they'd look more appropriate. Those cars look more like they'd go with a fancy streamliner set.

That would be an interesting project.

Thanks for the link, John. In the last few years, I've started to come across lots of footage of rail oddities I've previously only seen pictures of.

I only wish tape recorders had been smaller and cheaper back then.

You're welcome! Whenever I find something interesting, I share it here. I too wish things were smaller back then too. I have an old cassette recorder, that has "solid state" imprinted on it Can you even get recording tapes for it anymore, I wonder? It still works, at least it did about 10 years ago. I got it for my 10th birthday so that would make the thing about 43 years old and still in working order. Not bad for taking care of things.

John