FM "H12-44" Locomotives: Specs, Roster, History

Last revised: December 27, 2024

The H12-44 was Fairbanks Morse's most successful diesel locomotive, with nearly 400 constructed over an eleven year period.

While FM featured an opposed-piston prime mover that some railroads found complicated, the company's products were nevertheless rugged machines and quite reliable when understood by maintenance personnel.

This particular model looked quite similar to its predecessor, the H10-44, save for a slight increase in horsepower. While FM was able to sell a number of diesels through its Canadian Locomotive Company arm, it had difficulty finding sales in Mexico and outside of North America.

As it turned out, the H12-44 had one of the longest production runs of any FM model and so many were produced that at least sixteen domestic examples remain preserved today.

Milwaukee Road H12-44 #718 is seen here carrying out switching chores in Milwaukee in May, 1969. This unit was built as #1836 in November, 1951 and repainted into Union Pacific's "Armour Yellow" passenger scheme in July, 1964. Fred Byerly photo. American-Rails.com collection.

Overview

The H12-44 began production during May of 1950 following the earlier H10-44. Railroads liked this switcher and were even happier with the additional 200 horsepower found in its successor.

The H12-44 was equipped with Fairbanks-Morse's standard 2-cycle, 38D8 1/8 opposed piston prime mover that could produce 1,200 horsepower using B-B trucks.

The carbody styling was again inspired by noted industrial designer Raymond Loewy. However, to reduce production costs, FM simplified the design in the fall of 1952 removing many of the styling features Loewy had suggested.

It did not really take away from the model's attractiveness although the locomotive did sport a more basic, boxy appearance.

The FM H12-44 carried roughly the same tractive effort as its predecessor, and similar models in production by Alco and Electro-Motive.

Santa Fe H12-44TS #541 and #542 carry out switching chores at Chicago's Dearborn Station in the early 1960s. Note the clock tower of Baltimore & Ohio's Grand Central Station in the background. American-Rails.com collection.

Thanks to the locomotive's relatively light-weight the H12-44 was ideal for use in both yard/switcher service and could also be used in light freight service with its respectable horsepower rating.

FM's classification system somewhat resembled Baldwin's initial system, although somewhat more simplified. In regards to the H12-44:

"H" stood for Hood

12" was for 1,200 horsepower

Each 4 meant four axles and four traction motors

Southern Pacific H12-44 #2351 carries out switching work at San Francisco's 3rd & Townsend Depot in May, 1973. Author's collection.

Overall the locomotive sold 320 units domestically in the U.S. and Mexico (1), and another 30 were built by subsidiary Canadian Locomotive Company (CLC) of Kingston, Ontario.

The Santa Fe certainly liked the switcher as the company wound up with 59 examples employing them heavily in light duty work.

The AT&SF also acquired three additional variants, the H12-44TS for terminal service at Dearborn Station (mentioned in greater detail below)

Generally, FM models sold relatively poorly although it is not necessarily because Fairbanks Morse's design was unreliable as historical texts often mention.

Once the FM O-P engine was well understood by maintenance departments it was quite reliable in service.

For instance, in regards to the H24-66 "Train Master," it has been noted by John Kirkland in his book The Diesel Builders Volume 1 that the locomotives performed admirably for more than 20 years on the Southern Pacific.

Santa Fe H12-44 #546 leads a string of cars into Argentine Yard during the 1960s. The Kansas City skyline can be seen in the background. American-Rails.com collection.

This was due to a maintenance team that understood the model, despite taking a daily beating in freight service (and later in commuter assignments around the Bay Area).

In any event, the H12-44 was purchased by a little more than a dozen Class I systems including industries Ayrshire Collieries, U.S. Steel - Fairless Works, Yankeetown Dock, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Even the U.S. Army bought the locomotive, 20 to be exact! FM's Canadian arm also built 30 for Canadian National Railway as well as an A1A-A1A design known as the H12-46. CN ultimately wound up with 30 examples of the variant built during the early 1950s.

St. Louis-San Francisco Railway H12-44 #285 is seen here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, circa 1965. The Frisco owned 4 such units, acquired in 1951. Mac Owen photo.

Data Sheet and Specifications

Entered Production	5/1950 (Milwaukee Road #1826-1827)
Years Produced	5/1950 - 3/1961
Fairbanks-Morse Class	H12-44
Engine	38D8 1/8, 6-cylinder Opposed-Piston
Engine Builder	Fairbanks-Morse
Horsepower	1200
RPM	850
Carbody Styling	Raymond Loewy
Length (Inside Couplers)	48' 10"
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab)	14' 6"
Width	10' 2"
Weight	240,000 Lbs
Trucks	B-B
Truck Type	GSC Rigid Bolster, Drop-Side Equalizer
Truck Wheelbase	8'
Wheel Size	40"
Traction Motors	362D (4), Westinghouse
Traction Generator	481F, Westinghouse
Auxiliary Generator	YG42A, Westinghouse
MU (Multiple-Unit)	Yes
Gear Ratio	68:14
Tractive Effort	34,000 Lbs at 9 mph
Top Speed	60 mph

Norfolk & Western H12-44 #3385 (ex-Wabash #385) switches passenger equipment at Decatur, Illinois in May, 1966. Rick Burn photo.

Production Rosters

Fairbanks-Morse

Total Built = 306

Owner	Road Number	Construction Number	Contract Number	Completion Date	Quantity
Milwaukee Road	1826-1827	12L374-12L375	LD95	5/1950	2
Chicago & North Western	1071-1072	12L376-12L377	LD94	5/1950	2
New York Central	9111	12L378	LD94	11/1950	1
New York Central	9112-9118	12L379-12L385	LD92	12/1950	7
New York Central	9119-9120	12L386-12L387	LD92	1/1951	2
Santa Fe	503-504	12L388-12L389	LD97	9/1950	2
Santa Fe	505-506	12L390-12L391	LD97	10/1950	2
Baltimore & Ohio	310-319	12L392-12L401	LD103	2/1951	10
Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railroad	60-61	12L402-12L403	LD111	3/1951	2
Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railroad	62-64	12L404-12L406	LD111	4/1951	3
Minnesota Western Railroad (Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern)	10	12L427	LD104	1/1951	1
Milwaukee Road	1828-1832	12L428-12L432	LD108	3/1951	5
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco)	282-285	12L433-12L436	LD109	6/1951	4
Weyerhaeuser Timber Company	1	12L437	LD112	8/1951	1
Santa Fe	507	12L438	LD116	11/1951	1
Santa Fe	508	12L439	LD116	10/1951	1
Santa Fe	509-514	12L440-12L445	LD116	11/1951	6
Santa Fe	515-516	12L446-12L447	LD116	2/1952	2
Milwaukee Road	1833-1835	12L448-12L450	LD117	10/1951	3
Milwaukee Road	1836-1837	12L451-12L452	LD117	11/1951	2
Milwaukee Road	1838-1847	12L520-12L529	LD121	11/1951	10
Milwaukee Road	2300-2304	12L561-12L565	LD127	3/1952	5
Milwaukee Road	2305-2309	12L566-12L570	LD127	4/1952	5
U.S. Steel (Fairless Works)	GE9	12L571	LD128	11/1951	1
U.S. Steel (Fairless Works)	GE10	12L572	LD128	12/1951	1
U.S. Steel (Fairless Works)	GE11-GE16	12L573-12L578	LD128	2/1952	6
Santa Fe	517-518	12L599-12L600	LD131	7/1952	2
Santa Fe	519-526	12L601-12L608	LD131	8/1952	8
Santa Fe	527-530	12L609-12L612	LD131	9/1952	4
New York Central	9121-9128	12L613-12L620	LD132	5/1952	8
New York Central	9129-9137	12L621-12L629	LD132	6/1952	9
Soo Line	315	12L636	LD134	6/1952	1
Pennsylvania	8711-8723	12L637-12L649	LD135	11/1952	13
Indianapolis Union Railway	19-21	12L650-12L652	LD142	10/1952	3
Southern Pacific	1486-1490	12L653-12L657	LD140	9/1952	5
Southern Pacific	1491	12L658	LD140	10/1952	1
U.S. Army	1843-1852	12L667-12L676	LD136	1/1953	10
U.S. Army	1853-1855	12L677-12L679	LD136	2/1953	3
U.S. Army	1856-1857	12L680-12L681	LD136	1/1953	10
U.S. Army	1858-18562	12L682-12L686	LD136	2/1953	5
Chicago & North Western	1110-1113	12L709-12L712	LD138	12/1952	4
Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railroad	65	12L719	LD141	2/1953	1
Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railroad	66	12L720	LD141	3/1953	1
New York, Chicago & St. Louis (Nickel Plate Road)	134-138	12L721-12L725	LD143	3/1953	5
Central Of Georgia Railway	315-318	12L726-12L729	LD146	3/1953	4
Wabash Railroad	384-386	12L744-12L746	LD148	3/1953	3
Santa Fe	531-540	12L747-12L756	LD149	4/1953	10
Southern Pacific	1529-1535	12L760-12L766	LD154	5/1953	7
Chicago & North Western	1114-1116	12L768-12L770	LD152	8/1953	3
Southern Pacific	1536-1538	12L771-12L773	LD154	8/1953	3
Baltimore & Ohio	196-197	12L774-12L775	LD157	9/1953	2
Fairbanks-Morse (Demo)*	76	12L776	LD166	8/1953	1
Sandersville Railroad	100	12L777	LD159	8/1953	1
Tennessee Valley Authority	22	12L778	LD173	11/1954	1
Milwaukee Road	2310-2314	12L823-12L827	LD161	2/1954	5
Pennsylvania	8708-8710	12L828-12L830	LD156	2/1954	3
Southern Pacific	1568-1571	12L833-12L836	LD186	1/1956	4
Milwaukee Road	2315-2322	12L949-12L956	LD175	1/1955	8
Milwaukee Road	2323-2325	12L957-12L959	LD175	2/1955	3
Soo Line	316-319	12L965-12L968	LD176	12/1954	4
Southern Pacific	1572-1573	12L976-12L977	LD186	1/1956	2
Southern Pacific	1574	12L978	LD186	2/1956	1
Texas & New Orleans (Southern Pacific)	119-120	12L979-12L980	LD186	2/1956	2
Santa Fe	544-549	12L1006-12L1011	LD187	12/1955	6
Santa Fe	550-551	12L1012-12L1013	LD187	2/1956	2
Santa Fe	552-555	12L1014-12L1017	LD187	3/1956	4
Santa Fe	556-558	12L1018-12L1020	LD187	4/1956	3
Santa Fe	541-543**	12L1021-12L1023	LD188	5/1956	3
Yankeetown Dock	2	12L1024	LD196	5/1956	1
Columbia & Cowlitz Railway (Weyerhaeuser)	D2	12L1025	LD195	5/1956	1
Southern Pacific	1577-1584	12L1062-12L1069	LD201	10/1956	8
Southern Pacific	1585-1586	12L1070-12L1071	LD201	11/1956	2
Southern Pacific	1587-1594	12L1072-12L1079	LD205	1/1957	8
Southern Pacific	1595-1596	12L1080-12L1081	LD205	2/1957	2
New York, Chicago & St. Louis (Nickel Plate Road)	139-145	12L1082-12L1088	LD206	3/1957	7
Baltimore & Ohio	9722-9726	12L1089-12L1093	LD213	4/1957	5
Santa Fe	559-560	12L1094-12L1095	LD207	3/1957	2
Santa Fe	561-564	12L1096-12L1099	LD207	4/1957	4
Ayrshire Collieries	1	12L1100	LD208	11/1958	1
New York, Chicago & St. Louis (Nickel Plate Road)	146-151	12L1101-12L106	LD215	3/1958	6
New York, Chicago & St. Louis (Nickel Plate Road)	152-155	12L1107-12L110	LD215	4/1958	4
Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico (Chihuahua-Pacific Railway)	70	12L111	LD218-3	3/1961	1

* Became Yankeetown Dock Corporation #1.

** These were H12-44TS variants.

Canadian Locomotive Company

Total Built = 30

Owner	Road Number	Construction Number	Completion Date	Quantity
Canadian National	1630-1632	2880-2882	8/1955	3
Canadian National	1633-1635	2883-2885	9/1955	3
Canadian National	1636-1639	2886-2889	10/1955	4
Canadian National	1640-1646	2902-2908	4/1956	7
Canadian National	1647-1653	2909-2915	5/1956	7
Canadian National	1654-1659	2916-2921	6/1956	6

Sources

Kirkland, John F. Diesel Builders, The: Fairbanks-Morse And Lima-Hamilton. Glendale: Interurban Press, 1985.

Pinkepank, Jerry A. Diesel Spotter's Guide. Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1967.

Schafer, Mike. Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Osceola: MBI Publishing, 1998.

Southern Pacific H12-44s, #2359 and #2356, carry out switching chores in the South San Francisco during April of 1973. American-Rails.com collection.

It should be noted that another variant was manufactured as well, the H12-44TS for the Santa Fe numbered 541-543. The AT&SF requested the locomotive for use in shuttling passenger trains and equipment around its Dearborn Station terminal in Chicago.

The locomotive was somewhat longer at 54 feet, 2 inches and featured the addition of a short hood ahead of the cab, which housed a steam generator to handle passenger passenger equipment.

This short hood gave the units the a road switcher-like appearance. However, they still offered 1,200 horsepower and a B-B truck arrangement. Santa Fe regularly employed the three units in yard service until 1972 when they were sold.

Photos

Milwaukee Road H12-44 #753 on a transfer run at the Illinois Central interchange at Park Street in Madison, Wisconsin in October, 1963. Note the fascinating gate protecting the interchange track. Rick Burn photo.

Chicago & North Western H12-44 #1111 lays over at the roundhouse in Monona Yard at Madison, Wisconsin in September, 1966. Rick Burn photo.

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