Nice photograph, thanks. SLSF 286 is a F-M H-10-44. The Frisco picked it up cheap from Precision National in 1969 for a spare parts source. It was a H-10-44 former Denver and Rio Grand Western (DRGW) 122. However, it was in such good shape, the Frisco put it in service, and numbered it SLSF 286, after their group of Frisco H-12-44's, SLSF 282-285. Wonder what they did next for the spare parts source they were looking for? A real bargain! Ken
Please see this photograph at the Tulsa roundhouse of H-10-44 286. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lightning72/3967675969/sizes/l/ This unit was acquired second hand from the dealer Precision National Company (PNC). Originally the locomotive was owned by the Denver and Rio Grand Western Railroad as their unit D&RGW 122. Note the red reflectors along the frame side sill. These are a characteristic feature of D&RGW units of the period. The Rio Grand retired the unit 1/19/1969. Originally the Frisco intended to use the unit as a parts source to keep its other original units operating. However, after close inspection and determining the unit was in very good mechanical condition a decision was made to instead place the unit into active service. Also note the warning lettering above the radiator shutters "Danger Automatic Shutters Keep Clear". Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
My first pay trip as a fireman in June 1971 was a midnight hump job in Tulsa. We ran two H-12-44s together coupled at the cab end which made visibility for the engineer with no fireman very bad as the track curved to the right as we drug the cuts out. As the trains got longer and heavier more horsepower was needed, and these units were replaced with the SW1500s in about 1975. While they had more horsepower than the H-12-44s, the position type throttle of the SW1500 was a step backward as far as I was concerned because we had a rheostat type throttle on the FMs. This was a great throttle because once we found the proper balance between brake and amperage to hold the cuts, we could change the throttle as little or as much as we needed. With the throttle on the SW1500s we would have to use the independent brake to make the small adjustments, and this method never was as good as the FMs as far as I was concerned. I know it was inevitable that the FMs would be retired, but in some ways they were not improved upon. With the practice of using two SD40-2s today the available horsepower has gone from 2400 in 1971 to 6000 today. Terry
