FM H-20-44

The FM H-20-44 was a diesel locomotive manufactured by Fairbanks-Morse from June 1947 - March 1954. It represented the company's first foray into the road switcher market. The, ten-cylinder opposed piston engine locomotive was referred to by F-M's engineering department as the "Heavy Duty" unit. It was configured in a B-B wheel arrangement mounted atop a pair of two-axle AAR Type-B road trucks with all axles powered. H-20-44s shared the same platform and much of the same carbody as the lighter-duty FM H-15-44, which began its production run three months later.
In the same manner as other F-M switcher models, the H-20-44 started out displaying a variety of Raymond Loewy-inspired contours, only to have the majority of these superfluous trim features stripped from the last few units built as a cost-cutting measure. Only 96 units were built for American railroads, as few firms saw sufficient value in moving freight in greater quantities or at a higher speeds than was possible with the typical 1,500 and four-axle road switchers of the era. Also limiting the model's utility as a true road unit was its lack of a short hood, which the lighter-duty H-15-44 did have. Two intact examples of the H-20-44 are known to survive today; all are preserved at railroad museums. These were former Southwest Portland Cement units donated in the early 1980s. Unfortunately, SWPC 410, or AC&Y 500, was scrapped in August 2025 at the Galveston Railroad Museum. It was rendered inoperable due to severe storm damage inflicted by Hurricane Ike in 2008. It was also the last Akron, Canton and Youngstown locomotive preserved.
A six axle version for better traction was catalogued, but no orders were placed, and no demos were built.