In 1937, with the steam-to-diesel transition era beginning in the US, railroad labor unions, trying to preserve the jobs of firemen that were not needed on diesels, negotiated the “90,000 Pound Rule,” stipulating that locomotives above that weight (45 tons) must have a two-man crew – engineer and fireman. To skirt this rule and control labor costs on the railroads, General Electric introduced its 44 ton diesel switcher locomotive in 1940, which could legally be operated by just an engineer.
GE produced 386 44 ton diesel switcher locomotives between 1940 and 1956. They were used on at least 26 Class 1 railroads and by many industrial operators. Most 44 tonners were powered by two Caterpillar D17000 V8 diesel engines, each developing 180 horsepower. An electric traction motor was mounted on each axle of the two-axle trucks.
The MTH Premier scale model of the GE 44 ton diesel switcher was announced in the 2015 Volume 1 catalog at a list price of $449.95 and reached the market in October 2016. As a fan of the New Haven Railroad, I purchased two examples (Item 20-20470) with road numbers 807 and 815. They are perfect for my small 10-by-5 model railroad. These die-cast models seem very heavy for such a small locomotive, have great engine sounds, and run smoothly at low speeds under conventional control. I use them to pull short freight trains with two or three boxcars and a caboose. Unable to resist, I also have a Boston & Maine version on pre-order.
MELGAR
