Why 44 Tonners?

I would like them in NYO&W colors to act as dedicated switchers. They are just a neat looking little locomotives. And in a world where there are plenty of large locomotives being produced, it's nice to have a couple smaller ones.

the Northern Pacific 44 was my first train back in 57 or 58 Christmas . I have a soft spot for the 44. I'd be in for a NYO&W as well as a NP

rat

Hi I am waiting for a 44 toner in PRR for coal yard. I don't want the MTH.

I am waiting for the Williams. I will add ERR in it.

44 tonners are sort of an iconic design to me.  Small, but an elegant, recognizable profile, very interesting, too. The symmetrical layout is different than most and makes the stand out.   I want one or two scake nideks for that reason.  Frankly, as long as it is scale i'm not really partial to who makes it. I'd slightly prefer Lionel (Legacy) because it would probably run and sound better, but MTH or even WBB will be sufficient.  

I think the attraction to today's 0 gaugers is rooted in the fact that Lionel made one in the Postwar era (albeit much oversize to accommodate the drive systems of the day). A lot of kids thought it was cool looking at the time, and those kids are now train operators and collectors. As Lee points out, the symmetrical layout was appealing - kids love symmetry, for whatever reason. 

Personally, I'm a bit surprised myself at how obsessive a lot of people are about getting a scale 44-tonner. I kind of like the little guy myself, but I can contain my enthusiasm. If it comes along in Milwaukee Road, I might get one. On the other hand, I already have too many diesels. 

Be interesting to see if they come out in Milw colors.  The "road" had a couple of them for a while and they were certainly interesting, as compared to their larger diesels.  You know the reason for the 44 ton designation, don't you?  At the time they were built, the FRA required that the railroads have an engineer and a fireman on board on all locomotives of 45 tons or larger.  Thus, they could get away with just one person in the cab with engines of 44 tons or less.

If you don't find one in the road livery of your favorite RR, consider that hundreds of these little workhorses operated on private rails for a number of different companies, never seeing the main line RR's during their entire existence.

Wanna hear something interesting along these lines?  At about the same time that GE was building these little 44 toners, they were also building 45 ton lokies that were very similar to these but they had side rods on the outside of their trucks and only one traction motor on each truck.  This gave them power on all four axles.  Actually, watching one of these little 45 ton engines with their side rods churning away, was a lot more interesting than watching the 44 toners, with all of their axles powered by a traction motor on each axle.  It's gonna be interesting to hear how the sounds of those two Cummins Diesels are replicated in our "0" gauge trains.

Paul Fischer

As a kid growing up our local railroad (Fonda Johnstown & Gloversville) had one,but i didn't get to see it in action often because it couldn't handle but very few cars up the hill from Fonda to Johnstown, and was used mostly on the more level trackage between Gloversville and Broadalbin. When i got back into trains in the late `70's i had a Lionel one for a few years until i realized it was grossly over-sized. I would like a switcher, and the size and uniqueness of a 44 tonner fills the bill.

Didn't buy a Yoder one a few years ago for economic reasons. Inasmuch as Lionel isn't offering a scale one, i'm ordering 2 Williams ones which will be given ERR upgrades.

jackson

A 44-ton switcher is an iconic switcher as it goes WAY back to the early days of diesel. It's small size makes it compatible with small layouts, particularly switching layouts. Even with scale wheels/fixed pilots they can handle very sharp curves, so that industrial street running is possible. They were owned by Class 1 roads and made their way into branch line, military and industrial service. A few running examples are still out in the wild and in museums, so they cover the steam, transition and modern eras (plus "excursions) which is another plus.

Whitcomb also made a similar 44-ton switcher. The Milwaukee Road had both the Whitcomb and GE 44-tonners; I don't know how many off the top of my head. 

The Milwaukee Road had 2 built by Davenport also. They had 3 GE's and 7 Whitcomb's. The Whitcomb and Davenport were very similar in looks.

Here's some info. on GE 44 Ton Diesel Electric Locomotives:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GE_44-ton_switcher

Just happens this has a color photo. of a NYO&W Ry. locomotive, unknown date of photo. and of color paint scheme.

Ralph

The 44 Tonner maybe the time for manufacturers to redesign a smaller engine for "O" scale engines, and future engine allowing more accessories and boards to be installed.

I've also liked the look of the 44T. There are two, both ex-Pennslyvania Railroad units, privately owned on the Walkersville Southern. 

Not my photo, engine has been primed will soon have paint. 

The N&W didn't have these, so my interest in purchase is nil. HOWEVER, given it's size, this will allow operators with smaller layouts to run a scaled, well detailed engine on their pike.

While you're waiting for the MTH version, how about the one being offered by WbB?

Gilly

The Virginian next door had exactly one 44 tonner, being the only oddball in an otherwise all FM diesel roster.

Rusty

I would like a scale 44 tonner with command control couplers and sound.  I am waiting for the MTH version, which will come equipped with PS3.  Eventually, we will see them and it will be worth the wait.  I will take two in B&M/MEC/Portland Terminal Black with the red nose stripes, please.

I dont get it. Whats NOT to like?

It looks just as good going forward as it does going backwards.

44 Tonners are UGLY.

To my knowledge, scale 44 tonners were not available until Rich Yoder imported a limited number in brass which quickly sold out.  They are just another little engine that "could" and a number of them are still used in branch line and by private industries.  First gen diesel lovers are starving for these critters!

Stack 

I preordered the Williams one, I'll put cruise and sound into it.

Granted, the 44T WbB unit represents a milestone in railroading history. The same holds true for the upcoming MTH version. Once again the 44T engine is just another one of those over-produced items in model railroading, regardless of the scale.

Maybe I'm one of the few who would like to see something different. Over the years I've grown to love the, GE 70T 600hp switcher. Bachmann has produced this little workhorse in N-Scale and HO. As of yet no one has come up with an O-Gauge.

I asked one of the best on the forum to let me know if he could build one for me. Either from scratch or modify a current production piece to create one for me. So far, it looks like I'm out of luck. I've yet to receive a reply.

The scale sizes have not been overproduced, that's why the buzz.

What would be the dimensions in "O" gauge if modelled as a scale engine?

i.e  how long, width and height ?

Happy:  Actually SCALE 44 tonners have not been extensively produced in "0" gauge.  The only one that I'm aware of is that one mentioned above by Rick Yost.  You can't include Lionel's  monstrous model which they did during the 1950's as any kind of an attempt at a 44 tonner.  That thing is so oversized and comes with Blomberg trucks makes it so bad that as a little kid, when it came out, I knew that it was way out of scale.

I knnd of hate to see both MTH and Williams offer the same engine.  No use getting into a shooting war over whatever market is out there.  What one of them really should do is make a GE 45 ton center cab.  They both used about the same body design and the two Cummins diseasels, but the 45 ton engine had the outside drive rods on most of that series.  (Some later production had a drive chain between the axles)  But those little side rods, churning away on the 45 ton was always very fascinating to watch.  Maybe not quite as neat as a steam engine but it certainly provided some action.  The East Troy Railroad in Wisconsin had a 45 tonner and we always called it the "Orange Clank" because of the sound of the rods banging on their crank pins as it pounded it's way down the line.

Paul Fischer

Length- 33' 5" === 8.35"

Height - 13' 3" === 3.31"

Sunset imported 44 tonners that were scale size back in the 1990's. They were available in SF, PRR, SP, and undecorated black but only in 2 rail.

Sunset did one in 2-rail some time back. I happened to luck up on one. Just for a reference, compare "old GE" to "newer GE" for relative size. I haven't taken it apart yet to determine whether I can fit a DCC decoder in it. I have the Williams-by-Bachmann on order (will probably 2-rail the trucks and hybrid convert it) and will order the MTH unit with scale wheels as well. My suspicion is that the Willams and MTH units will be big sellers.

Not that close, plus the 45 tonner is physically shorter and the hoods are lower than the 44 tonner (go figure...)

Rusty

Lard-butt on the 45 ton model?

Alright, guys, knock it off!!  Enough already with the great pictures and information.  Showing and talking about this critter, which I previously had no interest in, has got to stop!

Don't I have enough trains and pending pre-orders as it is without the realization that I really need one (or two) of these??!!  Don't you guys have anything better to do than to continue to relentlessly coerce me into purchasing more stuff??!!

I really don't want a 44 tonner.  (I hope they make one in PRR!)     

You are still a man of few words Eddie G.!  I happen to like the GE 44 and 70 ton locomotives.  In fact there are still 3 operating 70 ton locos up here in Maine.  Two are on the B&ML and one on the Downeast Scenic Railroad.                                                                           

I liked these because when in Savannah at the railroad museum they have one that still operates.  The smaller diesels, such as the Alco S2 are well suited for our layouts, as the smaller trains make the layouts seem bigger.

Fr d

room for electrocouplers? If so, I'll get 2 for conversion

I'm interested in the 44 ton switcher because to the best of my knowledge they were so prevalent in both railroad and private industry.  Secondly, the 44T small switcher should easily negotiate tight curves and if equipped or able to accept an electro-coupler to provide switching options on our sidings.

I'm unsure as to which brand to go with, but I would definitely want one that is capable of command control.  I hope the WBB version will have the interior room to install an ERR and possibly a soundset board.  Bachmann has some good small diesel switcher soundsets (from soundtrax Tsunami?) in their HO & On30 DCC lineup.  Although MTH's model is rumored to have all the literal bells and whistles PS3, I'm not confident that their soundset compilation will be that of a small industrial diesel switcher and more likely be something rehashed from one of their generic/bland sound library.

I'm partial to the PRR roadname, but would hope that both MTH and WBB offer a basic black, gray, yellow or green undecorated version for those who wish to decal for a private industry loco.

Quit complaining. Take one for the team.

Matt,

I believe you got your 44 tonner from me. Another fellow who got one did put a decoder in his. He said it was a tight fit but not an engineering marvel.

Bob

And we're worried about fitting sound and control in....

44 ton N

Dave

I thought these were first marketed after 1941?  There is none shown in the the

1941 Locomotive Cyclopedia, but very similar GE 50 and 65 ton versions are.

Apparently Vulcan also offered side rod 45 ton locos similar to the GE 45 ton version,

available from 20 to 80 tons.  Davenport is shown with a 44 ton model, with side rods

and similar to the GE 45 tonner.  I see Porter even had a similar 44 ton center cab

diesel, without side rods.

One aqttractove diesel that was similar but different in styling was the 1000 HP GE center cab built for the Ford Motor Co.

Yes I did, Bob. It was a good deal and runs great. It was a hit at the club even though I only ran it on a test track (the club layout is 3-rail).