Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe (ATSF) 543 - FM H-12-44TS

Built by Fairbanks-Morse in 1956, this engine served as a switcher engine at Chicagos Dearborn Station until its closing.

ATSF 543 at IRM.

This was a modified version of Fairbanks-Morse's popular H12-44 switchers. It had an extended frame and a short hood which housed a steam generator. They were ordered by Santa Fe specifically to serve as station pilots at Dearborn Station in Chicago.

Stored in Sacramento for a long time, now in Frisco, TX

AT&SF H12-44TS #543, built 5//56, retired 5/7/74, stored in Albuquerque, NM, donated to California State Railroad Museum, relocated to Illinois Railway Museum, had just shoved an Amtrak train into Union Station

Photographer Unknown. Date is approximate

Fairbanks-Morse H12-44TS on display at the IRM

ATSF 543 is on display at the Illinois Railway Museum at Union, IL.

At CSRM

At the IRM.

ATSF 543 sure looks like an H-15-44 or H-16-44 to me but the roster calls it an H-12-44TS. Anyway, I'm glad {o get this photo. Sorry, I don't remember the exact date. This unit was in excellent condition, cosmetically, when I got this grab shot, using a 2X doubler and an 80-200mm zoom `ens, from a good ways away. Whatever happened to this unit? NOTE: According to recent photos, this unit is now at the Illinois Railway Museum, wearing what looks like AAR Type-A&switcher trucks. The fence and top-rail obscures the trucks in my photo here, but those look like F-M trucks to me. Here's the link to the IRM photo: http://www.rr-fallenflags.`rg/irm/atsf0543gga.jpg

I can't believe I've never made these Contributor picks. Better late than never I guess.