THAT TWO-CYCLE DRUMMING. News reaches Cold Spring Shops that Fairbanks-Morse Engine of Beloit may have another contract to repower ships for the navy. The news comes as a bit of a surprise, as Fairbanks-Morse have not exactly been a company I follow closely. The reference to diesel engines that can run efficiently at reduced power intrigues. At one time, Fairbanks attempted to put a submarine power plant on rails.

Exotic Railfan photograph.

Note the large radiators aft, which one diesel authority suggested would be better suited to a submarine where there's a lot of ocean to use as heat sink. Fairbanks have been out of the diesel locomotive business for close to fifty years, although many of the engines were reconditioned for use in stationary power plants. The opposed-piston design makes for a somewhat taller carbody, and the master mechanic doesn't like having to disassemble the entire block to service the lower crankshaft. (The photo appears to be of diesels on the Pennsy scrap line at Hollidaysburg, where they could have had their prime movers pulled.) But an extremely powerful engine with efficiencies at low speeds ... might somebody at the railroads notice?