Large Fairbanks Morse

Greg K · Feb 12, 2013

I went to look at a job today, and inside there was a very large Fairbanks Morse engine. I suppose it had 10 cylinders and stood about 8' tall. It was an opposed cylinder engine like I had never seen. It had a crankshaft on the top and bottom and the pistons shared the cylinders. when the two pistons came together it created the compression to ignite the diesel. When it fires both pistons go away from the center and exhaust the gasses out the vented cylinder walls (like a 2 cycle). At a quick glance I think the tag said 1500 horsepower, but I'm not for sure on that. I do know it is dual fuel diesel/natural gas, it holds 250 gallons of oil, and new cylinder sleeves are about $7000 apiece! You could easily drop a coffee can down the cylinders. If I get a chance I will get a few pics. It is on a power plant generator system.

Randysouthmississippi · Feb 12, 2013

I would love to see that.

NCWayne · Feb 12, 2013

We had two of them on the USS William V Pratt that powered the emergency generators. I never worked on them but they were really neat looking engines to say the least.

Russ from MN · Feb 12, 2013

I saw some on a sub in Mobile harbor about 40 years ago, it was a smaller sub, maybe WW1. They had taken of the top crank cover and replaced it with Plexiglas so you could see the crank with the rods hanging down. I assume there are no valves like a detroit, all the breathing is done through ports with a blower.
The taconite plant at Silver Bay MN has a large one (10 ft long and 12 feet high) for a backup generator, but I never saw it run when I was there. It was so big you wouldn't know it was an engine unless someone told you.

JOHNNYfromMI · Feb 12, 2013

The original United States Coast Guard Cutter WAGB 83 Mackinaw had 6 Fairbanks Morse 10 cylinder diesel motors. The ship is now on display as a museum in Mackinaw City, Michigan.

David G · Feb 12, 2013

The smaller power plants put a lot in the 50s.

Jon Hagen · Feb 12, 2013

Here is a link to FM engine pictures.

Have watched the big FM gen plant at The Rolag steam thresher show for years, a big two cyl 2 cycle diesel from the 20,s.
Out behind their engine shed is an unrestored but reasonably complete small FM double crankshaft opposed piston genset.
Fairbanks Morse engines

Whichester1 · Feb 12, 2013

The are still used on some inland boats that push barges. EMD is the most common.

Ian Beale · Feb 13, 2013

To see this idea taken further check out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier_Deltic

JOB · Feb 13, 2013

I was on the William V Pratt in 1967, stationed out of Mayport, Florida. Were you on board when the Pratt went to Vietnam and a rouge wave washed three sailors over the side off the fantail?

ericlb · Feb 13, 2013

hope you can get some pics, back in the 50's there were some railroad locomotives with a similar engine, id like to see just how this engine looks and is set up

fixerupper · Feb 13, 2013

We have a three cylinder inline fairbanks at our threshing show. To start it compressed air is blown into a couple of cylinders to get it spinning. I helped start it a couple of times but I was just the flunkey. Jim

John Fulton · Feb 13, 2013

Sounds like you found a FM 38D 10 cylinder opposed piston diesel engines used on over half of the diesel-electric WWII submarines. (Other half were Jimmies). Great engines. You know what one sounds like, now try to imagine what 4 would sound like enclosed within a 5/8 inch pressure hull!

GVSII · Feb 13, 2013

Never saw one in real life but have read of them.

jhilyer · Feb 13, 2013

My company makes the crankshafts for those engines! Have some going through now. As well as for GE, EMD, Waukesha, etc.

The model number may change, but the basic opposed-piston engine design is still being produced.

shaun wallace · Feb 13, 2013

The City of Princeton Mo had one in their lite plant, seen running in early 70s along with 2 inline engines. It was very noisey compared to the other engines.

Ralph Bauer · Feb 13, 2013

"My" City of Mangum, OK has several in their still operating light plant. They ran it all through the icestorm 3 yrs ago and every summer as supplement during peak time. We even agreed on a $2.00 monthly surcharge per utility bill to keep the plant up ....
I'll snap some pics when I'm well again and post them....
Ralph in OK.

NCWayne · Feb 13, 2013

Nah, I'm not that old, I wasn't born until Feb. of '69. I was on her from the end of '87 until the end of '90 when she was based out of Charleston, SC. I spent my two years as MM working in the aft engine room. From there it was on to C school in Norfolk, and the two years on the USS America also out of Norfolk, and a few months in the beginning of '92 in Ingleside, TX on shore duty before I got out.

I've got a couple of pics in my America cruise book of the Pratt going through the Suez behind us on the way to the Gulf back in '90, and another overhead shot of 4 carriers with the Pratt setting off to one side as an escort. Pretty cool shot when you think about all of the firepower in that one photo.

Last I heard the Pratt was simply sold off and scrapped, and the America was used as a target and sunk. Made me sick to see an old ship go out that way.......

If you were on the Willy V, are you a member of the Wm. V. Pratt Association? It was started up several years back, and while I haven't been able to attend any of them yet, they have reunions at various spots across the country every year. Hit me up if your interested and I can send you a link to the site, etc. My email is open.

ohiojeff · Feb 13, 2013

we had one on the U.S.S Josephus daniels where I was an engineman,I believe it had a 20 degree upper crankshaft lead, so the upper crank would begin its "down stroke" before the lower crank hit TDC.I think our FM was 1200H.P. and had a 90 gal. capacity oil pan,I had to do an engine oil test every morning

JOB · Feb 13, 2013

Prior to the Pratt I was on the Charles R Ware and they have reunions every years at different ports. Dry Ports. I was working until last year so I never went to any. I might go to the next reunion. I have never been invited to a Pratt reunion.

Large Fairbanks Morse

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