Well since the title "What's the most unique vehicle you've owned" doesn't specify highway only - here are a few that I have owned:
1972 Fairmont Railway Motors MT14-L2 previously owned by the SOO Line railroad
20HP - 2 Cyl engine with 2 speed transmission both forward and reverse
These two photos were taken on a trip on the Algoma Central Railway north of Sault Ste Marie, ON in 1992
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Here's a photo of railcars in front of us crossing the Montreal Falls Trestle (heading South) at MP-92 the right side of trestle is a 130 ft drop
View attachment 83841Back at the AC yards I bought these two 1960's vintage Fairmont M19's along with numerous spare parts
Both are powered by RO engines (see below)
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The largest car I owned was this Fairmont A5-E that I picked up in Virginia
Powered by a Waukesha FC 4 Cyl, 132.7 CID engine that developed 35HP matched to a 4 speed forward and reverse transmission
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The smallest, lightest and oldest of my motor cars was this 1949 Fairmont M9 formerly owned by the Illinois Central RR
Only 500 Lbs - Powered by a Fairmont ROC engine (aka Putt n Take or Putt Putt) - Single cylinder, 2 stroke , water cooled (condenser, no water pump), variable 5 to 8 HP due to the magneto, dual flywheel, hand crank, belt drive.
Love the sound of these engines at idle when they are about to stall and then suddenly fire two or three times and then hesitate again.
Since there is no transmission on the RO engines here is the procedure to shift from Forward to Reverse with these engines:
a) Come to a complete stop, b) Release belt tensioner and decrease throttle c) Close ignition d) Move magneto from "Run car forward" to "Start car Reverse" e) Wait until engine is nearing its last stroke f) Open ignition g) Engine will fire in reverse h) Move magneto from ""Start car reverse" to "Run car reverse" i) re-engage belt tensioner and increase throttle.
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