Michael Patrick's Fairmont A32 HyRail Truck (c)2000

My Fairmont A32 - History

This truck was built for railroad maintenance and inspection service in 1954. The US Navy was the purchaser. The truck was known to be in California in 1972 (based on the license plate) and was then obtained by Westinghouse and rebuilt for use on a monorail track at a Virginia theme park. It was sold at a surplus property sale where i purchased it. Only one other A32 is known to exist.

Getting It Home

The vehicle was placed in a storage area. A fence was then built around this area. When I arrived with a tow truck to get my new purchase, we found that the gate was not as wide as the vehicle. The maintenance manager was contacted and promised to have it ready to go the next day. They hired a quad-axle heavy truck crane to come in (about 25 miles) to lift the vehicle over the fence and put it in the parking lot. After making sure my parents were out for the day, I had the tow truck driver drop it off in their side yard. I think they were surprised when they got home. I made sure I was not there.

Current status:

The truck has a 4 cylinder Continental or Hercules motor (it runs!!) and a transmission with 3 levers. It lacks brakes, a front driveshaft, exhaust system and a few other creature comforts. I have done some restoration work, but have run out of steam. The purchase of a 1989 Chevrolet P30 Ex-NS Corp hirail has moved the A32 to the back of the garage, maybe permanently. More info will be added next week to this page.

Railcar related links

NARCOA
Fairmont Hirail info
EVRRHS in VA

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