Acquired from private owner in April 2021

May 28, 2022 in Port Jervis, NY. Rudy Garbely photo

Quick Facts:

Model: M9G speeder
Built: July 8, 1953
Builder: Fairmont Railway Motors
Past Owners: Virginian, Norfolk & Western
Current Owner: The Conrail Historical Society, Inc.
Current Location: temporary storage and mechanical work in Wantage, NJ

This M9G speeder was constructed for the Virginian Railway by Fairmont Railway Motors, the largest builder of speeders in North America. It is powered by a ROC 1-cylinder, 2-stroke Fairmont engine. This car was outshopped on July 8, 1953, and it was shipped to the Virginian in Page, West Virginia on July 10th. As built, the car had a weight of just 776 lbs.

The Virginian was merged into the Norfolk & Western Railway on December 1, 1959, and the car became N&W No. 1001. It was assigned to the N&W’s New River Division and based out of Bluefield, West Virginia. It was eventually purchased by a private owner and maintained in its original late 1960s N&W paint job.

This M9G is 100 percent original to the day it left the N&W, and features its original 6-volt charging system and alternator. The Conrail Historical Society acquired this historic speeder in April of 2021.

This fully operational speeder is currently available for sale to a qualified preservation group that will maintain and operate it in its historic N&W paint - to inquire, please email Rudy Garbely at rudy.garbely@thecrhs.org.