The railroad that pioneered dieselization in the United States when it purchased a GE/Ingersol-Rand 1000 h.p. boxcab switcher in 1929 had a long and productive relationship with Fairbanks-Morse following the August 1947 convention of the Association of American Railroads in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Among the units displayed there by FM was H15-44 demonstrator 1500, which caught the attention of the Jersey Central, which well into dieselization with switchers as well as EMD and Baldwin cab units. Seeking a road switcher that could handle a variety of tasks, the CNJ found the H15-44 to be just what it was looking for and bought that demonstrator while placing an order for 13 similar units. When it arrived in September 1948, after overhaul at Beloit, the 1500 was CNJ's first road switcher, with Baldwins, Alcos, and EMDs to follow. The CNJ went on to purchase three H16-44's and a 13-unit fleet of Train Masters.