When did the Chessie Cat come about ?

[Andrew Falconer]

Both MTH and Lionel are offering the 1957 era "The Chessie Route" box cars.

MTH has O gauge and O Scale variations of the Chesapeake & Ohio Box Cars available.

 

Lionel released an O gauge Chessie System train set with an O gauge C&O "The Chessie Route" boxcar in 2015.

 

You can purchase models that are accurate and some that are approximate.

[broadythecableguy]

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

Scott

[Buckeye Riveter]

The Chessie Cat is back at K-Line. 

http://www.kline.lionel.com/KbL_Products/ProductFinder/SearchResults.cfm#

 

[fifedog]

No mention of a name for that furry critter.  Perhaps I'll start a new thread asking folks to NAME THAT BEAVER.

On second thougt, maybe that's not such a good idea...

I'm sorry, what were we discussing...?

[chuck]

chuck - Does the beaver have a nick-name...?

Not that I am aware of.  Here is a link to a site with more info than you probably ever wanted to know about the CP Rail beaver:

http://www.cprheritage.com/logo/index.htm

http://www.cprheritage.com/photo_graphics/graphicgallery.htm 

[fifedog]

chuck - Does the beaver have a nick-name...?

[Andrew Falconer]

Lionel and MTH could try this type of cat on their CSX models.

Andrew

[chuck]

What they need at CSX Transporation is a cat with fangs, large paws, big claws, and an arched, puffy back to show they mean business.

CP Rail sort of did this.  They resurrected the beaver but he wasn't the cute cuddly one from the old days.  The "new one" looks like he was exposed to radiation or steriods.  He looks like a cartoon rabid super beaver.

[Andrew Falconer]

What they need at CSX Transporation is a cat with fangs, large paws, big claws, and an arched, puffy back to show they mean business.

Andrew

[csxt30]

Hey John

Sure I'll give you a holler the we came through on was the E748 this was at 5:30AM. See ya next time.

Scott

Oh, I know those trains, I've gotten some of those in our yard before ! In fact, just last night or, Wed. I helped E-942 in the yard, though they go south. I'll send you my email address through the forum here !!

Oh, we need you over on the Coffee Pot too !!

Thanks, John  

[broadythecableguy]

Hey John

Sure I'll give you a holler the we came through on was the E748 this was at 5:30AM. See ya next time.

Scott

[alexweiihman]

That would be fumnny having CSX's logo have a cat on it, it would look kind of girly

[bfskinner]

Andrew Falconer,

Your analysis seems right on the mark. If memory serves, the radio comedy team of Bob and Ray once had a (fictitious) sponsor called "Tinker Bell Earth-Moving Equipment Company." Doesn't sound quite right, does it?

Since CSX doesn't run any sleeping cars nowadays, I suspect the management doesn't find the darling little kitty* to be sufficiently macho to represent a big bad freight-hauler.

Perhaps if they appointed a woman CEO we'd get to see Chessie's image once again.

* Note: The synonym I originally used here (innocently enough) was bleeped-out by CTT's omnipresent censorship device. Good grief! Has it really come to this?

 

[csxt30]

Hey CSXT30

 I do run through Ashtabulia I just came through this morning.

Scott

Oh !!  Hey, if you come through on 2nd, give me a holler !! Monday thrugh Friday !!  I know you will if your train breaks down !! What trains are you on ? Oh, I wanted to tell you about the museum in Mentor in case you didn't know !!  Huge 3 rail layout being built plus S, HO, N, & LGB !!  Oh, also big train show in Burea Oct. 6th. & 7TH.  Hope you can go on the 6th. Lots of us from the forum here will be there !!  

Thanks, John  

[broadythecableguy]

Hey CSXT30

 I do run through Ashtabulia I just came through this morning.

Scott

[Anonymous]

I've been to GE/Erie!

When I was in college and in the Reserves, my First Sergeant was a plant manager there, when he found out I was interested in trains he arranged a tour... really neat place.

Was impressed by the hoist crane that is capable of lifting an entire engine shell and placing it on the frame and trucks... when they say they build an engine from the ground up, they aren't kidding!

I did check to see if I still have his contact info... no luck! Haven't been back to Erie since 1997... I think it is time for a trip!

[fifedog]

SEE!!! GARFIELD gets it!!!  Why can't CSX...?

We need SMOKE, over on the Model Railroader forum, to paint up a few modern diesels and fire off some pics to the brass hats in Jacksonville.

Buckeye - GE/Erie is a cool place.  You'll get there one day.

[Buckeye Riveter]

I found this years ago , can't take credit for it my self but would love to see this on trains, real, toy or otherwise. 

They need the Cat.

Fifedog, If I had attended a 2002 convention in Erie, I would have had the chance for the GE tour.  Instead I was driving a rental truck to Massachusetts to take my daughter's worldly belongings to college.  The best part of the trip was discovering Chautauqua Lake, NY.

[Garfield]

I found this years ago , can't take credit for it my self but would love to see this on trains, real, toy or otherwise. 

[csxt30]

I work for CSX and I agree that our current logo is a bad one. In looking at the current CSX logo I can see a quick way to improve it CSX, can you?

 Scott

 

Scott : do run through Ashtabula ? I'm 2nd. trick car inspector there, right now.

Thanks, John 

[broadythecableguy]

I work for CSX and I agree that our current logo is a bad one. In looking at the current CSX logo I can see a quick way to improve it CSX, can you?

 Scott

 

[phillyreading]

chuck,

Glad you mentioned about Peake, Chessie's old man, not too many people know about Peake today.

Lee F.

[fifedog]

Buckeye - I got to tour the GE Erie plant back in 1990, during a NMRA Convention (Pittsburgh).  They (GE) would not allow picture taking once we got off the bus.  This was during GE's first big series of C40-8's, and as luck would have it CSX's order was being constructed.  It was neat seeing everything done in kit form, and very cool seeing frames and bodies suspended in air with lifts. Of course, back then CSX was big on painting its engines stealth grey, remember that?  Kinda reminiscent of NS's habit of putting them GE's right into revenew service.

[Anonymous]

John, have you ever been on a tour of the GE plant in Erie?  Do they even have tours? 

I'm very proud to say that I have had a tour of the Ohio Central Shops.  Since they also do steam rehabs, it is impressive.

You guys live (somewhat near) Pittsburgh; there are great ON DEMAND programs from Comcast.

If you have Comcast..1) Go to the On Demand screen. Select "your town"

                               2) Then scroll down to the next page and select "PCN"

                               3) Then select "tours".

 You have these differant tours to pick from!!

1) Altoona Railroad Museum

2) G.E. Locomotives

3) Norfolk Southern Freight

Lots more...

Let me know if you can get them. They are really awesome programs!!

[Buckeye Riveter]

At the Ohio Central Shops, that have steam engines and diesels in various phase of reconditioning.  They are big on taking, say three or four worn out GP-40s and making on real good one.  They bought old Amtrak engines and re-geared them to pull freight.

[csxt30]

John, have you ever been on a tour of the GE plant in Erie?  Do they even have tours? 

I'm very proud to say that I have had a tour of the Ohio Central Shops.  Since they also do steam rehabs, it is impressive.

I used to have to go in there every time they had engines coming out to go on our mainline in Erie, & inspect them. Most of the time they weren't even painted yet & I would walk all through the whole place from one Dept. to another looking for these engines. That place is like a little city in there, with streets & a traffic light and a Police Dept. Gigantic transfer tables that engines go from one Dept. to another.  Oh, one guy in one of the offices had a old Postwar Lionel engine on a shelf in his office !! I always liked that guy !! Plus they always had a test train I had to put the marker on when it was going out on our main. In their yard they had some old trolleys & passenger cars. They have a 2 mile test track too I liked with catenary on it yet !!  There's a lot to see in that plant & though only one time inspecting our engines coming out, I found a sand door open !!

Not sure but I think they have tours there & I know they do for prospective buyers !!

Oh, what did you see in that Ohio Central tour ? !!

Thanks, John 

[Buckeye Riveter]

John, have you ever been on a tour of the GE plant in Erie?  Do they even have tours? 

I'm very proud to say that I have had a tour of the Ohio Central Shops.  Since they also do steam rehabs, it is impressive.

[csxt30]

fifedog, the only problem is that the NS might be thinking cheaper in the near future.  I caught NS 7571 pulling pigs north from the Ohio River towards Columbus in August of last year.  I hope it was just primer, but I always thought the manufacturer did the painting. 

Usualy GE does paint them but when I worked in Erie from 99 to 02, N&S was getting a lot of engines out of there in primer. Their still not painted !!  I see them up here too all the time. The BNSF got a bunch out of their too & had them painted at a private facility & had to get every one repainted within a couple years cause that paint didn't hold up in the heat out west, etc. A big fee for getting a paint job at GE, but their's holds up.

Thanks, John   

[Buckeye Riveter]

fifedog, the only problem is that the NS might be thinking cheaper in the near future.  I caught NS 7571 pulling pigs north from the Ohio River towards Columbus in August of last year.  I hope it was just primer, but I always thought the manufacturer did the painting.