Love for the C & O

[waltersrails]

i am modeling Chessie as well. i found i lot of C&O and B&O manly C&o at www.discounttrains.com They have a great selection the prices are great. Bowser in the selection has a ton of differnt coal cars and i know bachmann has 2 diffeernt C&O RTR coal hoppers.

[cnw4001]

My experience at various train shows has been mixed. At one I'll see streamline passenger cars but no engines. At another I'll see engines but no cars and then at another you'll find heavyweight cars but no engines. On and on. I tend to buy at train shows and when I buy I try and get something "complete" instead of say an engine and then wait around hoping for cars.

I guess it comes down to luck of the draw.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the help, and replies, anyother C & O railfans want to join in

[DavidJ611]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy
Don't forget the P2K Heritage C&O 2-8-4 Kanawhas. Probably the best HO C&O steamer you can buy.

I'd personally like to see BLI or Bachmann Spectrum do a C&O J3a class 4-8-4 Greenbriar. BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

[#ditto][#ditto][#ditto] [^]

-Dave

[Anonymous]

Did the C & O even run through Blacksburg, I thought it might be that other railroad, like the Norfolk and Western. I am sure you know, that all dirt roads lead to Tech. Yes I happen to be a UVA fan, and yes, you did beat us. Just some playful ribbing here.

[Virginian]

The C&O served Charlottesville, home to UVA. The N&W served Blacksburg, home to Va Tech. Chessie used a kitten as it's symbol. The N&W advertised Precision Transportation. A lot of Hokies worked for N&W. Draw your own conclusions. :-)
Best sign ever, seen at the Sugar Bowl (you know, that's one of those BCS Bowls UVa has heard about) .........

"What's a Hokie?
You're about to find out !!!!!!!!!!!"

Let's see if you 'Hoos can not embarass the rest of the ACC in your bowl this year, okay ?!

[BRAKIE]

Thanks Greg! [:D] I will copy that and put it in with my other notes on Peach Creek..
I plan on building the Peach Creek yard in N Scale so I can better capture the general size of the yard without the need to overly condense the yards due to space restictions..I also plan to display this layout at train shows and hopefully at local C&O meets.

[Anonymous]

Brakie, sorry I didn't answer you sooner but my opportunities to get on the computer are limited. I just get too busy to get an opportunity to get on line. Now the best hobby shop in the area is WV. Hobby & Crafts in Teay's Valley, WV. As for Hobbyland, after the old man retired, his daughter took over and the store has slowly withered away to almost nothing. In the old days, they used to have tons of stuff. The only problem was that everything was at retail or above. Recently my cousin bought some HO track from them and it was marked with the old Huntington 8th Avenue store address. I think that they are just selling off the old stock and not getting much, if any, new stuff in. I'm kind of surprised that they are still in business. You don't see them at train shows anymore or any Christmas commercials that were common in days past. One great thing about WV Hobby and Crafts is that their stock is sold below retail. The last Atlas engine I bought there retailed for $89 and change. It was marked at $69 and change. That is standard and does not include their close-out items that they get from time to time which are really discounted. The fellow who owns WV. Hobby & Crafts also owns Nitro Hobby & Crafts. It is like a smaller branch of WV. Hobby & Crafts. I've seen a lot about Peach Creek in some of my C&O books. I think the C&O Historical Society could tell you anything you wanted to know about Peach Creek. Are the RSD 7s the Alcos they used to call Dragonladies?

[BRAKIE]

WV Hagan,Yes the C&O men call the RSD7s "Dagonladies.The bailiwick of the RSD7s was working out of Peach Creek.
That saddens me to here how Hobbytown went down hill after the old man retired.He was the closest and best stock hobby shop from Garrison,Ky where I was living while working on the C&O.

BTW..CSX calls a lot of the former C&O the C&O division and uses the same sub division names!

[Anonymous]

Well I'm glad to hear that CSX hasn't tried to completely obliterate the C&O. Although its kind of hard to imagine now, someday we may grow nostalgic over CSX. That is, if there is any truth to some rumors that it may be UP through here in the future. Mr. Reeves, the old man at Hobbyland, passed away about two years ago. I understand that at one time his mother worked at the store. She may have started the business. That was well before my time. I don't go around Hobbyland much anymore because it is sad. But, nature abhors a vaccuum. WV. Hobby & Crafts is one of the finest hobby stores around. Really, for our population, we shouldn't have such a large and well stocked hobby shop in this area. It stocks more N scale stuff than any other place I've ever been. The icing on the cake is that things are priced below retail. So, for model railroaders, this is a great place to be. I've visited my brother in the New Orleans area and my sister in the Columbus area and haven't seen any stores that have come close to WV. Hobby and Crafts. When we were visiting friends in Louisville, KY., I checked out some hobby shops and not one was anywhere near the size of WV Hobby & Crafts. It would be a mistake to assume that WV. Hobby & Crafts caused the demise of Hobbyland. Hobbyland had the area sewed up. But, as I've said, once Mr. Reeves no longer ran the place, it went downhill relatively quickly. He was the heart of Hobbyland and loved trains. In fact, in his later years, he built a really awesome trestle bridge type setup that runs around the ceiling of Hobbyland. It was scratchbuilt out of small pieces of wood. I can't even imagine building that myself. When he was alive, you could go and ask him how to do something and he could tell you. He would sit and talk trains with you as long as you wanted to. He was gruff on the outside, but once you got to know him, he was a really neat person. I used to love to go in and talk to him and listen to his stories. I, and a lot of modeller's around here, miss him. Around model railroad circles, he will be the topic of memories and discussion for years to come. He was a cornerstone of the hobby in this area and did a lot to promote model railroading in Huntington. WV. Hobby & Crafts started out as a small store. As a modeller, there was less and less and less you could find at Hobbyland. You just couldn't find what you wanted. Everything was old stock at top dollar. So, the shift of business to WV. Hobby & Crafts was gradual at first and as word spread, things just snowballed. No one took the business away from Hobbyland, its like they just quit and gave up.

[lesterperry]

First to answer as to why not much stuff available. I have been modeling the C&O for many years now. If you think it is hard to find stuff now you should have tried it 15 years ago. NOTHING. No C&O, no Chessie no, no CSX to speak of. The reason I was given then by many people was CSX owns those names and would not license the modeling industry to use them. The last 5 years has been unbelievable to me in the amount of things availible. I used to buy other roads and repaint and decal them. Now I can find a lot of stuff I want. Pics that many of you have seen are @ http://photobucket.com/albums/b254/lesterperry/
TO Brakie
As for Peach creek information go to WWW.COHS.ORG They will have all the information you can use or need plus some.

[DigitalGriffin]

There are a TON of C&O steam that hasn't even been produced yet...In matter of fact, I believe the C&O had one of the greatest variety of engines in use at once. (Which is great fun for us modelers!)

The following are currently in production:
C class 0-8-0 (P2k),
J class 4-8-2 Light & Heavy (Bachmann Spectrum)
T-1 2-10-4 (BLI)-And a beautiful piece she is
H-5 2-6-6-2 (Bachmann Spectrum)-rarely used by C&O
H-8 2-6-6-6 (Rivarossi) . (Oh I can't wait till this spring)
K4 2-8-4 (P2K)

I think we are still missing G, and L classes. (At least I haven't seen them in production) Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...

I wouldn't mind a C-12 0-10-0 or J-3 4-8-4, H-7 2-8-8-2 myself.

Here's a complete list in order they were introduced:
G-6 2-8-0
A-16 4-4-2
F-15 4-6-2
C-8 0-8-0
G-7 2-8-0
C-7 0-6-0
G-8 2-8-0
G-9 2-8-0
H-1 2-6-6-2
H-2 2-6-6-2
J-1 4-8-2
K-1 2-8-2
H-4 2-6-6-2
F-16 4-6-2
F-17 4-6-2
K-1
H-3* 2-6-6-2
J-2 4-8-2
C-12 0-10-0
H-5 2-6-6-2
H-6 2-6-6-2
F-18 4-6-2
H-7 2-8-8-2
K-2 2-8-2
K-3 2-8-2
C-14 0-8-0
F-19 4-6-2
H-7A 2-8-8-2
K-3A 2-8-2
H-4A 2-6-6-2
C-15 0-8-0
C-16 0-8-0
T-1 2-10-4
J-3 4-8-4
H-8 2-6-6-6
C-16A 0-8-0
J-3A 4-8-4
L-2 4-6-4
K-4 2-8-4
L-1 4-6-4
L-2A 4-6-4

[SSW9389]

I love the C&O because C.P.Huntington was involved in it! He was also involved with some lines out west. [:D] [:D] [:D]

[BRAKIE]

Lester,The CSX never had a licensing program for models until recently..The biggest problem was the lack of the manufacturers wanting to produce C&O models..Atlas did have a RSD4/5 and RSD12 lettered for C&O,not sure about their F7 plus Athearn had their FP7 and a U boat lettered for C&O. A C&O brass caboose was produce in the late 60s..I can't recall any other C&O diesel models except for few freight cars.There was a C&O/N&W brass 0-8-0 and several other brass C&O steam engines produce over the years.

Now to be a SERIOUS C&O modeler one must never mention those two ugly C words Chessie(except as in mentioning Chessie the cat) and CSX.[:0][:p][;)][:D]

[Anonymous]

I've always loved the C&O, it was the railroad I "grew up" with in Livonia, MI. During my pre-adolescent childhood, C&O geeps literally defined what railraoding was about to me.

That's why I was disappointed that Athearn's original BB GP-7 wasn't available prepainted in C&O colors. Luckily Champ Decal Co. had what I needed to make some decent-looking models though.

There is a well-stocked LHS in my former hometown of Laurel, MD, that specializes in C&O models and memorabilia. The name? Why Peach Creek Shops of course![:D]

[waltersrails]

just got a chessie C&O auto rack walthers gold line very nice.

[BRAKIE]

QUOTE: Originally posted by KenLarsen

I've always loved the C&O, it was the railroad I "grew up" with in Livonia, MI. During my pre-adolescent childhood, C&O geeps literally defined what railraoding was about to me.

Ken,A follow club member once ask me why I had so many C&O P2K GP7/9s..My reply is first one couldn't enter a C&O engine terminal and swing a dead Yak without hitting GP7 or 9 and secondly one can not properly model the C&O without having lots of GP7/9s..[:D]

[Anonymous]

As a C&O diesel modeler I find that the one big gap is not models, its paint schemes. Theres a great number of C&O diesels out there to buy (I've got 2 RTR GP-35's under the tree!)

The later simple paint schemes like on the new Atlas geep are under represented, Its all the transistion era roman lettering (not that that's a bad thing, I love that scheme) On the GP-7's and 9's. I've been pulling for P2K to re-release the 7's and 9's in one of the later schemes. And brakies right, you cant model the C&O without lots of Geep 7's and 9's. I've got six (4 early roman, 1 sound, 2 in the later "big C&O" scheme) I'd like to build a big fleet of them as they we're the workhorses of the C&O for many years. I have 2 shells right now that are going to be painted into the Sans Sarif scheme (Like on the GP-30's and U-boats).

Speaking of the GP-30's I'm giddy that LL is re-releasing them with sound this spring.

[BRAKIE]

There are other C&O schemes as well..

http://www.trainweb.org/chessiephotos/photos/GP9/6178c&o.jpg

http://www.trainweb.org/chessiephotos/photos/GP9/6169c&o.jpg

http://www.trainweb.org/chessiephotos/photos/GP7/5867c&o.jpg


Then there is the low headlites on some GP7s

.http://www.trainweb.org/chessiephotos/photos/GP7/5710c&o.jpg


Then there is the B&O exC&O GP9s that retain the C&O looks and numbers!

http://www.trainweb.org/chessiephotos/photos/GP9/5938b&o.jpg

Before and after..

http://www.trainweb.org/chessiephotos/photos/GP9/5958c&o.jpg

http://www.trainweb.org/chessiephotos/photos/GP9/5958b&o.jpg

Who ever said modeling the C&O was easy?[;)]

[lesterperry]

Brakie I agree there is no room for Chessie system, choke, or CSX gag. But it is interesting to me that Chessie is C&O not B&O but eveyone seems to think B&O was the dominate company. If you look into it when the C&O BOUGHT the B&O they ordered many locos with B&O on them but in the C&O style & colors. The numbers fell inline with C&O numbers for each type loco. Then the Chessie is C&O icon. Now It is Chessie first in front of Seaboard for some strange reason. The kitty still lives.
C&O is the way to go!

[Anonymous]

Brakie, those are the paint schemes I'm referring too, the 2 shells in the paintshop (Read: Garage) are in the scheme thats in your first and 3rd photos.

The low headlight mount is one of the projects I have lined up.

[waltersrails]

Well i soon will be getting a few more C&O cars to work on this week. i can't wait.

[BRAKIE]

Any of youse guys ever scratch build or kit bash one of C&O's Butt head doddle bugs? [:p]

[lesterperry]

I wouldn't know where to begin on the doodle bug but I did see one at Timonium train show back in October. It was realy nice so was the price $650. I just don't have that much extra cash laying around. So far my highest price is $350 for T10 Texan. I love it.

[DigitalGriffin]

Regretably the B&O was floundering when the C&O picked them up. Kind of a sad end for the long history pioneer of railroading in America

[BRAKIE]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DigitalGriffin

Regretably the B&O was floundering when the C&O picked them up. Kind of a sad end for the long history pioneer of railroading in America

When C&O took control of the B&O ,it was in the best interest of the C&O..You see PRR/NYC had their eyes on the B&O during the merger talks and more then likely would have included the cash strap B&O in the purposed Penn-Central.Also the N&W made their move by merging with the NKP and Wabash and as part of a agreement with the purposed PRR/NYC merger N&W received PRR's Sandusky Line which would give the N&W a direct link to the NKP at Bellevue so,the C&O had to make a move and that move was taking control but not merging with the B&O.

The end of the B&O would come on April 30, 1987 when it was merged into the C&O by then a subsidiary of CSX.. Then on August 31, 1987 the C&O would be merged into the CSX.

[lesterperry]

Brakie if you look a little further back you will see that the NYC was almost begging the C&O to purchase it. And the C&O wasn't interested. I believe it was 1958 when the C&O started to make its move to take over the B&O and by 62 or 63 it owned 80%. But the average person didn't even notice because it there were no visible changes in the B&O for a few years.

[BRAKIE]

Lester,The C&O acquired control of the B&O in May 1962 during the height of the Penn-Central merger talks!! [:0] I suspect their was some unhappy faces and some cussing going on the PRR/NYC merger board.[;)] Now I suspect when the N&W was appointed trusteeship over the E-L in 1968( a job the N&W did not want) I suspect PC was doing some head bangin![:0] Of course the N&W with the NKP and Wabash lines was a bigger threat then the C&O/B&O/WM..

[lesterperry]

I was going from memory but I wasn't far off on what I said. It just aggrivates me that most people want to ignore the fact that C&O bought B&O & WM. They like to make it a merger. And I still feel that CSX is a C&O child much like Chessie was. As far as modeling goes it is easier to find Chessie / B&O or WM than Chessie C&O. I still prefer the pre B&O times or maybe the beginning Of the B&O times.

Les

[BRAKIE]

It shocks some modelers to know none of the Chessie roads was merged during the Chessie..These roads locomotives usually stayed on home rails rather then roam the system of course there was some exceptions.The hodge podge locomotive consists would come AFTER the fomation of CSX in 1980.
The best way to model the Chessie is to understand the following.One needs to figure out if he/she is modeling the C&O under the Chessie banner,the B&O under the Chessie banner or the WM under the Chessie banner.
I model the C&O in the 60s and the C&O under the Chessie banner so the majority of my locomotives under C&O/Chessie is lettered C&O or Chessie (c&o) with some B&O units.

There is a shortage of C&O hopper cars with the peaked ends..