Did Chesapeake and Ohio went all-diesel-electrics in 1952-53
SPer Did Chesapeake and Ohio went all-diesel-electrics in 1952-53
The C&O started buying diesels big time in the early fifties but steam ran out its last miles in late 1955 and early 1956.
The C&O purchased 363 GP-9 diesels between December 1954 to late 1957. The GP-9 was the model they completed their steam replacement program.
CZ
This picture was in the summer of 1951 and some of the 2-6-6-6's were used until the end.
Most of the older steam power was gone in the early fifties but the Kanawha's finished out their service in late 55 and early 56 on mine runs.
An interesting aside: As a part of dieselization, C&O sold a batch of almost new 0-8-0's to N&W and VGN. N&W liked the 0-8-0's and built more in Roanoke, so much so that Roanoke's last new steam locomotive was an 0-8-0 built in 1953.