Gifts and Artifacts Chesapeake & Ohio Railway History
3rd Annual Chessie Car Show
Saturday, July 11, 2026 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM C&O Railway Heritage Center
Ever wonder what Chessie dreams about? Classic cars, of course! Come join the fun at this exciting car show packed with chrome, horsepower, and community spirit!
Where Rails Meet Roads!
Experience the rare thrill of historic trains and stunning cars together at the same location! Walk among beautifully restored vehicles while surrounded by iconic railroad history—it’s a one-of-a-kind backdrop you won’t find anywhere else. Perfect for car lovers and train enthusiasts alike!
RAFFLE – EMD GP9 Phase II with High Hood – Standard DC — Chesapeake & Ohio #5951, HO Scale + C&O Railway Series #3, C&O GP7 & GP9 Diesel Locomotives book by Thomas W. Dixon Jr.
The WalthersMainline Phase II High-Hood GP9 is a must-have model for your first-generation diesel roster! Outwardly similar to the earlier GP7, and sharing the same boxy, no frills body with its high, short hood, minor production changes in the number and placement of louvers on locomotives built from 1955 to 1957 resulted in what modelers and railfans refer to as “phase two” GP9s. Like it’s prototypes, many still going strong today, the WalthersMainline HO Scale Phase II High Hood GP9 is the perfect power for any assignment.
Created from original scans of a rare 1948 Chesapeake & Ohio Railway booklet, this beautiful calendar features restored and enhanced Chessie artwork from 1934–1946. Each image has been carefully edited to preserve the charm and nostalgia that made Chessie an icon loved by generations.
This special edition is more than just a calendar — it’s a tribute to the lasting legacy of Chessie and the memories she continues to inspire.
On March 30, 1930, The C&O introduced a new train called The Sportsman. It not only traveled a new route, but carried a new type of car that made it the envy of the railroad world. This was followed a few years later with air-conditioning. The train connected the vacation resorts of the Virginia seashore with the resorts in the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia, and with the playgrounds of the Great Lakes in Michigan.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Society’s Annual Conference/Membership Meeting
August 6 - August 9 Staunton, Virginia
Join us for the 2026 Chesapeake & Ohio event!
This is a fantastic opportunity to engage with fellow enthusiasts and board members who share your interests in the C&O Historical Society.
The information regarding the conference’s location, along with a downloadable registration form, is outlined in the link below. We encourage you to stay updated as we finalize the arrangements.
We’re excited to announce that our latest catalog is now available — packed with railroad history, exclusive products, membership opportunities, and more!
Explore a wide variety of C&O Railway merchandise, books, apparel, and collectibles — all featured in the catalog.
Inside you’ll also find:
Details on C&O Railway History Series Book Subscriptions
A Membership Application to join the C&O Historical Society
Information on how to donate and help preserve C&O Railway heritage
Don’t miss your chance to grab your copy and become part of preserving railroad history!
The Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society is a non-profit corporation dedicated to interpreting the American Railway experience using C&O Railway’s history through drawings, documents, and artifacts which the Society collects, preserves, and makes available to as broad an audience as possible.
The Society was organized in January 1969 with the first publication of a monthly newsletter, and in 1975 was incorporated as a non-profit eleemosynary organization within the meaning or subparagraph 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Clifton Forge, though a small town, was an important place on the C&O. It was where locomotives were serviced and readied for the trip West over the Alleghany Mountains and East over the Blue Ridge Mountains and down the James River. There was a large shop facility for the overhaul and repair of locomotives. There was a large rail yard for classifying coal and other freight, a yard for less than car load freight, an icing facility, the main laundry facility for the railroad, a passenger coach yard, and the division headquarters for the region.
Notes & News from the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society - Products, Updates, Events and More!
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Contact Info
Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society 312 E Ridgeway St Clifton Forge VA 24422