The C&O Historical Society has undertaken an exciting publications project called Chesapeake & Ohio History Series Books.
This series will consist of a book issued every quarter. Each book will treat an aspect of C&O history, equipment, structures, etc., more extensively than we could provide in our C&O magazine. Topics for these books may be continuations or expansions of magazine articles, or entirely new subjects not covered before.
C&O 2-8-0 Consolidation Steam Locomotives By Thomas W. Dixon, Jr. and Karen Parker
This book has just been released as the first Quarter 2020 issue of our Quarterly History Book Series. As such, it is somewhat buried away from the usual attention given to important new C&O steam locomotive books.
- Softbound, 96 pages, 100-lb glossy paper, 150 photos, diagrams and charts.
The book is a MUST for anyone interested to any degree in C&O steam. After all:
- - C&O had MORE 2-8-0s over time than ANY OTHER type;
- - it was the longest lived of any type on C&O, 1881-1956;
- - these engines worked all kinds of jobs;
- - they are important for any understanding of C&O motive power history.
And. . .yet this is the first ever book-length treatment of these work-a-day locomotives. Except for four pages in C&O Power, 2-8-0s have never been written about to any degree other than occasional brief articles. This book now corrects that with a full, documented, authoritative history of every one of C&O’s 2-8-0s from 1881 to the end of steam. Included as well are the obscure classes that were inherited from smaller railroads that were merged—not only HV and PM, but others such as SV&E, AC&I, White Oak, CC&L, etc. C&O Consolidations were the premier freight engines until the Mallets began arriving in quantity in the 1911-1925 era. After that, though their numbers declined, especially in the Depression years, some of the G-7 and G-9s lasted in local freight, coal mine shifter, and branch line service up to the very end of steam.
This book details the mechanical aspects of each class as well as history of their operational service. Tables show the numbers of 2-8-0s in service year-by-year, and each class year-by-year. Excellent, mostly previously unpublished pictures show them in all eras and all types of service. Most photos are displayed in 1/3rd of ½-page size so all the detail can be seen. Two 2-page spreads are if specially created mechanical drawings of the G-7 and G-9 classes. A complete, detailed roster lists all engines by road numbers, builder, year built, and when the last of each class was retired. C&O motive power has been as thoroughly treated in books, articles, and models as that of any railroad in America, BUT, the 2-8-0s have been largely ignored, as has been their important role not only in the development of the modern, 20th century, coal-hauling C&O, but in their long service right up to the end of steam. People who have so long concentrated on the glamorous ladies of the C&O: the Alleghenies, Mallets, Greenbriers, Mountains, Pacifics, Mikados, Hudsons, and Kanawhas, have simply missed the importance of the Consolidations. This is a chance to catch up on that! BK-20-501
Chesapeake & Ohio: Life in a Caboose By Clifford L Clements
Much has been written about the technology of the caboose car, but former C&O conductor Cliff Clements tells the story of how it was to work in and around cabooses as a brakeman and conductor. His insights as to the "real” operations of this key element of railroading will be of interest to just about everyone. His first-hand account is a new type of book for the C&OHS as it explores the human side of railroading. A section at the back of the book also has good data on C&O's fleet wooden and steel caboose cars of the Era mainly 1940-1986. Excellent photographic coverage. BK-20-502
Chesapeake & Ohio Heralds, Symbols, & Advertising By Thomas W. Dixon, Jr.
This book draws together most of the symbols and typography used by C&O and some of its predecessors in advertising itself and its services. The intent is to place in one location all major design usages made by the C&O over its entire life on publications, timetables, and advertising, as well as locomotives, structures, and rolling stock. In short, this is the iconography of the C&O, 1837-1980.
Why such a book? It has been the experience of C&OHS that modelers, model manufacturers, preservationists, historians, railfans, producers of memorabilia, and publishers of books are in constant need of data regarding how C&O and its predecessors advertised themselves. We are consistently engaged in researching these things. With this book we intend to place all, or almost all, of this in one place for general use. The book gives the background history of the railway itself as it influenced the development and change of its advertising symbols and images (iconography). You will find included Chessie and her family, the most important and famous of all C&O symbols, as well as the best remembered “herald” and slogan of all: “C&O For Progress.” In addition C&O used scores of different arrangements of its initials, road name, and many different slogans and designs. These were set in scores of varied typefaces (fonts) and decorative designs.
Railfans and modelers often refer to a railway’s distinctive logo as a “herald.” The book traces the development of a C&O herald with the first truly distinctive design starting in 1884 that was used over a long period of time. This “Big C&O” design was used in one form or another until 1931, when more imaginative designers in the Public Relations Department replaced it. They crested the famous 1930s-40s era “steam train” design with a stylized steam passenger train was placed at the bottom of an intertwined “C and O.” This morphed into the famous “C&O for Progress” design in two iterations. Overlaid on all this was Chessie, the most important railroad advertising symbol of all time, and George Washington in various poses, father not only of his country but of C&O itself!
The book is illustrated with examples of almost every iteration of each of the major heralds, as well as topography and designs used only briefly or even once over the period of 120 years covered. The herald evolution of the Pere Marquette and its predecessors and the Hocking Valley and its predecessors are also illustrated. We additionally include specialty designs such as those used for various named trains such as the Fast Flying Virginian, Sportsman, and George Washington.
In short, this book has everything one needs to know about C&O advertising symbols, designs, heralds, logos, and typography. Softbound – 96 pages, 10-lb. Glossy paper. BK-20-503
C&O Local Passenger Trains by Karen Parker
Celebrating how railroads reached many parts of America that had not been connected to the modern network, the latest in our quarterly series books is CHESAPEAKE & OHIO LOCAL PASSENGER TRAINS by Karen Parker. In what is our largest "quarterly" book to date, this magnificent piece brings to life the pioneering spirit of local trains that served stations where the "named" trains didn’t stop. The C&O Railway's local trains in Appalachia and
throughout Chessie's Road provided the only outlet to the world for people living on branches in the coal regions. They also carried much of the mail and express which the through trains didn’t handle because of their expedited schedules. Readers who order now should not be disappointed by adding this painstakingly-researched and vividly-told book to their shelves.
BK-20-504
