Chesapeake & Ohio - The Last Decades of Passenger Service -1950-1971 - in Color by Thomas W. Dixon, Jr.
This is more than just a book with many good color photos, (though it is that), most of which have not been published before. It is also a good history of the era when C&O used the E8s, FP7s and a few other diesels to power its passenger trains during the declining
years of passenger service. Its innovative approach to the "passenger problem" is discussed and the cars and service as well as the flashy, colorful trains themselves, are all treated.
C&O President Walter J. Tuohy said that he would accept a loss on running passenger trains because they were the best advertising the railway had. He knew many financiers and business people from New York and other eastern cities took C& O trains to the Greenbrier hotel, and saw the level and quality of service first hand. Tuohy felt that this would translate into their confidence in the line's freight operations-- the real moneymaker. So, C&O struggled harder than some others, to keep their trans running well.
This books presents good color photography from company files, Gene Huddleston, Tom Dixon, Dorr Tucker and others during this period when C&O want to run good trains but the realities of the marketplace and the hand of history was against it.
Despite this C&O's trains were great almost to the very end, even though they shank in number and size as the years wore on. - The book gives complete story of how this all happened.
Hardbound, 144 pages, 100-lb glossy paper, 200+ photos
