CHESAPEAKE & OHIO NOTES

 

In 1946, the Chesapeake & Ohio placed an enormous order for 284 streamlined passenger cars with Pullman-Standard. These cars, separate from the 46 cars ordered from Budd for the extravagant Chessie streamliner, were intended to replace virtually every piece of passenger-carrying rolling stock on the C&O. The number of cars reflected a strong, if unrealistic, expectation that passenger traffic would boom along the C&O in postwar America. Even before the cars were delivered, the order was pared back to 185 cars, with 38 others sold directly to other railroads.

The road's Pullman-Standard streamlined coaches, delivered in 1950, had a less colorful history, as a whole, than its sleeper fleet. The C&O did sell some of these cars to other railroads, so the C&O's distinctive 52-seat coaches saw service on the Seaboard Air Line, the Seaboard Coast Line, Chicago & North Western, the Southern Pacific, and Nacionales de Mexico, in addition to commuter service in Pittsburgh and Connecticut.

This list consists only of cars that actually were accepted from Pullman-Standard by the C&O and saw revenue service on its lines. I have assembled this list from a number of sources, starting with the material contained in James Kemper Millard's excellent Chesapeake & Ohio Streamliners - Second to None; Volume I: The Cars (1994, Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society, Inc.). While I have updated entries as I have come across newer information, some of this is still inevitably out of date. The cars sold to the Connecticut Department of Transportation/Shore Line East (CDOT) are of particular interest as they are no longer easily identifiable as ex-C&O coaches following their rebuilding. Several were purchased by Norfolk Southern for use in their 21st Century Steam program. These cars have been showing up in listings by passenger car brokers recently.

These notes are broken down as follows:

This is still very much a work-in-progress. I welcome updates and corrections to this list.

Modified Coaches

Number Notes Disposition Current/Most Recently-Known Location
135 Renumbered 1701 in October, 1963;
Converted to snack bar car in 1967		 Retired 1971, sold
Sold to Amtrak, became its #3925; Sold to K. Nakahara in 1977.
1610 Converted to Coach-Diner in 1956 Retired 1971, sold Sold to Amtrak, became its #8410; Sold to Fowler Packing Co., Fowler, Calif in 1977.
1611 Converted to Coach-Diner in 1956 Retired 1967, scrapped Sold to Amtrak, became its #8411; Scrapped in 1976.

 

The Rest of the P-S Coach Fleet

Number Notes Disposition Current/Most Recently-Known Location
134 Renumbered 1700 in October, 1963 Retired 1971, sold
Sold to Western Maryland, converted to instruction car #1700; Donated to B&O Museum, Baltimore.
1612
-
 Retired 1971, scrapped
-
1613 Fluting removed c. 1965 Retired 1971, sold Sold to Hocking Valley Scenic Railroad, Nelsonville, Ohio.
1614
-
 Sold, 1971 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. Reportedly converted to a cab car.
1615
-
 Retired 1971, sold Sold to Hocking Valley Scenic Railroad, Nelsonville, Ohio; Later to Traverse City, Michigan; To Steam Railroading Institute, Owosso, Michigan.
1616 Fluting removed c. 1965 Sold, 1973 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. as its #1681. Presumed scrapped.
1617
-
 Sold, 1972 Sold in 1972 to Nacionales de Mexico as its #4268.
1618
-
 Sold, 1970 Sold to Pikeville, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce for use as office space. Presumed scrapped.
1619
-
 Sold, 1972 Sold in 1972 to Nacionales de Mexico as its #4269.
1620
-
 Sold, 1972 Sold to Maryland DOT; Presumed scrapped.
Number Notes Disposition Current/Most Recently-Known Location
1621 Fluting removed c. 1965 Sold, 1973 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. as its #1681. Scrapped.
1622
-
 Sold, 1972 Sold in 1972 to Nacionales de Mexico as its #4270.
1623 Fluting removed c. 1965 Retired 1971, sold Sold to Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Nelsonville. Status?
1624
-
 Sold, 1973 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. as its #1604 City of Pittsburgh. Sold to CDOT Shore Line East (#7091) and rebuilt ; Sold to Norfolk Southern, rebuilt again and used in their 21st Century Steam program as car #47.
1625
-
 Sold, 1972 Sold in 1972 to Nacionales de Mexico as its #4271.
1626
-
 Sold, 1972 Sold to Maryland DOT; Presumed scrapped.
1627 Fluting removed c. 1965; Rented to Gold Spike Centennial Limited, 1969. Retired in blue "American Railroads" paint Sold, 1973 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. as its #1600 City of McKeesport. Scrapped.
1628 Fluting removed c. 1965 Sold, 1973 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. as its #1603 Borough of Liberty/Port Vue. Sold to CDOT Shore Line East, 1989.
1629
-
 Sold, 1973 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. as its #1602 Borough of Braddock/Rankin. Sold to CDOT Shore Line East, 1989.
1630
-
 Retired 1969, scrapped
-
Number Notes Disposition Current/Most Recently-Known Location
1631
-
 Sold, 1972 Sold in 1972 to Nacionales de Mexico as its #4272.
1632
-
 Retired, 1971, transferred Transferred to B&O Railroad Museum; Acquired by C&O Historical Society in 1990. Stored (with fluting intact) at its C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge, Virginia.
1633
-
 Retired, 1971 Sold to Maryland DOT; Presumed scrapped.
1634 Fluting removed c. 1965; Sold, 1971 Sold to Amtrak as its #5238; Later transferred to USDOT Test Center, Pueblo, Colorado.
1635
-
 Retired 1971, sold Sold to Hocking Valley Scenic Railway. Status?
1636 Fluting removed c. 1965; Rented to Gold Spike Centennial Limited, 1969. Retired in blue "American Railroads" paint Sold, 1971 Sold to Maryland DOT; Presumed scrapped.
1637 Fluting removed c. 1965; Sold, 1971 Sold to Amtrak as its #5239; Sold in 1976 to BAR and used on work train as X-604; Sold by 2002 to private owner in New England and remodeled as PV Chisholm Ridge, in C&O paint.
1638
-
 Sold, 1973 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. as its #1601 Borough of Versailles. Sold to CDOT Shore Line East, 1989.
1639
-
 Sold, 1973 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna.; Presumed scrapped.
1640
-
 Sold, 1973 Sold in 1972 to Nacionales de Mexico as its #4273.
Number Notes Disposition Current/Most Recently-Known Location
1641 Fluting removed c. 1965 Sold, 1971 Sold to Amtrak as its #5240; Sold 1976 to J. Greco, Tampa, Fla.
1642
-
 Sold, 1971 Sold to Amtrak as its #5237; Retired in 1977 and converted to MoW camp car #16752; Sold to Gatan Roue, Cincinnati, Ohio.
1643
-
 Sold, 1971 Sold to Amtrak as its #5241; Retired in 1976, sold to BAR and converted to MoW X-605.
1644
-
 Sold, 1971 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. as its #1606. Sold to Maryland DOT.
1646 Fluting removed c. 1965
-
 to C&O RI-4; to TCG-4; to CSXT TGU-4 to CSXT PC-4; to CSXT power car #364 Ohio.
1647
-
 Retired 1969, scrapped
-
1648
-
 Retired 1969, scrapped
-
1649
-
 Retired 1969, scrapped
-
1650 Fluting removed c. 1965; Sold, 1971 Sold to Amtrak as its #5243; Sold to Dr. Howard Blackburn, Noblesville, Ind.; To W&W Railroad, Gore, West Virginia;
Number Notes Disposition Current/Most Recently-Known Location
1651
-
 Retired 1971, sold Sold in 1972 to Nacionales de Mexico as its #4274.
1652
-
 Retired 1971, preserved Transferred to B&O Railroad Museum.
1653 Fluting removed c. 1965 Retired 1971, sold Sold to Nordson Corp, Amherst, Ohio 1972; Moved to Ohio Locomotive Works in Lorain, Ohio, on behalf of the Lakeshore Railway Association in 2015. Most recently reported to be stored just off the southern boundary of the former Ford Lorain Assembly Plant.
1654
-
 Sold, 1971 Sold to Port Authority of Allegheny County, Penna. as its #1605. Presumed scrapped.
1655 Fluting removed c. 1965 Retired 1971, sold Sold to Hocking Valley Scenic Railway. Status?
1656
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6242; to SCL #5254; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5254; Sold to Golden Arrow Tours, 1982; Scrapped.
1657
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6243; to SCL #5255; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5255; Acquired by the C&O Historical Society; Traded to the B&O Museum in 1994, which then traded it off to Kasten Car Co.
1658
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6244; to SCL #5256; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5256; Sold to Railroad Passenger Cars, Inc.; Sold to Passenger Car Corporation of America; Donated to C&O Historical Society, on display (with fluting intact) at its C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge, Virginia.
1659
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6245; to SCL #5257; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5257; Sold to Golden Arrow Tours, 1982; Sold to Minnesota Zephyr; Sold to Iowa Pacific Holdings, 2012.
1660
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6246; to SCL #5258; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5258; Sold 1981 to Naporano Metals, scrapped.
Number Notes Disposition Current/Most Recently-Known Location
1661
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6247; to SCL #5259; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5259; Sold to Kovalchick Co., 1977.
1662
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6248; to SCL #5260; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5260; Sold to Kovalchick Co., 1977.
1663
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6249; to SCL #5261; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5261; Sold to Ampol Wrecking, 1977.
1664
-
 Traded, 1957 Traded in 1957 to C&NW as its #4383 for a rail diesel car; Sold to SP in 1961 as its #2216; Sold to Nacionales de Mexico in 1971
1665
-
 Traded, 1957 Traded in 1957 to C&NW as its #4384 for a rail diesel car; Sold to SP in 1961 as its #2217; Sold to Nacionales de Mexico in 1971
1666
-
 Traded, 1957 Traded in 1957 to C&NW as its #4385 for a rail diesel car; Sold to SP in 1961 as its #2218; Sold to Nacionales de Mexico in 1971
1667
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6250; to SCL #5262; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5262; Sold to Golden Arrow Tours, 1982; Sold to Minnesota Zephyr; Sold to Iowa Pacific Holdings, 2012.
1668
-
 Sold, 1958 Sold to SAL as its #6251; to SCL #5263; Sold to Amtrak in 1971 as its #5263; Sold to George Pins, 1976.

 

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--Fritz Milhaupt, February 2023