CO 490 - Baltimore MD - 09/23/18
Tucked away in an old shop building at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, is Chesapeake and Ohio 4-6-4 490. This locomotive was built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1926 - as one of the five F-19 class 4-6-2 Pacific locomotives built for the C&O. The No. 490 was used on passenger trains east of Charlottesville and west of Clifton Forge. In 1930, the No. 490 was assigned to the "Sportsman," the premier C&O passenger train at the time. Later, the No. 490 was transferred to the "George Washington." The No. 490 and other 4-6-2s operated between Cincinnati and Washington until 1942, when the C&O replaced the Pacifics with new heavy Baldwin 4-8-4 locomotives. C&O 490 and the other 4-6-2s continued to run as secondary passenger trains during World War II.
Shortly after the end of the war, the C&O decided to upgrade their passenger service. The C&O was primarily a coal-hauler and therefore wanted to improve steam locomotive technology. They developed a new luxury streamliner between Washington and Cincinnati named the "Chessie." The new liner was to be powered by experimental steam-turbine-electric locomotives. In addition, the C&O's Huntington shops rebuilt the No. 490 and the other 4-6-2s into L-1 class 4-6-4 Hudsons. The new locomotives had roller bearings, front-end throttle, high-speed booster, cross counterbalance, and the Franklin system of steam distribution.
Due to the increased automobile production and the airline expansion that occurred after the war, the luxury "Chessie" passenger trains never entered service. The rebuilt and streamlined Hudsons instead hauled regular passenger trains until 1953.
CO 490 - Baltimore MD - 09/23/18
Tucked away in an old shop building at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, is Chesapeake and Ohio 4-6-4 490. This locomotive was built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1926 - as one of the five F-19 class 4-6-2 Pacific locomotives built for the C&O. The No. 490 was used on passenger trains east of Charlottesville and west of Clifton Forge. In 1930, the No. 490 was assigned to the "Sportsman," the premier C&O passenger train at the time. Later, the No. 490 was transferred to the "George Washington." The No. 490 and other 4-6-2s operated between Cincinnati and Washington until 1942, when the C&O replaced the Pacifics with new heavy Baldwin 4-8-4 locomotives. C&O 490 and the other 4-6-2s continued to run as secondary passenger trains during World War II.
Shortly after the end of the war, the C&O decided to upgrade their passenger service. The C&O was primarily a coal-hauler and therefore wanted to improve steam locomotive technology. They developed a new luxury streamliner between Washington and Cincinnati named the "Chessie." The new liner was to be powered by experimental steam-turbine-electric locomotives. In addition, the C&O's Huntington shops rebuilt the No. 490 and the other 4-6-2s into L-1 class 4-6-4 Hudsons. The new locomotives had roller bearings, front-end throttle, high-speed booster, cross counterbalance, and the Franklin system of steam distribution.
Due to the increased automobile production and the airline expansion that occurred after the war, the luxury "Chessie" passenger trains never entered service. The rebuilt and streamlined Hudsons instead hauled regular passenger trains until 1953.