The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (reporting marks B&O, BO) is the oldest railroad in the United States and the first common carrier railroad, with its first section opening in 1830. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway took financial control of the B&O in 1963. The B&O already had a controlling interest in the Western Maryland Railway. In 1973 the three railroads were brought together under one corporate identity, the Chessie System, although they continued to operate as separate railroads. The Western Maryland was merged into the B&O in 1976. In 1980 the Chessie System and Seaboard Coast Line Industries, a holding company that owned the Seaboard Coast Line, the Louisville & Nashville, the Clinchfield, and the Georgia Railroad, agreed to form CSX Corporation. SCL Industries was renamed the Seaboard System Railroad (SBD) in 1983, the same year that the Western Maryland Railway was completely absorbed into the B&O. SBD was renamed CSX Transportation (CSX) in 1986. On April 30, 1987, the B&O's corporate existence ended when it was absorbed into the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, which merged into CSX Transportation on August 31 of that year.
Freight Equipment
| Major Lettering Arrangements 1941 - 1960s |
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| Special LCL Schemes | |
| 1947, March - Sentinel Service introduced which assures shippers a definite delivery date. | |
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| 1950 - Time Saver Service introduced for LCL promising second day service between NYC and Midwest cities.The B&O Modeler writes that "a much small number (perhaps a dozen) of the M-55H box cars were repainted in the striking blue and orange “Orange Comet” Time-Saver scheme (six photographically confirmed – numbers #467071, -109, -226, -286, -434, and -439); it appears that these cars were repainted as needed beginning 8/50 to freshly represent B&O in publicity displays and equipment expositions promoting less-than-carload service. All the cars wore silver roofs except #467109, which was photographed sporting at different times a blue roof or a silver roof." | |
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Diesel Locomotives
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Original - Blue/gray/black scheme with three digit numbers and no "Baltimore and Ohio" on boosters. For modeling 1950-55, the B&O Historical Society recommends an ABA or ABBA lashup of Also FA/B2’s or EMD F7’s. |
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| 1957 - Units renumbered to four digits, "Baltimore and Ohio" added to boosters, road number centered on cab side, top gold stripe on black band moved down to below the batten strip. |
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| 1958 - The gray was replaced with blue. | |
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| Late 1962 - "Sunburst" scheme. Lettering color changed from Dulux Imitation Gold to Federal Signal Yellow. Sunburst pattern on nose, dashed frame stripe. |
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| August 1964 - Solid blue scheme with a solid yellow frame stripe. So painted until 1972. | |
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| No B&O cab unit was painted Chessie (1972-1987). | |
| 1941-1945 - Simple Kuhler Herald. | |
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| 1945-1955 - Yellow lettering, 36" Linking 13 Great States Herald. | |
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| 1945-1955 - White lettering, 36" Linking 13 Great States Herald. | |
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| 1945-1955 - White lettering, 25" Linking 13 Great States Herald. | |
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| 1955 - Linking 13 Great States Herald - 7" side numbers. | |
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| 1955-1962 - Linking 13 Great States Herald - 9" side numbers. | |
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| 1963-1964 - Capitol Dome Herald - 9" side numbers. | |
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| 1965-1969 - Pool Service - B&O above bay window, yellow ends. | |
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| 1965-1969 - Pool Service - No B&O above bay window, yellow ends. | |
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| 1970-1971 - Pool Service - Yellow 36" simple Kuhler herald, yellow stripe, and blue ends. Spring Mills Depot I12 Caboose | |
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| 1973-1983+ | |
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Further Reading
B&O Modeler ezine.