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B&O Steam Finale Volume 1 By Mellander & Kaplan w/ dust jacket
B & O Steam Finale Volume 1 By Deane Mellander and Bob Kaplan
Photography by William P Price
Hard Cover with Dust Jacket
120 pages
Copyright 1986 FIRST EDITION
Table Of Contents
Forward 1
Preface 2
IBaltimore Division 3
II Potomac Valley 9
Ill Cumberland 41
IV The West End 62
V Wild and Wonderful 88
VI Wheeling Division 105
VII Care and Feeding 115
1953 Roster of Steam Locomotives 119
This book brings to you the last chapter in 125 years of Baltimore and Ohio steam railroading. Through the lens of Bill Price's camera, we take you back to the grand finale-the years between World War II and the end of regular steam operations in 1958. Here is all the magnificence of huge articulateds and "Big Sixes" pounding up the Allegheny grades, streamlined limiteds flashing by in a splash of style and color, and the charm of puttering locals looking for revenue traffic on the branches. Since much of the B&O's history has been documented, we have chosen to bring you an album of photographs, with the text setting the scene. This includes reminiscences from Bill Price and B&O men who remember how it was when steam ruled the rails.
The Baltimore and Ohio reached Cumberland in 1842. Conquering the Alleghenies in the march toward the Ohio River took another ten years. This route included what became known as the West End of the Cumberland Division. The major operating obstacles were the four heavy grades needed to surmount two high summits. However, rich mineral deposits and timber lands were tapped along the way, providing much needed traffic. Purchase of the Pittsburg and Connellsville Railroad provided an alternate route west and gave the B&O direct entrance to the important Pittsburgh markets. In this case, only one summit had to be crossed, but the westbound Sand Patch grade was almost as heavy as those on the West End.
Because of the road's mountainous profile, the B&O pioneered the development of locomotives especially designed for maximum tractive effort. Beginning with Ross Winans' famous Camels, continuing through to the first Mallet articulated locomotive in the country, and culminating with the marvelous EM-1 class 2-8-8-4's, the B&O lines west of Cumberland shuddered under some of the biggest and best the steam era had to offer.
The acquisition of the Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburgh Railroad in 1932 gave the B&O a direct connection to the eastern Great Lakes. It also gave the road an additional stable of good heavy motive power, much of which survived into the 1950's.
The first of these two volumes will feature the lines east of Cumberland, the West End, and operations in West Virginia on the Monongah and Wheeling Divisions. Volume II will take in the Pittsburgh Division, the Buffalo Division (the old BR&P lines), and some lines west of the Ohio River. While our album features steam power, we also had to include some coverage of the diesels that ultimately put the iron horse out to pasture.
We hope you enjoy this portrait of the Baltimore and Ohio at its finest.
All pictures are of the actual item. There may be reflection from the lights in some photos. We try to take photos of any damage. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
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