If anyone knows of any information or could maybe even help me in identifying this engine would be greatly appreciated. I've been scouring the web but haven't found any pictures or information on when C&O 742 last ran or if it had been scrapped, that sort of information. I know it will probably be next to impossible to figure it out but it's worth a shot :-). So far I could only come up with whats in the picture, in that its a 2-8-0 and was owned by the C&O ( lettering under the cab). Starting off with who it was made by and its model even would be helpful in knowing the history behind this locomotive. I would of removed the picture from the frame and scanned it but the picture is close to 100 years old and its sealed in the frame. Much appreciated and by the way I guess this is my "hey new guy here post" haha.

The general lines of the locomotive look like a C&O F class 4-6-0, and the dress of the people in the photo suggest it was taken in the 1930's. I would contact the C&O Historical Society

http://cohs.org/contact/

Regards,

Thanks for the info! Looking over the picture again it does appear to possibly be a 4-6-0

OK, I'm looking her over closely (and I have my copy of Huddleston, Schuster, and Staufer's "C&O Power" handy), and she's actually a 2-8-0; the drivers look awfully low for anything the C&O had for 4-6-0s of the vintage of this engine, and you can just make out a side rod running forward between the two enginemen, behind the grease cup and the crosshead guides and guide support bracket.

Now, which class is it, and when was the photo taken? C&O had a lot of 2-8-0s over the years, and most were renumbered, some several times. The engine's lettering is the pre-1930 style, and she has a fairly modern electric headlight. She also has slide valves, which makes her something earlier than a G-7 (which originally had inboard piston valves). Looking more closely, the firebox is between the drivers, with a grate that is level or nearly so, in contrast to one that was above the last driver and then dipping down between drivers 4 and 3 on a G-7. Overall size looks like a G-7 though. . .

G-4's had 50" drivers (which were also a common switcher size), which would look too low compared with the men in the photo, and also the tender trucks; same applies to a G-5. What about a G-6?

Richmond Locomotive Works built 75 engines between 1899 and 1901, with 56" drivers (which this engine seems to have), 22"x28" cylinders, and an engine weight of 186,500 lbs. They had slide valves (same as this one), and a long, narrow firebox (121 5/8" x 41 5/8"), which would fit between the wheels (check, this one has that characteristic, which also shows up in the reprinted diagram book I have). The engines had wooden cabs originally, while this one has a steel cab, but changes like that were common. Original numbers were 351 to 425; five engines had been retired before a general renumbering in 1924 (Nos. 356, 357, 369, 382, and 404), but the remaining 70 engines were renumbered 715 to 784 in that year. The entire class was retired by the end of 1935.

Going through the other 2-8-0 classes doesn't reveal anything else in this number range in the time period we can determine from the photo. So what we have is a G-6 2-8-0, wearing the 28th number in the 1924 renumbering sequence (assuming the engines were renumbered in sequence). Three engines ahead of it in its earlier number sequence had been scrapped by the time of the renumbering in 1924, putting this locomotive in the 31st position in its original number series. That would make it originally No. 381, built between December of 1900 and January of 1901 in Richmond, Va., as part of the order form Nos. 376-400. All this would set the photo to somewhere between 1924 and 1935, unless one can come up with a definite scrapping or sale date to close the record earlier.

Wow, that is awesome you were able to get me that information and thank you so much for taking the time to research it! Do you think I should call down to the C&O historical society and see if they know anything more about her?

Thank you for the kind words. The job was not that big for me; one of the things you will find out if you hang around here enough is that many railfans are like sports fans, in the sense that we have favorite "teams" (railroads), and that some of us tend to fill our heads with interesting but often useless trivia (and I have to plead guilty to such a charge!) In my case, I am also a fan of the C&O, and have an interest in model railroads as well; the two interests drive each other, with the interest in modeling requiring researching the prototype to reproduce it accurately.

As to contacting the C&O Historical Society, why not? I might suggest an e-mail, perhaps with an attachment of this photo, and perhaps this discussion, to pique their interest. Remember that such an organization is often run by volunteers, whose time can be precious; give them the courtesy of making the time productive for them as well as yourself. I would also recommend supporting the organization in some way, either with a membership, or a purchase of some sort from their extensive line of offerings. I've bought a fair amount of material from them myself, but haven't joined the society yet. I really need to get a round tuit; all the ones I have are square!

http://www.cohs.org/

Search of C&OHS photo archives under the term "G-6":

http://www.cohs.org/cgi-bin/cohs_search ... ive+Search

A G-6 from the order mentioned:

http://www.cohs.org/repository/Archives ... hs-301.jpg

One thing to keep in mind is that the C&O would renumber engines on occasion; in addition to that, they would reuse class designations for engines acquired later. In this respect, we actually have two very different 2-8-0s in class G-6. The originals were the engines we have been discussing; the second series were some locomotives that were inherited with another line in a merger in 1947. This line was the Pere Marquette, which was the original owner of a large 2-8-4, No. 1225, that has been restored and used in excursion service in recent years (it is now undergoing another overhaul, which steam engines need with considerable regularity).

A photo of this other G-6 class is below; note that it is considerably larger than the C&O's own originals, and that the drivers are larger, too:

http://www.cohs.org/repository/Archives ... s-5288.jpg

Have fun.

A sort of PS to the message above: your user name is that of this locomotive, and a couple of elements in your writing style suggest you might be someone relatively young. You obviously have a strong interest in this engine. What drives this interest? Where does it come from? Do you have a relative in the photo? Such stories are part of railroading's history, and are of interest to many of us here.

It's great to see that there's a place keeping record of the history of the C&O and I will definitely have to buy something from them or maybe see if they are interested in my photo. I did contact them and provided the information you gave me so time will tell if they are able to dig anything up for me. Thanks again for being so knowledgeable of C&O subject matter and I hope I can get to that level of detail sooner or later.



Yes your critique is accurate because I am 22 haha, but I have been interested in trains since I was very young and have recently started to get back into it since I just finished my degree. Now being an adult I understand a lot more since then, other than the shear power that these machines can bring to bear which got me to love them as a kid. Railroading is also in my blood from generations long before me. I remembered this photo was somewhere in my house, but never asked my mother about it. I asked her about it and she told me the man sitting on the front of the engine is my great great grandfather and that also my great grandfather and great uncle also worked for the C&O.

I recently just went with my girlfriend to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and we both had a lot of fun and being that it was the Santa Express time of year it was funny to notice we were the only 20 year olds around haha. She also pushed me to get back into it and its good to know I still have very strong feelings towards railroading.

Sort of a PS as well, I was very lucky to have a grandfather that also loved that I loved trains and I was very fortunate to ride the 614 from Hoboken, NJ to Port Jervis, NY I believe in 97' (making me 9 years old) and I remember that day clear as any other. Especially going over the bridge in the open air car and also remembering subsequently losing my engineer cap with a lot of buttons from different railroads a few miles later when the 614 was picking up speed haha.

Ross, if you're "listening", you owe C&O742 a new hat!!! Unless you weren't running that day....LOL...

Seriously, glad to know that you're back in the game, C&O742. This is cool stuff, whether you are 9 or 22 or 62. And we do need more 22-year old in this!

Howard P.