Chesapeake & Ohio Diesel Locomotives in Color: 1949-1971.

The story of Chesapeake & Ohio's conversion to diesel locomotives is one of a reluctant embrace of technology driven by economics. Were it not for the introduction of new management during WWII, the story could have turned out quite similar to that of the N&W, who embraced steam locomotives long after most railroads had dieselized in the late 1950s.

The success of dieselization on the Pere Marquette, merged into C&O in 1947, has been cited as a major influence. But the coal strike of 1949 was the catalyst that brought the diesel locomotive to the C&O proper.

By waiting until later to purchase diesel locomotives, the C&O avoided many of the miss-steps that other roads made in their purchase of early diesels. The C&O purchased locomotives in a consistent manner, with a great deal of standardization. In the end, some of the diesels purchased to replace steam would last long enough to be included in the CSX roster, outliving the C&O itself.

Contents:
Ch. 1: Steam's Last Stand;
Ch. 2: The Pere Marquette;
Ch. 3: The Die is Cast, 1949-1951;
Ch. 4: The End of an Era, 1952-1957;
Ch. 5: The Dawn of a New Era, 1962-1965;
Ch. 6: Into the Future, 1966-1971;
Ch. 7: Chessie and Beyond.

C&O Historical Society, laminated hard cover, 122 pages, 8.5 x 11 x .5 in., all color photographs.