6930b&o
Baltimore & Ohio GP9 #6655...
Built in July 1956 for the C&O as their #6105,
this GP9, along with all the C&O #6100-6134 units, were
transferred to the B&O in 1968. It was renumbered at
that time to #6655.
Delivered in the older C&O scheme, with "CHESAPEAKE &
OHIO" spelled out on the long hood. It was transferred
wearing the "Big C&O" scheme. When transferred, the
B&O just painted over the C&O For Progress logos on each
end and the "C" on the long hood. This unit was a little
unusual in that the smaller Capitol Dome was used on the
ends. Most units of this era had a larger logo on each
end. Like all C&O GP9s, this unit had the short hood
designated as the front and a high nose mounted bell. When
the B&O purchased GP9s, they were designated long hood as the
front and did not have high nose mounted bells.
Like many GP9s, this unit was traded in to EMD on
Feb 1, 1984 for credit on a C&O SD50 order. It did not
last to the CSX era, so was never assigned a CSX number. I
have never seen a photo of it in Chessie paint, and was likely
not repainted.
I chose to model this unit because I had a photo
of it at Hancock in 1974. The model is a Front Range
dummy. Like all my dummies, it has an odd road number.
Below is a pic of the real #6955. Note the
faint "CHESEPEAKE & OHIO" to the left of the "B" on the long
hood.
