Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Railway History Timeline

Home » Appalachian Railroads » Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railway » Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Railway History Timeline

History Timeline of the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Railway

1830s–1890s: Origins and expansion west

  • 1836: The Louisa Railroad, an early predecessor, is chartered in Virginia.
  • 1868: Following the Civil War, the Virginia Central Railroad and the incomplete Covington and Ohio Railroad merge, officially forming the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad (C&O).
  • 1870s: Collis P. Huntington gains ownership control and pushes the line west across the Appalachian Mountains.
  • 1873: The C&O reaches the Ohio River at Huntington, West Virginia, a city founded by its namesake owner.
  • 1878: Receivership due to the Panic of 1873 leads to reorganization and renaming as the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.
  • 1882: A new line connects to the tidewater at Newport News, Virginia, establishing a major coal export port.
  • 1888: The Morgan and Vanderbilt interests take control from Huntington, installing Melville E. Ingalls as president.
  • 1889: The C&O merges with the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad, gaining new trackage along the James River.
  • 1890s: Ingalls’ leadership modernizes the C&O with heavier rails, steel bridges, and lined tunnels, focusing on efficient coal transport.

1900–1940s: Midwest reach and profitable coal hauls

  • 1910: The C&O acquires the Chicago, Cincinnati and Louisville Railroad, gaining direct access to Chicago.
  • 1920s: Financial control shifts to the Van Sweringen brothers, influential Cleveland magnates.
  • 1930: The C&O merges with the Hocking Valley Railway, securing an important route to the Great Lakes port of Toledo.
  • 1930s: Remained profitable during the Great Depression, primarily due to its reliable coal freight business.
  • 1933: Lionel Probert initiates the iconic “Chessie the kitten” marketing campaign for the new air-conditioned sleeping cars, using the slogan “Sleep Like a Kitten”.
  • 1937: The George Washington passenger train is launched, becoming a flagship service.
  • 1947: The profitable Pere Marquette Railway is merged into the C&O, diversifying traffic with significant automobile and parts business from the Midwest.

1950s–1970s: Modernization and Chessie System formation

  • 1945–1954: Robert R. Young serves as chairman, modernizing passenger service with innovations like credit card use and no-tipping policies, though passenger traffic continues to decline.
  • 1950s: The C&O aggressively modernizes its operations under President Walter J. Tuohy, including fully dieselizing its motive power.
  • 1963: The C&O, financially stable, gains control of the struggling Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad, beginning the modern merger era.
  • 1971: Passenger service is transferred to the newly formed Amtrak, ending C&O’s direct passenger operations.
  • 1973: Under CEO Hays T. Watkins, the C&O, B&O, and Western Maryland Railway are brought under a new holding company, the Chessie System, adopting the famous cat as its logo.

1980s: Consolidation and CSX formation

  • 1980: The Chessie System merges with Seaboard Coast Line Industries to form the CSX Corporation, a new holding company for the combined railroads.
  • 1982: Seaboard Coast Line consolidates its railroads into the Seaboard System.
  • 1983: The Western Maryland is formally merged into the B&O.
  • 1986: Seaboard System is renamed CSX Transportation.
  • 1987: The B&O and then the C&O are officially merged into CSX Transportation, ending their independent corporate existence.

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the collective railroad history data points on this website are verified across multiple sources.

Contact Us

Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.

Go back

Your message has been sent

3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org