CSX Transportation CEO Joe Hinrichs showed off the railroad’s second heritage locomotive today on LinkedIn: ES44AH No. 1973, a salute to the Chessie System.
“The Chessie Cat is back! Here is the CSX Chessie System locomotive #1973,” Hinrichs wrote. “Enjoy! Great job again by our Waycross team.”
The locomotive was painted at CSX’s Waycross, Ga., shop and recognizes Chessie System’s founding year.
The first heritage locomotive, unveiled last month, was Baltimore & Ohio unit No. 1827. CSX’s heritage locomotives feature the current CSX livery on the nose and cab, which then fades into the historic livery on the long hood.
1973 went by heading north through Vincennes, IN
Why not use a larger Chessie System on the side of the unit? It looks like the size used on yard engines.
Why 1973 ? The Chessie scheme was introduced in 1972.
So they can completely paint 3 F40s in a B&O Heritage scheme, but not the freight units? Not a fan- all I can think of is “Where’s the Beef?” As in- wheres the rest of it.
Guess this leaves only the BNSF to start painting heritage units…
I also liked the Chessie Cat logo. I am glad to see it again even if it’s only on one engine. I do feel though that CSX could use the Chessie Cat again. While it was original used to advertise their sleeping cars in passenger service, it could also show how careful your freight shipment will be handled. You can sleep like a cat knowing your freight shipment will arrive on time and undamaged. It also would be more personable than that plain CSX lettering used today. NS can have their high strung horse, CSX handles your freight so smooth you can sleep like a cat.
This looks like even more of a mistake than the B&O one. I don’t understand the decision to go with that tiny little fade into the cheesiest scheme, it just looks like the paint job didn’t quite finish.
No number boards????
Nice Job CSX. I will be looking out for this one.
I think Intermountain came up with a better mousetrap for the Chessie Cat:
https://www.walthers.com/ge-es44ac-w-loksound-dcc-famous-image-collector-series-chessie-system-c-o-fantasy-scheme-yellow-vermillion-blue-85-49758s
Why do I hear “Saturday Night Fever” echoing in my head? This scheme brings back fond memories. I rode behind C&O 614 (I think) from Jacksonville, FL to Savannah, GA; the locomotive tender and all the cars were painted in the “disco” scheme. Good times!
Our deceased cats Chesapeake (1983-1999) and Ohio (1983-1998) would be delighted. Chessie cats are a common breed in SE Michigan, where they were born and where the C&O had a strong presence.
One of our prized possessions is a framed 1984 Chessie System calendar. The cat in the rendering is an almost exact portrait of our Chesapeake. But it wasn’t her. Chessie was born too late in 1983 to have posed as an adult for a 1984 calendar.
Not everyone posting today likes the unique design of this loco. I do. It does a great job of combining the heritage and the contemporary liveries.
Preston, I agree, at least most of the locomotive is painted in the colors
I’m disappointed they didn’t paint the whole locomotive in heritage paint.
Always liked the Chessie Cat and its family The dad, Peke and I don’t know the kids names. Some grest adds for the sleeping cars.
‘
Great job! I was always a big fan of Chessie System livery and I like the cat logo of C&O fame.