I recently found that a fellow on a railway historical site is also a model railroader, and his prototype is the B&O in the area around Wilmington, Delaware. This was the Royal Blue Line, which ran north to New York (actually Jersey City) via trackage rights on the Reading and the Central of New Jersey. This was the route the President class 4-6-2s were originally built for. His setting is in 1954, but he modifies history slightly to still have steam operating that late on this line, and also lets the Reading and the CNJ run south of Philadelphia on B&O. He has a couple of video clips, which might be of interest to some B&O fans here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4yI3AnR0Zk&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei1Tks_mDbo&feature=related
Have fun, and I've been following the tank engines, too!
Thanks, J3a.
Makes me think I'm not the only one whose read all the B&O Modeler periodicals from the B&OHS.
We're just an underground bunch I guess. ;)
Regards,
Jonathan
Did a little more searching, and came up with some more B&O clips, some model, some prototype; enjoy, and watch out for the popcorn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maNwdPLlUgQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t5iKjrNU1Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Prx-vZ6Y0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uO7mKilwjI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exb021t4acM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKRZinfdi9Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyoOTgqM76Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svCNLXjw6oU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV0-2xvmguY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbCFdocYkiA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN89twGYgxg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI99Dvpxo2w&feature=related
Wow!
The color footage of B&O Steamers hauling all get out... that is absolutely priceless.
I noticed some steamers were freshly washed for the footage, some were well weathered. Gives us both options when detailing our models.
If I didn't know better, I'd say like the B&O put their bells wherever they felt like at the moment.
I always felt I could recognize a B&O whistle. They always sound dirtier... Like someone actually poured a little dirt down the throat of the whistle. Probably my imagination...
Thanks again for the inspiration, J3a.
Regards,
Jonathan
Glad you like what you are seeing.
Fun item: that high-speed color pacing footage with a blue P-7 4-6-2 is of No. 5300, the "President Washington," which is still with us in the museum at Baltimore. . .
Am still finding a little more; first up is some footage by the late Bill Price, whom I had the opportunity to meet while he was still working for the newspaper in Cumberland, Md. The film footage you are seeing is from a trio of tapes made by a couple of firms using his color footage of the Western Maryland and the B&O. Reproduction quality here is awful, but the tapes have long been out of print, so unless you somehow find an older set, this is the best you can do for now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4DEerDdT9w
Mr. Price also had a set of books published that covered the same material, which were notable at the time for being all color, which was rare then, especially considering the age of the orginal material. "Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away. . ."
From the same YouTube "channel" is some footage of the long-gone West Cumbo tower just west of Martinsburg, W.Va. This tower and several others were noted for a while in the 1980s and 1980s as being part of the last concentration of manned interlocking towers in North America, and several of them were "manual" towers with mechanical linkages, in essence 1870s technology that lasted into the early part of the 21st century! I got to visit this tower, another at Hancock, and the famous Miller Tower at Cherry Run--talk about feeling you were in a time warp, particularly at Miller with Allen Brougham! I'll get those links up a little later, but for now, a visit to "W" (telegraph call symbol). . .oh, and Miller's symbol was "R", and Hancock's a most model railroad worthy "HO". . .no kidding!
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=ba82paulus#p/u/17/iR_1H3IN4m4
Well, back again, and with more B&O video links, including CSX links to the last large group of manned towers.
We open with some shots of B&O's CPLs (Color Position Light signal).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVMeVi9SgHM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W05rxDJ19Y&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJXuYhPRKYE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2S2S-Knxl0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gg0EejN0SY&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liGzJb96Rds&feature=channel
Back to the steam era; to my ears, the EM-1 whistle sounds just like a Norfolk & Western hooter::
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiBnl81TFXM&feature=related
Towers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iSnt9kPnlM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tleEozLXfc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8PEdmSGuJ0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx8N-Z-StJ4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbGBmYWCn7k&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn_EzzeEfLs&feature=related
Allen Brougham, the operator seen above, has his own web page, "The Bull Sheet."
http://www.bullsheet.com/index.html
Enjoy a part of the B&O that lasted much longer than it really should have!