Chessie System (MBI Railroad Color History)

In 1972 three great railroads-the Chesapeake & Ohio, the Baltimore & Ohio, and the Western Maryland-joined forces as the Chessie System, their diesel engines resplendent in a brilliant new yellow, blue, and vermillion scheme sporting the stylized "Chess-C" logo based on the C&O's familiar mascot, Chessie the kitten. The story of the Chessie System, unique in railroad history, unfolds in all its grit and glory in this book about a rail operation that combined the best of tradition and innovation to a remarkable. Dave Ori traces the railroad's origins from the first affiliation of the B&O and C&O in the early 1960s to the inclusion of the WM a decade later securing routes that spanned the Northeast and Midwest. He also examines the Chessie System itself, from the details of its operating divisions, major facilities, diesel fleet, and intermodal operation to the technological advances that distinguished its reign and its integration in the vast CSX system in 1987.

Dave Ori has been a photojournalist specializing in rail operations since the early 1980s. His work has appeared in a variety of railfan publications, including Rails Northeast, CTC Board, and Railpace Newsmagazine. He resides in Parma, Ohio.