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B&O Museum Puts on Historic Diesel Parade

Chessie System GP38 3802 pulled the passenger train from the museum to the runby location. It was built in 1967 and came to the museum in 2000. Photo by M.T. Burkhart.

B&O Museum Puts on Historic Diesel Parade

Story and Photos by M.T. Burkhart

On Sunday, Aug. 30, historic diesels at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum were on parade as part of its Diesel Days weekend. The museum is well-known for its collection of steam locomotives and other artifacts, but numerous diesel locomotives fill the hallowed grounds as well.

Equipment included during Sunday’s special diesel parade included a Budd RDC, B&O EMD GP30 6944 and GP7 6405, both in royal blue; Chessie System GP38 number 3802; Western Maryland EMD F7A 236 in speed lettering; recently restored Conrail SW7 8905; MARC control cab number 7100; and a newly acquired Domino Sugar critter. On display but not in operation were former CSX GP15T 1507 and Central Railroad of New Jersey 1925 box cab number 1000. Here’s a sample of what was seen.

Western Maryland F7 236 was built in 1952 to replace the railroad’s 4-8-4 and 4-6-6-4 steam locomotives.

Central Railroad of New Jersey box cab 1000 was built by Alco in 1925. It’s rare to see it outside, as the prized artifact usually has a place of honor inside the museum roundhouse.

Conrail SW7 8905 was restored to its blue paint last year with help from the Conrail Historical Society. It’s seen rescuing Western Maryland F7 236, which suffered mechanical issues during the afternoon runby.

MARC cab car 7100, built from a former B&O F7, is on the point of the museum’s passenger train making a runby.

Baltimore & Ohio Budd RDC car 9913 makes a runby for the crowd.

Chessie System GP38 3802 with the iconic roundhouse of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum.

Conrail SW7 repositions equipment at the end of the day on Aug. 30.

Baltimore & Ohio GP30M 6944 poses for photos. It was built by EMD in 1962 and returned to the “sunburst” scheme in 1996.

This article was posted on: August 31, 2020