Historic Rolling Stock Collection:

The C&OHS historic rolling stock/locomotive collection is on display at our C&O Heritage Center museum in Clifton Forge, Virginia (Go to candoheritage.org). The purpose is to preserve mainly C&O passenger, freight, work cars, and locomotives for use as interpretation of the American railway experience using C&O as a prime example.

Visitors to the Heritage Center may view those pieces of equipment that have been restored inside and out and can look at the ones still in storage awaiting restoration.  Photography is welcome.

Our plan and intent is to appropriately restore all the equipment we own, but it must be done based on available resources.

The Society’s belief is that the use of these “large artifacts” can be very useful in teaching the importance of railroads to the development and growth of the nation and the creation of the modern technological world in which we live today. Often only such firsthand experiences can help us communicate these important lessons about the development of America and American railroads.

Visitors are treated with individual attention and whenever possible the cars and locomotives are explained by staff.

The following fully restored equipment is available for visitor viewing inside and out:

• C&O 4-8-4 Greenbrier type steam locomotive No. 614, built by Lima Locomotive Works in June, 1948. Used on C&O passenger trains until 1952. Later used in excursion service and currently painted for a special purpose.
• C&O GP7 model diesel road switcher freight type diesel locomotive No. 6858, built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division in 1952 largely restored to 1952 appearance.
• C&O SD40 model GM EMD road freight diesel built in 1971 and in use until 2017 on C&O, C&O/B&O, Chessie System, and CSX. Restored to its original 1971 appearance.

• C&O Dining Car, Gadsby’s Tavern, used on C&O’s George Washington passenger train starting in 1932 (the world’s first long-distance air-conditioned train). Restored to its 1950 exterior and 1932 interior appearance. (Available for use for special events.)
• C&O Combination Car No. 458, built 1926 and used in its last 20 years-service on the mixed train Clifton Forge-Hot Springs, Va. (Restored to 1954 appearance.)
• C&O 10-Roomette & 6-Double Bedroom Pullman sleeping car CITY OF PETOSKEY, built 1950. Used on C&O then sold to B&O and used on its trains for many years. C&O operated 55 of this type sleeping car. (Restored to 1950 appearance.)

• C&O Steel Caboose No. 90219 built in 1929 and typical of cabooses of the era. Painted red and restored to its 1949 appearance inside and out.
• C&O Steel Caboose No. 3168, built in 1969 with extended vision cupola, restored to original paint scheme appearance inside and out.
• C&O Wooden Caboose No. 90382, built in 1881. Pending full repair/restoration.
• C&O Flat Car No. 80435 built in 1937. Extensively used for military equipment transport in WWII. Fully restored to 1937 appearance.

Other equipment is awaiting partial or full restoration. Ask staff about these cars when you visit.