Baltimore & Ohio: Bursting with Pride |
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Many railroads were in financial difficulty as the 1950s drew to a close, and the Baltimore
& Ohio was no exception. The cash-strapped railroad had ordered its last new locomotives in
1955; they were GP9s delivered in 1957. B&O's fortunes began to improve slightly when the
Chesapeake & Ohio gained 90% control in 1962. That same year brand new GP30s began arriving
from builder EMD. The 2250-hp road switchers were unlike any other locomotive on the B&O.
The 30s sported a low-profile nose which was emblazoned with a large "Sunburst" logo with
the Capitol dome in the center. The new look was far removed from traditional B&O attire.
The sunburst was also applied to a small number of existing locomotives during 1963 and 1964, road power as well yard engines. The sunburst scheme consisted of three components: Large nose graphic, large roman-style lettering and numbers, and yellow hash mark along the frame. Yard engines did not receive the nose graphic. B&O's sunburst scheme was short-lived and had all but disappeared by the close of 1966.
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