B&O Cincinnatian

 



Copyright © 2003-2004 by Bill's Railroad Empire®

The Baltimore & Ohio Cincinnatian was the first postwar streamlined passenger train. The train operated between Baltimore, Maryland and Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Cincinnatian was heralded as a deluxe all-coach steam powered daylight streamliner.

The train operated from January 1947 to June 1950. It was then transferred to the Detroit-Cincinnati corridor.

The Cincinnatian's schedule called for a 12-1/2 hour trip from Baltimore's Mt. Royal Station to Cincinnati's Union Terminal. This fast schedule with an average speed of 36.6 mph permitted only five cars since the schedule didn't provide the necessary time to use a helper on the grades in West Virginia.

In addition, stops were made only at Washington D.C., and Martinsburg, Keyser, Grafton, Clarksburg, and Parkersburg in West Virginia, and Athens and Chillicothe in Ohio. Water was added at Martinsburg, Keyser, and Athens. The locomotives were changed in both directions at Grafton, West Virginia.

Train #75 was the westbound train and #76, the eastbound. The locomotive from train #75 from Baltimore would be changed at Grafton at 2:53 pm allowing only 40 minutes for the engine to be lubricated and serviced while the tender was filled so that it could be used when train #76 arrived from Cincinnati

The locomotive off #76 would remain in Grafton overnight for more substantial servicing. The fourth locomotive was kept in reserve at Baltimore.

The Cincinnatian traveled over the Magnolia Cutoff which was normally reserved for fast freight. The train bypassed Cumberland, Maryland and 30 to 45 minutes were saved by using the Patterson Creek Cutoff.

Four President Class Heavy Pacific P7d locomotives #5301-5304 were rebuilt and had streamlined cowls added at B&O's Mt. Clair Shops in Baltimore. The tenders were rebuilt at the old BR&P Shops in DuBois, Pennsylvania.

Olive Dennis, a B&O engineer, designed the new train.The locomotives were painted in Bando Blue and had glossy black parallelograms trimmed with aluminum and chrome.

The Cincinnatian had a distinctive steamboat-sounding whistle. Everyone knew when it was approaching!

The streamlined cars were converted heavyweights. Two five-car trainsets were rebuilt for the Cincinnatian. Each train had a baggage/coffee shop/lounge, three coaches, and an observation car with a dining room and stainless steel kitchen.

Two of the coaches seated 60 passengers, the third seated 56 and had a stewardess-nurse room. The cars were painted in royal blue, gray, and black with yellow trim and accents. All of the cars were air conditioned and had Sleepy Hollow reclining seats.


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