Chessie System 2101 Steam Special

In the late 1970s, American railroading was celebrating its 100th birthday. The Chessie System, which could trace its history back to America’s first railroad, the Baltimore & Ohio, took notice to the occasion and celebrated by operating an excursion train systemwide known as the Chessie Steam Special. The power for this train was ex-Reading Company T-1 4-8-4 2101, which had just come off service on the American Freedom Train in 1975 and 1976. So successful was the first tour of the Chessie Steam Special in 1977, that another tour was run in 1978 with additional cars. This video shows the 2101 operating in 1977 and 1978 running in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. The train is also seen hauled by diesel power as not everything went flawless with the operation during the two years it toured. The 2101 would be damaged by a fire in March 1979, and a new locomotive was found to pull trips on the Chessie System. The 2101 was traded for C&O 4-8-4 “Greenbrier” 614, and the program closes with the engine operating on the new Chessie Safety Express, an train operated in partnership with Operation Lifesaver from 1980-1981. Enjoy your trip aboard the Chessie Steam Special! Thumbnail originally from Steven J. Brown.