Nostalgia & History > C&O T-1 vs H-8

I'm looking for some advice from those that know, I'm planning on using C&Os steam locomotive roster as a reference for my freelanced RR's steam roster but I've come across some things that have made me wonder if I should follow it exactly....

-Did the T-1s single handedly haul those claimed 13500t coal trains themselves in the mountains and what sort of grades did they have to battle?

-What sort of speeds could the T-1s reach with that full load?

-I've heard the H-8s didn't actually outperform the T-1s to a sufficient degree and that the T-1s were actually better in the mountains and more efficient on fuel, is this true?

My layout is being built with 47" mainline curves so running either won't be much a problem, I'm just curious if I'd really need to get H-8s along with T-1s or if I could just stick with the Texans....

My I suggest that you purchase ALL the books concerning C&O steam power.

The C&O T-1s rarely if ever operated in the mountains. They were used primarily from Russell, Ky., to Toledo, Ohio for much of their tenure, though some operated down the Virginia peninsula late in the game. If you're modeling mountain railroading, the H-8 Alleghenies are a must.

All of this information and a great deal more is available in the publications of the Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Society. Anyone with in interest in the C&O (or in a C&O-like freelanced model railroad) needs to be a member.

Art House
(C&OHS Member since 1971)



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/14 07:38 by aehouse.

> -Did the T-1s single handedly haul those claimed
> 13500t coal trains themselves in the mountains and
> what sort of grades did they have to battle?

Conventional wisdom is the T-1s were supposed to take
13500 tons up 0.2% to Columbus. They got a helper for
the 0.5% north of Columbus, but the trains may have
been shorter there.

> I've heard the H-8s didn't actually outperform
> the T-1s to a sufficient degree and that the T-1s
> were actually better in the mountains and more
> efficient on fuel, is this true?

T-1s didn't normally run in the mountains.

Insightful answers, would it be safe to assume then that I could use the T1s for flatter running and swap power to the H8s for the mountain climbs?

MitchGDRMCo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Insightful answers, would it be safe to assume
> then that I could use the T1s for flatter running
> and swap power to the H8s for the mountain climbs?


Exactly.

Thanks for the reply!