No. 10706 Baldwin Class P-7 "President" Series 4-6-2 "Pacific" Type Steam Locomotive, heading up the "Capitol Limited" Heavyweight Passenger Train

 Baltimore & Ohio Railroad

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad had used 4-6-2 "Pacific"-type steam locomotives for its principal passenger trains since 1906. In 1927, the eighth class of "Pacifics" was placed in service by the B&O, 20 Baldwin-built Class P-7s,(Nos. 5300-5319), over 50 percent more powerful than the P-Class locomotives of twenty years earlier. 1927 was also the year in which the B&O celebrated the centenary of the granting of its charter, with an ambitious "Fair of the Iron Horse" at Baltimore. One of the visitors to the Fair was an elegant Olive green and gold 4-6-0 steam locomotive named "King George V," which came from the Great Western Railway in England. The clean, uncluttered design and stunning livery caused a sensation. As a result, the P-7s took names from American presidents and were painted a similar shade of green with gold trim (previous B&O locomotives were all black). These striking locomotives were originally built for and exclusively used on B&0's New York (Jersey City) Washington Royal Blue Line. Presidents' names were allocated in historical order beginning with No. 5300 "President Washington." The P-7s continued in service until about 1955, by which time steam power had been replaced by diesels on the B&O (see No. 10532).

The "Capitol Limited" was a flagship train for the Baltimore & Ohio, established in 1923 to offer first class all-Pullman service between Jersey City, New Jersey (gateway to New York City), Washington, DC, and Chicago. In 1958, the train dropped its service east of Baltimore (see Page 2, No. 10258).

In the mid-1930s, noted industrial designer Otto Kuhler was hired to upgrade existing B&O heavyweight passenger cars in a rebuilding and modernizing effort. B&O's Mount Clare Shops in Baltimore performed the conversion work on selected heavyweight cars, which received a handsome blue, gray, and gold paint scheme that, over the coming years, would become closely identified with the B&O (see No. 10446). While many other railroads were purchasing new lightweight passenger equipment, frugal B&O was rebuilding its older cars to serve as modern semi-streamlined trains. It was not until the early 1940s that the B&O added new lightweight streamlined sleeping cars from Pullman- Standard to its fleet.

The "Capitol Limited" remained a top-of-the-line operation, diesel-powered after 1938 (see No. 10138), until Amtrak's takeover in 1971, when it was discontinued for ten years, only to be revived by Amtrak in 1981.

The Baltimore and Ohio emphasis on comfort and service made good business sense. They could not compete with the shorter routes and faster trains of the Pennsylvania and New York Central railroads, but they were unsurpassed in creature comforts, and maintained a helpful customer service attitude that differentiated them from their haughty rivals.

The "Capitol Limited" was born as an all-Pullman luxury train. The staff included a barber, manicurist, and valet. The dining car was outfitted with leaded glass windows and glass chandeliers in colonial decor. The dinner menu was renowned for its broiled lamb chops with potatoes and featured Southern specialities like hush puppies, spoon bread, and corn bread pie.

After air-conditioning the diners in 1930, the "Capitol Limited" became the first completely air conditioned train two years later. And at the end of the decade, it was the first service from Chicago to begin using diesels (1938).

No. 10706 represents an accurate scale model of B&O's Baldwin-built Class P-7 4-6-2 "Pacific"-type steam locomotive No. 5301, named "President Adams," painted Olive green with gold trim. It pulls the heavyweight 5-car Pullman-green passenger train "Capitol Limited" as it would have been seen on its overnight run between Jersey City and Chicago through Washington, D.C., 1927-1937. The train is in "0"gauge, the locomotive by Lionel and custom-painted cars by Williams and K-Line. Amtrak has adopted the "Capitol Limited" name for its currently operating coach and sleeper train between Washington and Chicago. This fine streamliner features a full- service Dining Car and a Cafe'/Lounge Car with sandwiches, snacks, and bar service.

Notable are the bi-level "Superliner" stainless steel coach, sleeping, lounge, and dining cars (see Nos. 10359 and 10600).