Chattaroi 2-6-0 "Mogul" Locomotives in the USA

Class 6 (Locobase 16639)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 10, pp 82 and 205; and Locobase 7639. See also "Chattaroi Railroad" as part of the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad: 3Cs entry on the 3Cs, Clinchfield, and the Railroads of East Tennessee & Southwest Virginia website at [] , last accessed 16 June 2023. Works number was 6374 in September 1882.

When the Chattaroi began construction as a narrow-gauge railroad, its principal mission was to deliver coal from the Peach Orchard, Kentucky coal fields. By 1880, its owners widened the gauge to 4' 8 1/2'", ordered the Mogul described in this entry, and almost immediately entered receivership.

Although the 6's Baldwin specification included the 50" wheel diameter shown in Locobase's specs, it's likely the engine acquired thicker tires later on. (Works number 6714 in April 1883 described a smaller, lighter Mogul with 16" diameter cylinders, 151 2" tubes and smaller firebox, and shorter wheelbase bearing road number 7.)

By 1887, the Chattaroi attracted the attention of the ambition-driven Charleston, Cincinnati & Chicago (the "3Cs") as the piece to close a 49-mile (80 km) gap between Charleston, WVa and the Ohio River port at Ashland.

That deal fell through, but Collis Huntington, who wanted to compensate for losing control of the Chesapeake & Ohio, bought the Chattaroi from the 3Cs in 1889 and renamed it the Ohio & Big Sandy. As laid out originally, the CR presented challenging grades and curves. In 1892, the O&BS built a new alignment from Louisa to Richardson, KY, using the Big Sandy's path through the northern Kentucky hills.

Almost immediately, the C&O bought the O&BS in July 1892 (foiling Huntington yet again?).Both the 6 and 7 would take new numbers 345-346. 345 occupied class E-2, 346 made up class E-4. At the turn of the century, the C&O removed the leading truck on both engines and placed the switchers in class C-6.