C&O structures, including stations, towers, water stations, coaling stations, signals, yard offices, YMCAs, roundhouses and engine houses, bunkhouses, section/tool houses, scale houses, section foreman dwellings, garages, shops, and many others are an important part of the history of the line.
Probably the best know C&O structure is the standard station of 1892-design as modified in 1908. Since C&O was expanding its lines and building up business on established lines at a very fast pace in the 1890-1920 period, the standard buildings of this era were erected in large numbers in all areas of the system as it was constituted at that time. As a result, probably upwards of 200 of the standard stations of various sizes were built. Many of these lasted into the 1960s and even 1970s, but today very few remain. They are, however, almost emblematic of the C&O in the 20th Century and very popular with the modelers.
Accompanying the standard station was construction first of the C&O's standard Octagonal Signal Tower (called a cabin vice tower on the C&O), which was sometimes combined with the standard station as an economy. About 1900 the standard was changed to a more spacious rectangular tower building which became probably the most ubiquitous of all C&O structures. Many of these also lasted into the 1950s, though most were razed in the 1960s as CTC became common on all C&O mainlines.
Structures were also inherited from the Hocking Valley Railway in Ohio (merged into C&O in 1930), and the Pere Marquette Railway (merged into C&O in 1947), so their appearance is completely different from the standards used on the old C&O proper.
Recently modelers and historians have begun giving additional attention to other stuctures, many mundane, but absolutely essential inliving life in the earlier times, and certainly necessary to replicate such an era in scale modeling. Examples are the standard outdoor privy which would have been seen next to most country stations, towers, etc. where no indoor plumbing was available. Other unremarkable small buildings included the coal house, needed next to most buildings in the era of coal stoves. The small scale house appeared at most terminals for weighing cars for billing purposes.
C&O, like most railroads, used wooden water tanks at its water stations in the 19th and early 20th Century, then began replacing many with steel tanks of various designs. However, many of the wooden tanks remained in service not only to the end of steam but were often left in place into the 1970s, and are appropriate structures. The C&OHS sells a set of standard drawings of Wooden Water tanks of the post 1902-era, and we plan much more data in our monthly magazine on this subject.
Signals have received little general treatment, but we hope to have more data on them in future issues of the magazine.
Probably the best know C&O structure is the standard station of 1892-design as modified in 1908. Since C&O was expanding its lines and building up business on established lines at a very fast pace in the 1890-1920 period, the standard buildings of this era were erected in large numbers in all areas of the system as it was constituted at that time. As a result, probably upwards of 200 of the standard stations of various sizes were built. Many of these lasted into the 1960s and even 1970s, but today very few remain. They are, however, almost emblematic of the C&O in the 20th Century and very popular with the modelers.
Accompanying the standard station was construction first of the C&O's standard Octagonal Signal Tower (called a cabin vice tower on the C&O), which was sometimes combined with the standard station as an economy. About 1900 the standard was changed to a more spacious rectangular tower building which became probably the most ubiquitous of all C&O structures. Many of these also lasted into the 1950s, though most were razed in the 1960s as CTC became common on all C&O mainlines.
Recently modelers and historians have begun giving additional attention to other stuctures, many mundane, but absolutely essential inliving life in the earlier times, and certainly necessary to replicate such an era in scale modeling. Examples are the standard outdoor privy which would have been seen next to most country stations, towers, etc. where no indoor plumbing was available. Other unremarkable small buildings included the coal house, needed next to most buildings in the era of coal stoves. The small scale house appeared at most terminals for weighing cars for billing purposes.