B&O PRESIDENT CLASS

Thanks and a tip of the hat to Davy Cormack.

5300 - President Washington

This was the first of this class of locomotive built for the B&O in 1927.The locomotive is now preserved in the B&O museum and is the only survivor of the class.

Photo one shows what I believe to be the original builder's or B&O company photo.

In this photo the loco appears to be in a two tone colour scheme, However other photos taken in 1927 show the full olive green livery applied to the class as a whole. So if the loco ever ran in this two-tone scheme it couldn't have been for very long.

2nd photo albeit a black and white photo taken in October shows 5300 clearly in the all olive green livery ,the smoke-box and stack appear to have a highly polished dark silver or graphite paint applied. According to archive records the lining was gold and red.

Photos 1,2 and 3 also show the locomotives and tenders as they were originally built , and in the olive green livery.

Over the years the President class had their names and green colour scheme removed, The final color scheme applied to 5300 was all over B&O unlined blue including the smoke box sides ,but the smoke box front was gray. The stack may have been gray too or blue ,I have found it impossible to determine this even in colour photos, Most of the time the stacks and immediate surrounding top smoke box area being blackened with soot anyway.

Click the drawing to see a larger more legible version (103k file download).

Engine 5300 did not receive many physical changes in her career unlike others of the class, the main changes to her looks being the front running plate having the "dip" removed and straightened out, and the front steps being altered and added to accommodate this. Plus one or two other minor modifications but nothing very significant to her external appearance.

6. The tender probably underwent various changes over the years as there were quite a variety of "mods" at different periods carried out to the P7 tenders across the class, but most of the P7s by their final years had the type as modified and latterly attached to 5300 ,and the tender attached to her today in the B&O museum. This appears to have become the "standard" tender for the class in their final years, except a very few which had large 12 wheel tenders allocated to them.( a drawing of a P7 with the later "standard tender" is attached) Other photos show 5300 in her later years. Except the tender and front end very little has changed over her lifetime.

President Class 5301 to 5304

The Locomotives of the president class 5301 to 5304 started out their lives as standard P7s, named as the US Presidents:

	ADAMS - 5301
	JEFFERSON - 5302
	MADISON - 5303
	MONROE - 5304

However these engines would end their days as the 4 representatives of the class to be specially streamlined for the prestigious B&O streamlined train, "THE CINCINNATIAN".

The first photo attached shows 5302 in her physical state in 1936,very much as built except the tender sides have been raised with extra "angled" bunker plates. This was a common upgrade on many early P7 tenders.

The next photo shows engine 5304 as she was streamlined in 1937 to pull the B&O "ROYAL BLUE". The streamlining was designed by Otto Kuhler but was removed in 1940.

In 1946 however she was streamlined again to a new design this time along with 5301,5302 and 5303 to pull the "CINCINNATTIAN" trains of the B&O. They remained in this physical format till their final withdrawal in the late /mid 1950s.

The next few scans show how these locos looked, and a drawing of the design. None survived the scrappers torch.

Click drawing for larger image (104 k download)

President Class 5305 - President Jackson

This member of the President class was No 5305 "PRESIDENT JACKSON". It is the only photo of a P7 loco with the tender modified in the style of the P7 model by ARISTOCRAFT. When most of the others of the class had the tender bunker sides raised with angled plates 5305 appears to have had rolled side bunker plates added. An early but slightly lower version of the "standard" P7 tender that most of the class would receive in their final years. Perhaps this version of the tender was as built ex-works -- but most of the class seem to have started out life with the straight-upright bunker sides. The first photo shows this earlier version of the tender. There is no date for the photo but I estimate mid 1930s to early 40s. I also don't know if the loco is olive green or in blue. Note the Boxpok drivers and spoked wheels on the leading truck. I can find no archives to substantiate this, one way or the other.

The other photos show 5305 near the end of her working days substantially modified, both in engine and tender modifications. The center drivers are Boxpok but axle 1 and 3 are spoked. The leading truck now has disc wheels. Also, there is substantial changes to handrails, running plates, plus air pumps on pilot behind shield etc.

President Class 5306 President Van Buren

This locomotive was quite unique and was as Far as I know the only member of the class to retain her original "as built" front end running plate and steps format. However she did receive the P7 "standard" format tender and various other physical accoutrements, such as a smoke box throttle, and side sheeting applied to the running plate and cab bottom sides. This loco was easy to recognize because of her unique appearance in latter years. Anyone wanting to convert the Aristocraft model to a latter day P7 type would do well to choose this engine as it involves the least kitbashing to achieve authenticity. In real life this loco also survived to receive her three figure number applied in the last year or so of B&O steam operation.

President Class 5307 President Harrison

This locomotive was physically close to 5300 "President Washington" in her final days. Same front end modifications and latter "standard" P7 tender fitted. Again this engine was very close to the original build when withdrawn in the 1950s.

President Class 5308 - President Tyler & 5309 President Polk

These 2 locomotives were of the P7"c" variant of the class of which 5305 and 5318 also belonged. These four locos were practically identical in physical detail to each other in the latter years. The first two pictures are the 5308, and the last the 5309.

President Class 5311 - President Filmore

The 1st Photo shows 5311 in earlier days, probably mid 1930s.The tender has received the raised bunker using angled bunker extensions. Otherwise she is more or less as built. The 2nd photo shows 5311 at rest in the roundhouse with stable mate and sister P7 5300.Although of the same sub-class group,5311 has more steps than 5300 and the steps are of slightly different construction. This second photo is from the1950s.Otherwise these two locos would be practically identical.

President Class 5312 & 5313 - President Pierce and President Buchanan

We currently have no photos of these two engines.

President Class 5314 - President Lincoln

This engine was also a P7"e". The first photo shows her with a standard P7 tender (except note the passenger style trucks fitted to it about 1948. The later photo shows her with a large 12 wheel tender in the 1950s. Note also that this tender is straight edged behind the bunker. Later, the 5314 had an all rounded top tender attached as like that on 5315. Tender swapping seems to have been commonplace.

President Class 5315 - President Johnson

This loco was quite unique in later years in that it was the only P7 to have a sheet metal pilot and it's own style of side sheeting on the running plate. This loco had a semi-streamlined look. Also notice the large 12 wheel tender, but unlike 5314s this tender has curved edges behind the bunker area.

President Class 5316 - President Grant

This was another P7"e" and this 1950s shot shows her with the same type tender as the 5314.

The next item is a line drawing of a P7 with 12 wheel tender

Click on this image for a larger version (109 k download)

President Class 5317 - President Hayes

Another P7"e" shown as she was in her final years with a 12 wheel tender.

President Class 5318 - President Garfield

A P7"c", this early photo shows the engine taking water from the track pans.

President Class 5319 - President Arthur

This photo shows her in 1948 but she was re modified and fitted with a 12 wheel tender after this.

This concludes all the original Baldwin-built P7s with the exception of 5310 - President Taylor, which was changed to a P9"b". I have seen this locomotive in action in archive video footage, but I have no photos to show the detail differences. It was another unique engine with it's own characteristics. For a period it was fitted with a water tube firebox, which, although removed in 1940, left it with some physical detail alien to the rest of the class.

President Class 5320 - President Cleveland

In 1928 The B&O built an experimental locomotive, 5320 - President Cleveland. However after a few years as a P9a, it reverted to being an ordinary P7. This loco also had slight differences from the rest of the series. For example, the front steps to the running plate were slightly different from other members of the class. The last two photos are of 5320.

Recommended Books

	B&O POWER 1829 to 1964 by L Sagle and A Staufer
	TRACKSIDE MARYLAND by J Kelly and P Gallacher (Greenberg Pubs) (Also covers N&W,Ma& Pa and W M locomotives)
	BALTIMORE AND OHIO TRACKSIDE with WILLIS McCALEB (Morning Sun Books) ( all colour)
	BALTIMORE AND OHIO PASSENGER SERVICE 1945 - 1971 (TLC publishing)

Web Resources

	http://www.dnaco.net/~gelwood/other/bo-steam.html - Bob Rathke's B&O photo archive.
	http://216.156.132.138/ - B&O Railroad Historical Society