Chessie the Railroad Kitten

Not only am I an Amtrak guy, I'm also a cat guy. I love cats, and trains. What better way to combine the two than talk about the Chesapeake & Ohio/Chessie System? The C&O skyrocketed into popularity with the introduction of their little kitten mascot in 1933. Derived from an Austrian etching by cat and animal artist, Guido Grunewald, the C&O acquired the rights to use the image and made the kitty their mascot. But how popular was Chessie the Railroad Kitten and her family? How long did Chessie act as a mascot? Find out in this video!
Music Used:
Jazz Spastiks - Vinyl Instrumental
(I'm not sure what the music is during the Kitten playing clip, it came with the video, • Kitten Playing - Royal... )
Freesound Music - Happy Journeys
Royalty Free Music by Giorgio Di Campo for @FreeSound Music
freesoundmusic.eu
/ freemusicfor. .
/ freesoundmusic
original video: • Happy Journeys no co...
The U.S. Army Band - The Army Goes Rolling Along Band Only
Nat Keefe with The Bow Ties - Dome Sweet Dome
Emily A. Sprague - Fairy Meeting
Aakash Gandhi - Dancing Star
Links:
Instagram: / amtrakguy365
Twitter: / amtrakguy365
My Site: amtrakguy365.we...
Flickr: www.flickr.com...

[@OuijTube]

Every so often I’ll still see a Chessie System rolling stock. Even faded and neglected, it’s a nicer livery than CSX.

[@carsonneeley4862]

CSX still means Chessie System Railroad(AKA Chessie System)!

[@connerrolofson1585]

For me, it’s Chessie-Seaboard

[@meimei5961]

I HATE CSX we want chessie back!

[@davidmcallaster7085]

csx sucks

[@heyitshuttz3705]

Norfolk Southern for a win

[@traintraveler5413]

If you want more people to love your RR: Make a cat your logo.

[@BNSF4706]

Moxie Pacific might add that.

[@voshanimacoon-jagarnauth2457]

Guys please stop saying that csx is bad just last month the railroad planted locomotive no 1973 in the chessie system livery

[@BNSF4706]

@@voshanimacoon-jagarnauth2457 ITS NOT ENOUGH

[@TheSudrianTerrier653]

And then for the funny , slap the scheme onto a steam locomotive from another railroad , but then it gets scorched in a roundhouse fire-

[@cavalierliberty6838]

Chessie stays very popular with the railroad. She's used for a lot of csx posters inside their yard offices.

[@BlindingLight]

That’s nice.

[@connerrolofson1585]

Would you, @cavalier liberty, want to put the Chessie System logo on a hard hat?

[@cavalierliberty6838]

@@connerrolofson1585 I don't see why not. She is an icon.

[@braysfinds7479]

Not only was the kitten on railroad equipment. She was on the C&O's railroad ferries, and tugboat smokestacks.

[@senic3515]

Nice i didnt knew that also like the Metra E8 on your profile pic

[@braysfinds7479]

Oh yeah, thanks! There's actually an ex Metra E8 and F7 at the Illinois railroad museum. Both in running condition!

[@fernandomarques5166]

Now I understand why everybody says "CSX bad". Completely understandable. #BringBackChessie

[@vitissubrailfan2540]

yes.

[@844SteamFan]

Agreed.

[@fernandomarques5166]

@Coolt’s trains Yes, you are, CSX 366. A small sticker is not heritage livery.

[@雪者]

Yes!

[@justaP42DC]

CSX Just...... WHY??!! #BringBackChessie

[@thatd59ladlarry]

Never thought a kitten would have such an impact on a railroad

[@SoutheastPARailfan]

Chessie was a icon for the C & O and Chessie System of 67 years. Chessie did her job and she deserves a good retirement. Don't forget Chessie!

[@whistlinturbosrailfanprodu4652]

That’s great! It’s kinda sad to see that sleeping kitten losing popularity for some reason, but made me feeling better knowing there still are pictures, locomotives, and rolling stock with the logo of the kitten on it.

[@ryanchannel8485]

We love chessie the cat bc she was given a great railroad and a cute little symbol of her

[@connerrolofson1585]

I love her too 😺

[@chatanugadotorg]

I named my first cat Chessie after the railroad. If I'd adopted his sister instead of him, she would have been named after the kitten in the advertising. Not only was he named after the railroad, he was also a "railfan". When I first adopted him, I had my Lionel train going around the perimeter of my living room. He never attacked it but would follow it around the living room. When it went behind the couch, he would even run around the couch to wait for it and follow it around again. In the basement, he loved to curl up on the stairs to watch me and the trains on my layout.

[@floridianrailauto9032]

That's adorable. My doberman is scared of my trains and my Boston Terrier doesn't care much for them unless he so happens to be in the way of one

[@Bluegoose-df7if]

How Chessie doing

[@vitissubrailfan2540]

Floridian Rail & Auto my (former) friend Nik has a cat named chessie.

[@Its_PacFan]

Thats Cool!

[@chatanugadotorg]

@@Bluegoose-df7if Chessie passed away on Saturday, August 7, 2010. He was born with a heart defect and was a little over 3 1/2 years when he passed.

[@vitissubrailfan2540]

I’m wearing a chessie shirt while watching this. *yes I like chessie*

[@thatguyy7581]

if you look up the song “Driver-8” by R.E.M, they feature many clips from the Chessie System in the 80’s. Great song with great clips of the Chessie.

[@JawTooth]

I have a dog named Chessie. She is a railfan dog and I take her to see local trains. I lived next to the Chessie System in the early 80s to mid 80s. I could watch the trains from my bedroom. I also rode the Chessie Steam Special that you show in this video. This video is awesome!

[@NorthernIndianaRails]

I have a cat named cheesie.

[@joeleugene4406]

you all probably dont care at all but does anybody know of a tool to get back into an instagram account?? I stupidly forgot my login password. I love any help you can offer me

[@bryanclark2404]

@Joel Eugene instablaster :)

[@joeleugene4406]

@Bryan Clark thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm in the hacking process atm. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@joeleugene4406]

@Bryan Clark it worked and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D Thanks so much you saved my account!

[@KCSRailstudios]

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how GOOD this is?? Like, everything about it is just amazing. The audio, pictures, videos, editing, it all goes so well together and makes a really incredible video. I can’t wait to see more of these! Keep up the great work my guy.

[@Cbazz]

We have our own version of Chessie the Cat at the Virginia Museum of Transportation We don't have a name for her but she loves to hide out in the Virginian #4 So I just call her Virginia

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

How about Ginny!

[@previouslyettle]

nah what about Vanny

[@izumishion6267]

CSX should consider changing their normal C into the Chessie C

[@guyname8760]

Doesn't the C already mean the Chessie System though?

[@Sovayer]

Chessie Seaboard X

[@SoonerStateSirens1]

@@Sovayer x means consolidated also I’m water lever railfan on ts200

[@Sovayer]

@@SoonerStateSirens1 dafuq u doin' here

[@SoonerStateSirens1]

@@Sovayer get on ts200

[@BaltimoreAndOhioRR]

This was so cool to watch!

[@familycat9949]

I want to kick you now!

[@TheeFishGuy]

So here’s an idea, get rid of the most loved logo in the United States.

[@swpandwleandcsx459]

Why?

[@therosijedha]

@@swpandwleandcsx459 thats what csx did

[@therosijedha]

@@swpandwleandcsx459 its sarcasm

[@NorthWARail]

Its seaboard fault

[@stingraybeach9710]

That's an advertising agency for you. Charged many thousands of dollars to fix something which was not broke.

[@cmag19]

this has allowed for a single piece of dopamine to be produced by my brain because kitty

[@The8BitNerd]

It’s cool that a Kitten was a mascot for a railroad

[@DWBurns]

Isn’t it appropriate that I watched this with an orphaned kitten sleeping on my chest. He and his 3 other litter mates have been with us for 3 weeks after his mother, a wild barn cat, was killed on the road.

[@janmelantu7490]

How’s the kitten doing now?

[@REDACTED4503]

2 of the things I love: trains and cats!

[@miriambucholtz9315]

I can't help but wonder if the person who came up with the "sleep like a kitten" bit ever watched very many of them sleep. They twitch, move around, make faces, etc. just like human babies. They're hilarious.

[@scottfw7169]

Well, we humans also use the phrase "eat like a bird" for someone who barely nibbles at their food when in fact birds often eat twice or more their body weight in a day.

[@rosetintedtankergoggles897]

I love Chessie! One of my first Model trains was a Chessie system and I've been loving it ever since!

[@tommythomason6187]

Lots of people mention missing the Chessie System paint on locomotives and rolling stock. It was one of the finest contemporary paint schemes in railroading. Others would be Conrail, new Florida East Coast, and Kansas City Southern, IMHO. It was a fine railroad, at that - efficiently run, not burdened with passenger service, and its trains ran on a pristine roadbed.

[@jackkreacherr9339]

Oh wow.. it really was a cat all along? No wonder I absolutely loved the Chessie liveries! Edit: I learned way more then I should've in under 7mins, Thanks for this video bud!

[@Alerrecks]

I liked all the parts showing who merged when to form what. I was always a bit confused with exactly what railroads csx came to be. Chessie is like the queen of England. She is immortal, and will never die In our hearts. :`)

[@LonleyScrapIron]

Animals Can Be Memorable In Every Way, Including Railroads Back In The Day

[@johnroberts7924]

I rescued a kitten 14 years ago on the railway across the road where I live and named her Chessie after the famed Chessie. I did not know what the famed Chessie looked like so I checked and they looked almost identical! I still have her she is my life! Thank you so much stay safe and God bless.

[@metraforce441]

Everyone knows the Chessie System is a legend of the railroad market!

[@yeoldeseawitch]

why do i see you everywhere

[@Paraffinmeister]

A couple of years ago I adopted 2 cats who were looking for a home together. They had been given the most God awful names by their previous owner (Capri and Sparkles, Sparkles being the male) so guess what names they have now? Yup, Chessie and Peake.

[@NERRP2017]

The most classic image of CSX to date, and will remain like that for years to come!

[@Survivor1547]

Csx just recently bought back the sleeping kitty in their Heratage Locomotive 1973 in the modern era. It started with B & O Heratage Locomotive.

[@davidwillis1435]

Never knew about this adorable kitty. I'd seen the logo but never knew the origin. I paint oil paintings and use my kitty Moonbeam for the logo on all my paintings. Moonbeam is a black cat!

[@mccoy79productions66]

Great video and some awesome history! Wish Chessie was still around today!

[@chickenadobo7649]

Weird. Yesterday, I read an article about Chessie and then the next day this shows up in my reccomended nice

[@rogerbaker5112]

AI isn't playing any games. Be afraid of the brave new world lil

[@Triplex5014]

When I was a 8yo kid in 2003 my dad got me a electric train set from Mehano, the locomotive was a Chessie System EMD SD40-2, I liked that paint scheme. As a kid I didn't know anything about trains but as I grew up I discovered EMD and I was amazed by the 2-stroke diesel rumble. As a kid I just loved trains and cats are my favorite animals. Today I'm a train engineer! Thank you little kitten! ❤️ Greetings from Croatia!

[@scottfw7169]

Hello Croatia! Greetings from Missouri! Almost 30 years ago moved out here from the Virginia coast near where both N&W and Chessie met the ocean to unload their coal. YES, that EMD rumble is nice. Tell you a tale about that; some years ago I was at my parents house visiting & Dad is in to those flight simulator computer programs and had gotten Microsoft Train Simulator. I'm not in to computer stuff but he thought I might like driving the scenario which had a lashup of Chessie SD9's climbing Sand Patch grade. His computer of the time had a _Very_ good sound system. Computer was in family room in their basement. At some point Dad came down and asked me to turn down the sound because it was making the silverware on the kitchen table vibrate. Oops! Sorry, Dad!

[@fazthatcoyote]

I love these "history of thr logo" videos (that is, assuming that this was one of those videos) and I cannot wait for the next one. As for Chessie herself, she'll always hold the place as being on my first model train (an old bachmann boxcar)

[@jakeleitten4117]

If the C&O or Chessie System were still around, they'd be Titans of internet advertising.

[@4.99dollarchickenstripbask7]

I remember going to a train convention, I got a Chessie Railroad Christmas ornament. It said the story on the back of the box.

[@jackspicyeye9006]

I still see chessie rail cars (mainly hoppers) a lot. It’s nice.

[@kitchenjail3546]

They really missed a chance to keep the Chessie C in the CSX logo

[@Red-rl1xx]

While I've lived in TN for the past 35 years, I was raised just north of Baltimore and remember seeing the Chessie symbol all during my youth.

[@commandermeow6790]

Am I the only one who didn't know the back story of Chessie because I never knew (or could figure out) what that logo image was? It drove me crazy and now, thanks to this video I know.

[@tropicalsbigdaddyr53577]

We have an old Chessie system caboose down here in western TN, the caboose is much older than Chessie system itself, definitely 1930s to 40s, but it’s paint scheme was redone to Chessie the cat

[@johndanford-xb4ih]

I would LOVE CSX if they made Chessie system paint schemes where the full train is that paint scheme.

[@jacksondeibler9103]

My dad was an engineer for the B&O, he then was an engineer for the Chessie System, then an engineer for CSX which is who he retired from.

[@Brandonbuilt]

I grew up with Chessie System. It will always be my favorite. I am also a cat guy and I actually named my first cat "Chessie." Great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@deewesthill4705]

"Sleep like a kitten. Arrive fresh as a daisy.". What a cute slogan. I sure wish one could do that on a Greyhound! Only once did i get to sleep on a train, it was the early 80s, i slept like Chessie in an AmTrak sleeping compartment and did wake up fresh as a daisy. In the late 80s, touring the southwest including the Grand Canyon, i also slept like a kitten on a "Green Tortoise" bus that provided very comfy mattresses for all-night traveling.

[@Benjamin0119]

Hmm really weird that I was just talking about Chessie the other day and then this video pops up. :) Interesting though. I could have sworn the original artwork was a photo of a cat? But it's an etching. So maybe the photo came later. Lots of interesting history here; I didn't know all of it before. But yes it is a shame the cat logo isn't used anymore but I'm glad Chessie isn't forgotten as well. Chessie System is my brother's favorite railroad and I still have his Chessie locos, caboose etc along with the rest of our HO collection.

[@alexlee6487]

Last year would have been 47 years for chessie system

[@MasonFowlkesKenneth]

This was the most wholesome thing I've seen all day. I'm not crying, you are!

[@iron1349]

I got a litter of kittens and named one of them Chessie. There's a boy who looks more like the original but she's an adorable faded calico.

[@evanharkin]

I swear to god there are like no good train documentaries I’ve watched like all of your videos atleast 3 times each

[@beckyjohnson6798]

My cat died at the vet on May 6th 2020 we named it jagy R.I.P Jagers I will never forget you ;( ,(Keep Up The Good Work AmtrakGuy365).

[@djmattson6491]

What a beautiful vid bud much respect

[@punchfisttop]

Growing up along the steel mills in Youngstown my mom and I would always count all the Chessie cars that would pass us by! Great vid!

[@santranquil]

My mom actually has a Chesapeake and Ohio mug with that kitten on it!!

[@RapidTransitFan]

My grandpa remembers chessie system trains passing by his house when he was a young boy in the 1950s and chessie system is his favorite railroad

[@norfolksoutherntrainguy5857]

Rip and love the video man thumbs up

[@Thechief8771]

Now there actually is a chessie system heritage unit from csx

[@robertmcmanus636]

The cat logo worked especially well on the stacks of the C&O's cross lake rail ferries on Lake Michigan, which were originally Pere Marquette ferries. Too bad they weren't brought up also.

[@4unfed]

the ending genuinely made me cry. i saw a piece of chessie system rolling stock at one of my local grain mills a few years ago, when i saw the Big Boy pass through. it was in the yard, old, rusted, but i still remember that piece of rolling stock more than the Big Big itself.

[@sawthemin77]

I had a train set as a kid in the 70s with a Chessie System loco , was my favorite train set ever !

[@ddoyle11]

Very nice story. But in the end, I kept thinking about poor Guido only getting $5.00 out of the deal..........

[@SuperDave30]

Wow no wonder Chessie system! Amazing facts deep facts 💯

[@ellemjay]

When I was a kid (in the 1970s and 1980s) I couldn't figure out what the "stylized" logo was! I had never seen the original sleeping kitten version.

[@DiamondMaster20]

Chessie has a wicked paint, change my mind.

[@Fullsenddiesel]

I agreed, more better than the G&W paint scheme for sure.

[@DUBMANS]

Cn 5334

[@SgtChip]

You want someone to do the impossible?

[@bobfrapples1208]

Reminds me of the old Vancouver Canucks colors.

[@myeyeisnotblue]

SP & CB&Q has entered the chat

[@wrrail]

I Like it, Thanks for the info!

[@morenofranco9235]

Excellent. Thanks, AnmtrakGuy.

[@christopherstory2136]

Nice tribute to the most daring logo of any railroad....

[@Hunter_Dawso]

4:11 I know the exact spot where that photo was taken! It’s just over five minutes from where I live.

[@arlingtontrains7]

That was beautiful!!! Got me amazed and emotional you have no idea!, I never knew!

[@sparky107107]

always great to learn the history behind the RR

[@naimaas]

I love Chessie I feel like crying!!!!!!-Keyaan

[@AlleghenyMTNRails]

Quite an amazing video. I love hearing the whole story of the mascot & family. My own cat is named Peake. Keep up the great work.

[@taproductions5066]

I never knew the origins of this logo! Amazing Video!

[@FrankMosch]

Perrrrrrrrrfect transportation....😊😊😊

[@cole46724]

I grew up in the CSX days, but I wish I could see Western Maryland and Chessie

[@wmsr7343]

Also still used by the Chessie credit union in Cumberland, MD

[@spiralhillrailfan3768]

But it is “kind of” Butchered

[@nationalcapitalrails2088]

One other item of interest: under C&O control, the B&O also had a cat named "Bessie", but apparently she was not as popular as mama Chessie.

[@844SteamFan]

Bessie sounds like a bootleg Chessie, lol.

[@pidgeydoodles7549]

what about Newton, the N&W's cat?

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

I can't tell if you are joking or not

[@XBOXShawn12thman]

Just came across this video .... Subscribed!!!! 👍

[@joecummings1260]

The same marketing guy who came up with "New Coke" got a job at CSX and decided to drop Chessie

[@yeoldeseawitch]

i dislike that man even more now. wait is that even true?

[@thedude3423]

Grew up near Youngstown, Ohio. Remember all the Chessie locos going through Struthers, Ohio to the mills(well, what was left of them at the time, *sniff*) Great, fond memories. Thanks for upload.👍😊

[@monroetoolman]

I saw a boxcar in service still painted in the Chessie System colors just this year.

[@davidurban6813]

loved the video I'm more of a fan of the green diamond, The split and dotted rail. But still loved the video thanks for posting it. Stay healthy everyone we will get through this together.

[@VT29steamtrain]

Ah yes, the station master's cat, something iconic of the railways of the past.

[@colonelcactus2462]

I love chessie so much I even named my pet cat after Chessie. I found him stuck in my pool as a month old kitten after getting home from a vacation and after I recused him we couldn't find his family so we adopted him. He even looks exactly like the Chessie in the advertisements.

[@Dragonmasterjs]

There Is A Chessie System Heritage Unit From A CSX ES44AH

[@cmw184]

I had an old ho scale f7 diesel that i got from an old lady, and it had chessie system on the side. Glad to finally know the heartwarming story.

[@kelsogray]

I grew up near Corbin, KY. I can remember seeing CSX locomotives still in the sleeping cat scheme. So grateful for that.

[@rarexxxtentacionsongtrainf4755]

Story story, I have always wondered about chessie system pics

[@midtownkitten483]

The railroad museum in Galveston had a great collection of Chessie items. Sadly, the museum was damaged during a hurricane a few years ago and when I last visited the museum in 2019 many of the Chessie items were not on display. Hope they weren’t ruined since that is where I first learned of her.

[@lorumipsum1129]

Finally, a railroad with marketing brains

[@CSXfan4589]

It’s a shame the Chessie patch was removed off 366 and 7765 was retired with the other Dash 8s thanks to Covid. CSX needs to make some heritage units with Chessie being one of the first. There are a few CSX ACF hoppers that retain its Chessie logo, but they have become very rare. They’re almost exclusive to CSX grain trains and maybe phosphate trains.

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

They could put her back in the C of the CSX logo.

[@Benjamin0119]

Should definitely bring back the old paint scheme, or at least use Chessie in the C, as Mr. Pete Channel and others suggested, would be a good idea. Why were Dash 8s retired because of covid?

[@norfolksoutherntrainguy5857]

This cat will be missed

[@amtrakproductions-mx9ib]

Cause she died of a car crash at the age of 91

[@simplsquam]

If you haven't had a cat named chessie, do you even like railroads?

[@844SteamFan]

Or want to

[@happyjack880]

Always wondered. Awesome story.

[@t00nverseYT]

Nice cute cat you got

[@93greenstrat]

It was tough to watch the vibrant colors of the Chessie System get replaced by the drabness of CSX gray but I did like the Bright Future scheme.....especially when they were clean. The current blue and yellow is not bad.......but it ain't Chessie.