The Lonely Chesapeake and Ohio Hudson | C&O L-1 490 | History in the Dark

C&O 490 is the last 4-6-4 Hudson from that railway. Converted from a Pacific, she never got to serve as she was originally meant to. Though she was saved in preservation at the B&O Railroad Museum.
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[@johndonlon1611]

The Illinois Railway Museum is sitting on CB&Q S--4 Hudson #3007 that's only had 2500 miles on her since her last outshopping. Here's a locomotive that more than deserves to be back on the high iron. Lack of will and lack of money are the usual culprits. Nice video. Thanks for sharing.

[@TrainsAreReallyCool]

It would be cool to have a CB&Q steamer on the Mainline.

[@railstofails1396]

Ive seen 490 at the museum. Shes a stunning engine up close.

[@CRISPFELLA]

I JUST WENT THERE LAST WEEKEND HOLY SMOKES

[@user-bl2nt1un9s]

❤🍑💩💩💩🍑💋💩

[@TimberWolfer63]

I saw this beauty of an engine in Baltimore last summer

[@derekthelehighvalleyfoamer4427]

You really should do a video about Southern 4501 or Texas & Pacific 610 sometime. You haven’t done a history video about a steam locomotive over 20 minutes long in a while, and the history of 4501 and 610 are both pretty long and fascinating.

[@IvesGuy1118]

It still blows my mind a streamlined hudson exists and nobody ever talks about it. Is it because it's yellow? I wish the B&O RRM had some room to run it - along with others in the collection.

[@user-vm2rq8uv6u]

From my experience, some people just either don't know it, or don't really like it. its a weird lookin thing alright, but I love how it looks. I wish they could run it too but its just not feasible sadly.

[@cmdrflake]

The 490 was intended to be used on trains connecting with the Chessie to/from Newport News or Louisville. Their later Hudsons were built in 1948, and were among the largest and heaviest of their type edging out Lackawanna’s, Chicago &North Western and Milwaukee Road’s crazy fast ones.

[@pilsudski36]

And they had rotary poppet valve gear as well. It would have interesting to see how their operating numbers would have been over time.

[@andrewbowen4544]

I thought it been a Hudson that a certain person saying no name would WANT THAT STEAM ENGINE.

[@AnimalsVehiclesAndMore]

I've had enough of those Alfred Perlman jokes. He never hated steam engines, nor wanted them gone. He only scrapped them in order to keep NYC afloat.

[@TubsOnWheels101]

​@AnimalsVehiclesAndMore Cry about it. Watch something else then and stop whining over a small joke you sissy.

[@lovegamesandtrains3194]

i find it funny that one of the last hudsons was a pacific at the beginning of its life

[@bittyboy721]

Unfortunately it seem every year around Christmas 490 gets evicted and is moved outside for basically the entire month of December. One of the biggest money makers for the museum is the Polar Express and they move several pieced of equipment outside to make room for the show. I defiantly have mixed feeling about the B&O railroad museum. It's a beautiful historical property and i know that several people do the best they can with what they have. But it seems like the "higher ups" are more interested in making it an event venue with a political agenda than they are a railroad museum.

[@tlow1324]

Your statement is a fact.

[@Hendo56]

I've gone to the Museum since I was a lad in the 1960s. I agree that, after being at 2 presentations by museum staff, I was wondering exactly what their direction was.

[@tlow1324]

@@Hendo56 it’s a political agenda mixed with incompetence.

[@tlow1324]

@@Hendo56 They're activists looking to enrich themselves.

[@solidaridadjusticia1438]

Surprisingly four ninety is actually the last of a couple different Things It is The last streamlined hudson in america and the last poppet valve gear locomotive in America Probably...? Also definitely the last hudson type locomotive with poppet valve gear

[@davidgriffin9412]

Here's a fun fact of what might have been. When Chessie System was getting ready to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the B&O, they actually looked at restoring the 490 for the Chessie Steam Special, but there were concerns about it being able to pull a large enough train. But before they did anything, Ross Roland offered the 2101 fresh off the American Freedom Train and the rest is history.

[@justinyoung109]

I read the exact same story on Facebook before.Underreported and very fascinating to know

[@DrRacer78]

7:16 And Breath. Jokes aside though, who thinks she should be restored to operating condition say I

[@steamrailwilly]

Aye

[@David_Mattox]

Aye

[@user-vm2rq8uv6u]

Aye!

[@kristoffermangila]

Aye, aye!

[@adriaanboogaard8571]

Get her back running on the track.

[@Heroduothecomedian]

Idk what it is about this hudson but i love it more then any of the other hudsons and i never really liked the hudson look. Idk if its because of my grandpa stories, the few i remember him telling me as a kid when he worked for them that made me love C&O and all its locomotives, the whole stories of the chessie system or the fact that my local bank ive known of all my life has pictures of this locomotive class and others threw out its walls from back when it was train station or maybe its all the above . Who knows, all i know is i wish this and the steam turbine i wish came in HO and/or N scale so i could run them on my layout as they are my most favorite from C&O

[@AnimalsVehiclesAndMore]

Nice of you to do a video on the last-surviving streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson. Although, we're still waiting for videos about the following locomotives: Southern 4501 Norfolk & Western 1218 & 2156 Canadian Pacific 1293 Northern Pacific 328 & 1070 Union Pacific 3985 C.P. Huntington Southern Pacific 5021 & 4294 The General The John Bull Stephenson's Rocket Chinese Railways QJ The Trevithick Like I said before, no pressure.

[@ravenm6443]

My bf and I went to the Baltimore B&O museum a few years ago. All the trains they have there are amazing! The round house is beautiful too! I hope to go to more railroad museums and I’d love to do a few excursions. Something that I think is really sad is that more streamlined trained weren’t saved. I would have loved to see Mercury train and many others. I’m excited to see what happens with the Pennsylvania T1 train project. So far it seems to be going well.

[@bowlinerailfan]

I got to visit the B&O museum in 2020 and see this impressive in. I wish I could have got in the cab like I did with the Allegheny.

[@justinyoung109]

She's absolutely beautiful and its a pity that HO models of her cost an arm and a leg. While it would be nice and fitting for her to steam again, it would basically require CSX stepping up and doing what NS did in the 1970's and the 2010's and restoring her themselves. Amusingly, she kinda looks like an old race car from several angles. That yellow/silver color scheme is both the C&O's best steam livery and an underrated classic of steam design. PS, Rivarossi/Con Cor please rerelease that Chessie Hudson set one day

[@davedear929]

You never fail to give us a brilliant well researched video. Living in the UK I find it hard to imagine anything so big. Our steamers were small compared to yours and dare I say cleaner looking very little plumbing on the outside.. many thanks keep up your great videos. Dave ..Coventry.. UK.

[@nathancorcoran5347]

I did got to see Chesapeake & Ohio 490 displayed at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland back in April 2019.

[@user-vm2rq8uv6u]

Thank you for making this video, i really appreciate it! :)

[@doge_sevens]

Please do a video on one of the Canadian hudsons, (both CNR and CPR) they have very interesting stories and especially in the case of 5700 (5703)

[@daskriegsman7013]

Please do a video on B&0 5300 next

[@richardjayroe8922]

Nickel Plate hudsons were also L1s and there is also 1 of those in existence

[@kylehc15]

i have this loco in lego form same number and everything its cool they also got a few other locos that look farily acurrate like the alligator electric loco and others i havent checked out yet but im sure are realistic enough like steam locos

[@earllutz2663]

Thank you for the info. I remember seeing this Locomotive inside at the B & O museum in Baltimore, Md.

[@sp786fanboy9]

Ooo, you finally got another steam engine video with over 10K views! Keep up the great work, Darkness! I’m sure whichever engine these other commenters mentioned might be fun to cover next.

[@jeffreymonroe4776]

I was wondering could you do a video of California western #46 please

[@TheSudrianStoryteller]

I heard that the whistle belonging to 490 is currently being used on one of the locomotives operating at Dollywood. Which one? I can't remember, as I've only recall a KZbin video confirming it. The thought of restoring this locomotive to operating condition, as being the only Streamlined Hudson left in America to do so, is up for debate. In terms of where the money comes from and how its campaigned (and how they'll get the original whistle back). But it's better off with full-on cosmetic restoration as it is much easier to do for now.

[@GoofyVirginian630]

I went to the B&O RR Museum with my boy scout troop 2 months ago, 490 was in ok condition.

[@candycrushhater5828]

Alright Darkness, I just now found an animal-related topic I’d like to see you talk about! Buddy the Beefalo. He’s half cow and half bison, and he’s famous for escaping a slaughterhouse, and he spent the next eight months evading capture by other people.

[@SSTHECAMARO]

When they were pacific's they were Huge

[@DMIRyellowstoneFan]

Can you do a video on C&O 614?

[@Jimboliah3985]

*If he can finally get around to contacting me for a collab...*

[@DMIRyellowstoneFan]

Awsome!

[@mrsaturngamingandstories]

Ah yes 490 America's only preserved streamlined Hudson in fact there are 9 preserved American 4-6-4 Hudson Those were NKP 170 ATSF 3450 and 3463 And CB&Q 3001 3002 3006 3007 and 4000

[@noneofyourbusiness9369]

Beautiful machine's.

[@lucasgeesey4719]

I saw that locomotive she is so beautiful

[@DeusExMJ12]

I was just there on Thursday! Hah

[@microbusss]

I want one in HO scale!

[@louislamonte334]

A truly beautiful and unique locomotive! I hope the #490 is restored to operation one day!!

[@harrisonallen651]

Yellow belly’s are a cute name

[@maymayandajjackson7349]

Yellow belly?what a second?are they actually steam trains?

[@milissathreatt8014]

Do C.R.R #1 or as the Railroad men call her Ol' Number one

[@backonpro5679]

She looked A LOT better as a 4-6-2

[@tl-Jadon]

My god another lives

[@fugubarakun4907]

Somone said this locomotive reminded them of a minion and it complete ruined it for me

[@S69films]

Can you get on the locomotive

[@HistoryintheDark]

I doubt it. I haven't been there myself, but most museums don't let you climb on the equipment for both safety reasons and to avoid damaging the exhibits.

Try to tone down the hyperactive delivery!

[@SMichaelDeHart]

"Huntingville, West Virginia shop"...let's try 'HuntingTON, West Virginia shop'!! 🤔🙄

[@ekrwy2]

Huntington not Huntingville. Lol

[@rgj8044]

Actually a better description would be “Yellow Jacket” not “Yellow Bellies”. Just saying.

[@Stooltoad5017]

They don’t really have enough striping to be a yellow jacket though. Besides, yellow bellies has a much more amusing ring to it.

[@BocoProductions189]

THEY SHOULD MAKE IT A J3A REPLICA SINCE ITS THE LAST HUDSON11!!!11!!1: *any train nerd ever*

[@Jimboliah3985]

*Infamous opinion!* This is the one C&O steam locomotive that doesn't deserve to be preserved. They wanted to preserve a Hudson? It should've been one of the non-streamlined L2s or L2as, which were much better looking and more reliable. And even if it absolutely needed to be an L1, pick the 494. As is, this locomotive is nothing more than the inspiration of the Minions. Plus, fiddley-as-fuck Franklyn Type A poppet valve gear and streamlining getting in the way equals an engine that no sane person would ever want to rebuild. Historical significance of being the final steam locomotive to pull a revenue passenger train on the C&O be danmed.

[@backonpro5679]

THANK YOU! YOU SPEAK THE TRUTH!

[@backonpro5679]

Also I’d be willing sacrifice A LOT of kinawas in favour of a (good looking) 4-6-4, a 4-8-2, a 4-6-2, etc. There is NO REASON for TWELVE 2-8-4

[@kristoffermangila]

One thing that C&O got to preseve a lot of Kanawhas is the fact that they're a lot of 'em, 129 of them, not including the N-series Berkshires from Pere Marquette. They were the railroad's "jack-of-all-trades" locomotives, hauling everything from fast freight to coal drags.

[@Stooltoad5017]

Eh, I do want to point out that if 490 wasn’t preserved, most people that would know about the class would be rather upset, it is one of the few American streamlined Hudsons to be preserved while also keeping its full streamlining. We’ve gotten used to 490 being around. While streamlining is also a pain in the rear, I still don’t see how it isn’t worth preserving. If one of the non-streamlined locomotives made it through instead, I’d bet we would see similar complaints about the lack of streamlined L1s making it into preservation. People like to complain, but sometimes it is worth celebrating what we still have today.

[@jamiecase249]

The B&O museum is a joke sorry to say that that's my opinion but look what they did with the t1 2101 sat outside in between boxcars vandalized rusting away now they're doing a cosmetic restoration but all that time just sitting in the parking lot and the workers didn't even know the American freedom train was sitting out there I asked several people when I was down right before COVID in 2019 only one knew she was sitting out in the parking lot All the rest were like we don't know they looked at me like I had three heads so no credit to the B&O museum