Lionel 2431160 O Chesapeake & Ohio F19 Pacific w/Legacy #492 George Washington w/C&O Tender

The C&O's F-19 class of Pacifics proved that beauty could take many forms. While USRA Pacifics are highly regarded for their simplicity, the F-19 was anything but! With a front end cluttered with air pumps and a feedwater heater, the C&O shop forces had to improvise when it came to adorning the class for special premier assignments. But they did! Wearing eagles or silhouettes on the water heaters, polished compressor and cylinder head covers with stars and kept in high polish, the F-19s made a spectacular appearance worthy of Chessie's finest trains. The class left a lasting impression despite being only 5 locomotives large and lasting in service from only 1926-1946 when they were rebuilt as 4-6-4s. The F-19s helped to inaugurate the Sportsman in 1930 and the new premier George Washington in 1932. Ironically, their most adorned and memorable years coincided with the Great Depression - a testimony to the strength of pride kept in the C&O shops and commitment to first-class passenger service by management even in the worst of times. Available from Lionel for the first time since 2007 and now updated with LEGACY, Bluetooth and Whistle steam amongst all our other now-standard features, this locomotive is making a long-overdue return to the spotlight. We've created multiple variations to capture the majority of changes the locomotives saw in their 20-year careers - more variations than there were locomotives in the class! We've also included a few fantasy locomotives as well. From the high gloss applied to these locomotives, the shine off the boiler in many early photos seems to suggest they were painted gray. They weren't as far as we know but it looked like a pretty neat variation so we're offering it here! C&O and PM had swapped other classes of Pacifics and they also acquired some from the RF&P so those seemed like reasonable "what ifs" as well. The F-19 steps up to fill the high demand we've had for matching steam power for the Sleigh Bell Limited, and of course with a menacing face like this we had to do a Halloween version! Add some Presidential power to your roster this year with these beautifully unique Pacifics!