Description: Beautiful Chessie Cat Piece!Chessie Keychain1963 - 1971 from the C&O / B&O Railway Passenger Service Line Incredible Vintage Condition This auction is for a beautiful Sleeping Chessie Cat Key Chain from the C&O / B&O Railroad. This is from the estate of a C&O railroad employee who worked from 1955 - 1973. Many more pieces will be listed! Chessie, the Sleeping KittenMuch of the popularity of C&O's passenger trains came from Chessie Cat, their sleeping mascot, who was introduced in the September 1933 issue of Fortune magazine, along with the slogan “Sleep like a kitten.” Chessie’s job was to promote the railroad's new air-conditioned sleeping cars of their passenger line, like the George Washington, the Fast Flying Virginian, and the Sportsman. She took up this challenge with a gentle, soft spirit and purred her way into the hearts of travelers. The C&O developed Chessie’s character to sell their product, but along the way she became America’s “sleep-heart.” To say that Chessie was instantly popular is an understatement. She became the darling of the railroad passenger world and the C&O knew they had struck a popular note with the traveling public. Capitalizing on Chessie’s fame, her family grew in 1935 with twin kittens — Nip and Tuck. They were the spitting image of their mother. (In fact, they looked exactly like their mother as they were copies of the original etching reduced in size.) With the introduction of Chessie’s children, a controversy erupted. America wanted to know if Nip and Tuck had a father! C&O addressed the issue with the 1937 introduction of the father - Peake. (Chesa-peake) C&O and B&O Railway The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway was formed in 1867 and was the first railroad to make it across the central mid-section of the Appalachian Mountain region, and truly tap into the financial rewards of carrying coal and manifest freight. This success by the C&O allowed it to prosper financially, and to eventually buyout and operate other railroads such as the B&O in 1963, and the Western Maryland Railway. By 1986, the C&O and its namesake successor the Chessie System, had both become the ‘C’ in CSX Transportation. The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway purchased the Baltimore & Ohio Railway in 1963, and kept up operations under both names. Their passenger services ended in 1971, with the formation of Amtrak and the national interstate system. Please see the pictures for full details as they are of exact piece you will be receiving (No stock photos here!) Items are always described as accurately as possible, and I will note in description and show in photos any flaws, wear, or defects that I am aware of. Enlarge the photos to see all of the details, as they are part of the description, and reflect the current state of the article. The real color of the item may be slightly different from the pictures shown on the website caused by many factors such as brightness of your monitor and light brightness. Smoke-free home and fast shipping! With auctions, payment is required within three days of auction end, or item will be relisted. Please email me any questions prior to bidding - I am happy to answer! Thanks so much!
Price: 12.99 USD
Location: Shelbyville, Kentucky
End Time: 2025-01-29T19:09:40.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Item: Keychain
Railroad: C&O B&O Railway
Character: Chessie the sleeping kitten
Mascot: Chessie Cat
Years Produced: 1963-1971
