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The major Class I railroad serving the eastern United States, formed from the Chessie System and Seaboard System. Known for the distinctive YN2 and YN3 paint schemes.
1980
Eastern US
USA
21,000
Route miles
C&O 2-6-6-6 Allegheny
CSX Transportation traces its heritage to some of America's oldest and most storied railroads. The company was formed in 1980 as the CSX Corporation, bringing together the Chessie System (C&O/B&O/WM) and Seaboard System (Seaboard Coast Line, Louisville & Nashville, and others).
The Chessie System's heritage includes the Baltimore & Ohio—America's first common carrier railroad, chartered in 1827. The Chesapeake & Ohio, famous for the "Chessie" sleeping kitten mascot and coal hauling, and the Western Maryland round out this lineage. The Seaboard side brought together multiple southeastern railroads.
Today, CSX operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 23 states east of the Mississippi River plus Ontario. The railroad handles diverse freight including intermodal containers, coal, chemicals, automotive products, and agricultural commodities. CSX's routes include the former B&O mainline through the Appalachian Mountains and the Seaboard's north-south routes along the Atlantic coast.
The YN2 "bright future" scheme and YN3 "dark future" scheme are popular with modelers, while heritage units honoring B&O, C&O, and other predecessors add variety.
2002-present
Dark blue with yellow and white accents—current standard scheme
1997-2002
Light gray with blue and yellow accents
1988-1997
The original dark blue scheme with minimal striping
CSX operates varied terrain from Florida flatlands to Appalachian mountain grades
Coal operations make great layout themes—include coal loading facilities and unit trains
AC44CW and ES44AH are the workhorses of the modern fleet
Heritage units honor B&O, C&O, L&N, Seaboard, and other predecessors
Eastern operations mean shorter trains than western roads—more realistic for home layouts