No. 5303 “President Madison” without streamlined fairing

Howard Locomotive Photographs

No. 5301 “President Adams” with streamlined fairing

collection Taylor Rush

In 1927, the B&O put a total of 20 examples of the P-7 class into service, which at the time were the most powerful Pacifics ever. The power was achieved with a coupling wheel diameter of 80 inches and cylinders measuring 27 by 28 inches. The firebox, with a combustion chamber and thermosiphons, came in at 394 square feet. The first locomotive was manufactured with a booster on the trailing axle, the others were only prepared for its later installation. They were given names after the first 20 Presidents of the United States, beginning with No. 5300 “President Washington”.

The P-7 pulled the most important express trains of the B&O. Over time, there was no uniform modernization of the class, but various conversions. This resulted in the classes P-7a to P-7d, which differed primarily in the heating area and, among other things, had different superheaters. The P-7a and P-7d also featured a streamlined fairing. They pulled important trains such as the “Royal Blue” and the “Cincinnatian”. Their service ended in 1958 after the introduction of diesel locomotives in express service.