{HISTORY}

With its roots extending all the way back to canal transportation in the 1790s, the C&O Railroad has a long and winding history through the American landscape. When railroads replaced barges during the 19th century, land transportation opened up regionally and then nationally transporting goods and people around the country. In a race to gain the most routes, railroad companies laid tracks from various cities to cities to help move agriculture, retail products and travelers from point A to Point B.

C&O, originally known as the Louisa Railroad, was founded in Virginia in 1836. In 1850, it  was renamed the Virginia Central before finally being renamed the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad in the 1860s. What started first  in the Louisa era as transportation services for agricultural products and supplies within Virginia, eventually wound up hauling coal, between Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, West Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C, Michigan, New York and parts of Canada during the C&O era.

Through a series of other railroad company acquisitions, management teams, and owners including Collis Huntington, Cornelius Vanderbilt and J.P. Morgan, C&O was on the rails delivering coal, freight, and travelers to various parts of the country for 120 years, until it became part of the CSX Corporation in the early 1980s and then completely dissolved in 1987. 

Dining service aboard C&O trains started in 1899 and was available on two dining cars shared between luxury trains that included names like the Fast Flying Virginia, The Sportsman and The George Washington. 

Made by O.P.Co. Syracuse in 1923, this rare antique luncheon plate features the classic C&O logo combined with the Chesapeake pattern, a series of gold, green, and mustard swags with black bows, an interwoven brown infinity-style design at the edge, and a black stripe around the rim. 

It's fun to think about this plate traveling around the eastern and mid-western portions of the U.S., serving up signature menu items like shirred eggs, Saratoga chips, broiled sea fish, baked apples and cream, spring lamb chops, and French toast with marmalade. 

Hard to find today, a luncheon plate like this is not only a time traveler from the past revealing stories about elegant and exciting dining experiences, but also a beautiful, rare representative of railroad history in America. 

Photo of C&O office staff circa 1920s. Photo Credit: Pete Davis1969. Photo of a 1920s C& O railcar courtesy of the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Museum. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES} 

•  Hard to find railroad restaurant ware
• Colors include black, slate grey, mustard, cinnamon, sage, and olive green against a bight white background
• Stamped on back with maker's mark and date code 

{CONDITION}

In lovely antique condition, this plate contains no chips, cracks, spots, or staining with the exception of a 1" inch hairline crack, most evident on the back located in the area directly behind the C & O logo. This crack is light beige in color on the back of the plate and almost invisible on the front of the plate unless seen with a magnifying glass. We took a couple of extra photos, where we zoomed in on both the front and the back, so please take note of those. This crack is insignificant in the overall beauty of the plate, especially when viewed from the front and does not impact its use in any way. The colors and decorations are bright, crisp and clear. There's a light amount of fading to the black stripe on the left side of the plate. Please see photos.

{SIZE}

Measures 9" inches in diameter and weighs 1.5 lbs.