A landmark design in American steam development, the Chesapeake & Ohio J-2 4-8-2 “Mountain” class represented the C&O’s early move toward high-power dual-service locomotives capable of handling both heavy passenger and fast freight assignments across the Alleghenies. The C&O was one of the first railroads to adopt the Mountain wheel arrangement, responding to the need for locomotives that could manage increasingly heavy steel passenger consists while maintaining speed on steep grades.
Introduced beginning in 1918 and refined through later rebuilds, the J-2s became essential to the C&O’s expanding passenger network. These locomotives hauled key trains across the Mountain Subdivision long before the arrival of the larger Greenbrier 4-8-4s and the diesel era that followed.
Now, Sunset Models / 3rd Rail proudly brings the J-2 to O Scale brass for the first time, with prototypical variations that reflect their evolving career from the pre-war era to the final years of steam on the Chesapeake & Ohio.
Road Numbers & Versions Offered
C&O 544 – “Washington Cameo” Version
A distinctive appearance often assigned to passenger services near major terminals featuring plated cylinder covers, air pumps, and star details.C&O 545 – Post-War Era
Updated detailing and appliances reflecting late-steam modifications.C&O 546 – Post-War Era
Another example of the class in its final years of service, capturing the subtle paint changes of the time.
Prototypical Passenger Service
The J-2 Mountains regularly handled some of the C&O’s most important passenger trains of the 1920s–40s, powering heavy consists over rugged mountain territory. With their balanced power, they served on trains such as:
The Fast Flying Virginian (FFV)
The George Washington
Other regional and long-distance varnish moving between Newport News, Charlottesville, and Cincinnati
Their reliability and capability made them indispensable until larger 4-8-4 Greenbriers and diesel power displaced them in the post-war years.
Model Features
• ALL Brass Construction
• Fully Detailed Backhead with Lit Gauges
• Flickering Firebox Light
• Operating Sand and Turret Hatches, Cab Vents, Doors, and Windows
• Sprung Drivers and Tender Trucks
• Advanced electronics: 3R ERR Cruise/TMCC/Railsounds compatible with TMCC/Legacy/DCS, 3R Conventional for your choice of sound, and 2R ESU Loksound 5.0. Blunami is available as well
• Compatible with Legacy, DCS, TMCC, and Conventional Operation
• Super Smoke System and Coil Couplers (3-Rail ERR Only)
• Prototypical Road-Specific Details — accurate feedwater systems, smokebox fronts, piping arrangements, domes, number plate styles, and tender variations unique to 544, 545, and 546
• Powerful Can Motor Drive for smooth, quiet performance on demanding grades
• ERR Cruise is compatible with Legacy, DCS, TMCC, and Conventional control systems, Blunami is not and indepently operated through the iPhone or Andriod Apps.
Smoke will not "puff" with Blunami, only constant for the time being...
C&O Passenger Power, Recreated With Precision
Before the celebrated Greenbriers and the streamlined era, the J-2 Mountains were the backbone of Chesapeake & Ohio passenger operations. Their strength, speed, and mountain-climbing capability made them essential to the C&O’s prestige trains and long-distance services.
Sunset Models 3rd Rail is proud to release the first prototypically accurate O Scale brass model of the J-2 ever produced, recreating this important class with the detail and modern features today’s modelers expect.
Reserve yours today and bring a foundational chapter of Chesapeake & Ohio passenger steam to your O Scale railroad.
Photos courtesy of brasstrains.com
