When the ad generated a positive response, the railroad developed an advertising campaign around the image and chose the name Chessie as a derivation of the railroad's name. The promotion proved widely popular and, in addition to national print advertising, grew to include calendars, clothing, and even two children's books about the character. Chessie acquired two kittens named "Nip" and "Tuck" in 1935, as well as a mate named "Peake" in 1937. During World War II, the Chessie character was used to promote War Bonds and support for the war effort, depicted as working on the home front to support Peake, who was off to war. The Chessie image continued to appear in advertising until 1971 when passenger train travel was consolidated under Amtrak.
When in 1972 the C&O merged with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and Western Maryland Railway, the newly formed company was named the Chessie System after the popular image and adopted the "Ches-C" logo, which incorporated the silhouette of the kitten into the "C" of the railroad's name. The Chessie System later merged with other railroads to become the CSX Corporation. Though the Chessie logo is no longer found in advertising and was phased out of usage on trains, Chessie is still the mascot of the CSX Corporation, and there are many examples of rolling stock that still feature the kitten logo, having yet to be repainted.
Before he left on Sunday, Michelangelo spotted Sundance lolling across the back of the sofa in a strikingly Chessie-like pose and snapped this photo.
It is even more obvious when flipped.
4 comments:
LOVE it!! My Daddy was a Railroad man with Southern Railways. I remember for years the Horse mascot on their trains. I used to see a LOT of CSX boxcars in the South Yard in Greenville South Carolina-waiting for transfer-when we would visit daddy at work to bring his lunch on the few occasions he would forget it at home- or to bring him his gloves..(he was a switchman before retiring from Southern and working with AMTRAK as a conductor for a few years before REALLY and TRULY retiring) and wondered what it stood for! Now I KNOW!!
Always happy to oblige with that little bit of trivia you didn't even know you needed!
LOL- the thing is- even tho it may be something I dont NEED to know- if the thought re-crossed my mind, it continues to annoy me until i find OUT the answer. One of my many OCD issues.
Michael, thanks for the background story and the imagery. I was never aware of the more realistic kitten imagery and as a graphic designer, had a difficult time trying to see the "cat" in the silhouette logo. Now it makes perfect sense!!
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