"Sam - Not to mention the wild steam locomotive buying spree the C&O went on after WWII (4-6-4's, 4-8-4's, 2-6-6-2's, 0-8-0's, 2-6-6-6's, 2-8-4's) ! In relatively short order, they were being moth-balled or scrapped."
My understanding is that at least some of this was driven by immediate need: They couldn't get diesels due to the builders not being able to supply them in time. For example, the 2-6-6-2's they could get quick. Apparently, and perhaps this is new insight, management considered them to be disposal. While a lot of folk thought since it had only been in service for what, three years, before retirement that 2-6-6-2 #1309 would be in pretty good shape. But evidence now seems to suggest they rode it hard and only did what needed to be done to keep it running.
