| C&O L-2 | |
| Powertype: | Steam |
| Builder: | Baldwin Locomotive Works |
| Builddate: | 1941 |
| Totalproduction: | 8 |
| Whytetype: | 4-6-4 |
| Uicclass: | 2′C2′ h2 |
| Driverdiameter: | 783NaN3 |
| Length: | 108feet |
| Weightondrivers: | 217500lb |
| Locoweight: | 439500lb |
| Locotenderweight: | 832500lb |
| Fueltype: | Coal |
| Fuelcap: | 60000lb |
| Boilerpressure: | 2552NaN2 |
| Firearea: | 901NaN1 |
| Totalsurface: | 42331NaN1 |
| Superheaterarea: | 18101NaN1 |
| Cylindercount: | Two |
| Cylindersize: | 25x |
| Operator: | Chesapeake and Ohio Railway |
| Fleetnumbers: | 300–307 |
| Retiredate: | 1953 |
| Disposition: | All scrapped |
| C&O L-2-A | |
| Powertype: | Steam |
| Hatnote: | Only differences from L-2 above are shown |
| Builder: | Baldwin Locomotive Works |
| Builddate: | 1948 |
| Totalproduction: | 5 |
| Driverdiameter: | 783NaN3 |
| Length: | 108feet |
| Weightondrivers: | 219500lb |
| Locoweight: | 443000lb |
| Locotenderweight: | 836000lb |
| Operator: | Chesapeake & Ohio Railway |
| Fleetnumbers: | 310–314 |
| Retiredate: | 1955-1958 |
| Scrapdate: | 1959 |
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway's class L-2 comprised eight coal-fired 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotives numbered 300–307 and built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1941. They had roller bearings on all axles, and the first-built, No. 300, also had roller bearings on its side and main rods. No. 300 bore "Elephant ear" smoke deflectors from 1948.
In 1947, the C&O ordered five additional and very similar locomotives, numbering them 310–314; these were class L-2-A and differed mostly in using Franklin RC poppet valves instead of the Baker valve gear of the L-2s. These were the last express passenger steam locomotives ordered by a United States railroad, and some of the most expensive at $353,346 each, 80% more than the cost of the 8 earlier L-2 locomotives.
Both classes were among the largest 4-6-4s ever built, and they were even more powerful than the C&O's L-1 class. The heaviest were the C&O's class at 443,000 lbs,[1] They were intended to work the C&O's top-flight express trains on level ground; the railroad purchased 4-8-4 "Greenbrier" types for mountain service.
By 1953, C&O passenger services were wholly dieselized, and there was no more work for these locomotives to do. Hudson locomotives were very unsuited to freight work, with such a comparatively small proportion of their weight on the drivers. All the L2’s and L2a’s were quickly scrapped by 1953.