Book excerpt: This is the story of B&O’s last steam locomotive class, the fabulous EM-1 2-8-8-4 simple articulated, which B&O bought during World War II. Although B&O wanted diesels, war-time restrictions prevented it from ordering any and the EM-1s were built instead. They handled the last years of war traffic and served ten more years, hauling fast freights, coal trains, and even some passenger runs over the heaviest grades of the B&O. This book documents their life in photos, drawings, and maps, as well as mechanical and operational information.