The Chesapeake and Ohio H-8 Allegheny was one of the largest and most powerful steam locomotives ever built. Weighing in at 600 tons, the prototype was designed for pulling coal trains over the Allegheny mountains in West Virginia. It could pull 160 coal cars, each with 60-ton load, at speeds up to 60 miles per hour.

The Lima Locomotive Works delivered to the C&O in December 1941 the first of the most super of all the celebrated "Super-Power" designs. The Allegheny had a unique 2-6-6-6 wheel arrangement that was both modern and successful. Between 1941 and 1948 a total of 60 were built for the C&O and 8 for the Virginian Railroad. H-8s remained in service until July 1956.

Today only two of the prototypes survive. No. 1601 is preserved at the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan. No. 1604 is at the B & O Museum, Baltimore, Maryland. This fine locomotive was the pinnacle of the builder's art and the embodiment of brute strength.

The forthcoming recreation of the H-8 Allegheny promises to be Aster’s grandest and greatest achievement both in detail and quality. With a Baker Valve Gear, the model will literally be a fully functioning museum quality piece. The boiler will accommodate both alcohol and coal firing. Aster has chosen to model Allegheny Number 1625. Delivered in 1944, this locomotive has long since vanished from the rails after a career of hard, unglamorous, but vital work. It is our sincere hope that her spirit will live again, through the medium of Gauge 1, and that locomotive enthusiasts throughout the world will have the opportunity of seeing a miniature giant in action.