Zephyr!

Zephyr!, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

The west wind, known as the Zephyr, is considered to be the mildest and most favorable of the directional winds. In Greek mythology, Zephyrus was the personification of the west wind, bringer of spring and summer.

I've long thought this was an appropriate name for the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy's famed name trains, most of which typically ran in an east west direction. But, they were also the Burlington's top flight service, and pioneered fast diesels on passenger trains. Fleet, like the wind. This is the lone remaining operable Zephyr train set, the Nebraska Zephyr, currently resident at the Illinois Railway Museum. We've visited it before, but I always think it's worth another look.

Nebraska Zephyr

Nebraska Zephyr, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

We've looked at the Nebraska Zephyr a few times now, so I won't bore you with it's history. Suffice to say that this unique train is one of, if not the the, crown jewels of the Illinois Railway Museum's collection. They run it on the Museum's tracks regularly, but rarely off-campus. So it was a pleasant surprise to catch it in rural Somonauk, Illinois, as it passed through on an excursion trip from Chicago to Quincy, along one of the original Zephyr routes.

The Nebraska Zephyr

The Nebraska Zephyr, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

I've photographed the Zephyr a number of times, and have related it's story here once before. Suffice to say, I always take advantage of any opportunity to photograph this beautiful machine. It is truly one of a kind.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see it during this visit to the Illinois Railway Museum. It wasn't scheduled to operate that Saturday, so I was surprised when I walked through it's storage shed to discover a big, Zephyr sized empty space and the bouquet of diesel fumes. It appears that they pulled it out and parked it to...I don't know, warm it up? Test the air conditioning? Whatever the reason, it was parked on a gentle curve, perfect for the classic old-school brochure shot. I secretly think it was done on purpose!

Nebraska Zephyr

Nebraska Zephyr, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

The illuminated signboard on the back of the Nebraska Zephyr, a restored train set currently running at the Illinois Railway Museum.

Garfield Park

Garfield Park, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

One of the two rare 5000-series L cars at the Fox River Trolley Museum. Shot through the viewfinder of a 50 year old Kodak Duaflex II.

Swift

Swift, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

A vintage refrigerated rail car, once owned by the Swift company.

Leviathan

Leviathan, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Always a popular draw, steam locomotives are still a rare enough sighting in the United States that they draw a crowd wherever they go. Leviathan is a replica of a Schenectady Locomotive Works engine, built in 1868 for the Central Pacific Railroad. Leviathan was built entirely from scratch by the Kloke Locomotive Works of Elgin, Illinois.

It is a truly beautiful machine. Every detail is absolutely perfect, and the Leviathan is fully functional. It appeared at the Illinois Railway Museum this past summer, and I was fortunate enough to ride behind it for a short trip on the museum's main line. Fun, and possibly a unique experience for me.

Little Joe

Little Joe, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Originally built by General Electric for export to the Soviet Union, the EF-4 "Little Joe" was one of the most famous electric locomotives to appear on American rails. After sales to Russia were prohibited in the late 40's, the Joes languished at GE's facility until the Milwaukee Road started to show interest in them for it's electrified Rocky Mountain Division. The Milwaukee used them in both passenger and freight service, up until the end of electric service in the seventies.

Other users of Little Joes included Brazil's national railway (which received five of them), and the Chicago, South Shore, and South Bend, which got three of them. This survivor is one of the South Shore's, and is preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum.

Burlington

Burlington, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

A classic Baldwin 4-6-4 steam locomotive, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia. Dating from 1930, this big boy served with the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy.

I like this shot. It really has that analogue, TtV look to it, and encapsulates everything I like about this technique.

Zephyr

Zephyr, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

The fantastic former Burlington Road E5. We've seen it before, but I think that it is especially well suited to the TtV technique.

North Western

North Western, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Bi-level gallery cars first started to appear in the 1950's on Chicago's commuter lines. A double decker design, they featured an open space between both sides of the upper level, allowing conductors to collect tickets from the lower level. It's a pretty efficient design, and one that is still in use on Metra today.

This is a former Chicago and North Western car, and was made by the St. Louis Car company in 1955.

Chicago Railroad Signal and Supply Co.

Chicago Railroad Signal and Supply Co., a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

One of those "I happened to look down" deals. I was at the Illinois Railway Museum, which, like many such institutions, maintains a boneyard for spare bits and pieces. The IRM's is neatly arranged and not overgrown, and has a lot of old signal equipment that's been salvaged from various roads as they upgrade equipment.

This is one such piece, a vintage piece of...signal equipment. I really have no idea what it is, only that I'd never heard of this manufacturer, it had an attractive logo, and was made in Chicago. I particularly like this last bit, partially because I'm from the Windy City, and partially because it reminds me of how much industry was scattered throughout the country.

I should really go back and shoot the whole thing!

Travel and Sleep, In Safety and Comfort

Pacific Peak, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Such was the motto of the Pullman Company, a name that would become synonymous with rail travel and luxury. Founder George Pullman was inspired to design a better rail car, after spending an overnight train journey trying to sleep in his seat. His design would go on to be built, in one form or another, until the 1970's.

This car, Pacific Peak, ran with the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy, and is currently on display at the Illinois Railway Museum.

Be Specific, Ship Union Pacific

Be Specific, Ship Union Pacific, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

As befits one of the powerhouse railroads in the U.S., the Union Pacific ran the largest fleet of gas turbine electric locomotives in the country. Built in three series, UP's GTEL's were meant to provide the same power output as several diesel engines, which in the postwar years weren't as powerful as the steam engines they were trying to replace. It cost the same to run a smaller number of more powerful engines, and locomotives were at their most efficient at high, sustained speeds. Despite being thirstier than equivalent diesels, the turbines proved to be less costly to run on fast, mainline freights, and this is where they excelled.

Built in three series, UP's turbines had all been retired by 1970. The turbines used Bunker C heavy fuel oil, which had few uses outside of this one, but by the seventies oil prices were up and new uses for this former waste product were being developed. It spelled the end of the turbine locos, and most were broken up, their parts recycled into conventional diesel locomotives.

Two of the turbines still exist, both from the third series built. This one, engine number eighteen, resides at the Illinois Railway Museum.

To City

Hmmm, train stations two weeks in a row. This is a good recreation of an early Metropolitan Division station, what would eventually become Chicago's famed elevated railway. It's on the property of the Illinois Railway Museum, and usually has a couple of trainsets standing by. The one featured is a former New York City subway car, which was undergoing renovation at the time.

South Shore Line

The Chicago, South Shore, and South Bend Railroad, better known as the South Shore Line, was an interurban that ran from Chicago's Loop, south around Lake Michigan, and out to South Bend. An electric road, the South Shore handled both passengers and freight, and was a popular way to get into the city. Having it's roots in the Chicago and Indiana Air Line, the South Shore fell under the control of industrialist Samuel Insull, who turned the road around and got it turning a profit again. The South Shore's classic orange cars were a fixture in and around the Chicago and eastern Indiana area for the next forty years, and is still remembered fondly by longtime residents.

This amazing South Shore sign used to be in front of the road's Gary, Indiana stop, and now is on the property of the Illinois Railway Museum. It's a fantastic piece, with that little train running across the top and all the chaser lights. The before shot dates from 2006 (and is sadly the only shot I have of it in that shape-note the North Shore sign in the background)-and in the intervening years the museum has completely restored it to working condition. It looks fantastic-I hope to eventually go to the museum after dark and shoot it.

Santa Fe All The Way

The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad is one of the classic American roads. Founded in the 1850's, the Santa Fe grew west from Topeka, eventually crossing the Rockies twenty years later. Through mergers and acquisitions the company grew rapidly, and by the mid twentieth century was just about the largest road in America. Famed for it's passenger service, Santa Fe's Chiefs were renowned for their top-tier service and dome cars to help passengers better enjoy the fabulous Western scenery. The iconic red-and-silver "Warbonnet" featured heavily in advertising, and was so famous that eventually the Santa Fe resurrected it for it's freight service.

This is a later ATSF passenger locomotive, an EMD FP45. Based on a freight engine, the 45 was designed to have a smoother "cowl" style body like the classic E units, rather than the more workmanlike freight trains. The Santa Fe was the major buyer of these units-nine of the fourteen build went to the road. When Amtrak took over passenger service the FP's went on freight duty. Six of the Santa Fe's old units still survive, including this one at the Illinois Railway Museum.

The Santa Fe name sort of lives on, as the "SF" part of BNSF, and even today you can still spot classic warbonnets plying the rails.