Eighty Six Forty Six

Chicago & North Western 8646, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

The Chicago and North Western was a midwestern rail icon, known for it's distinctive yellow and green locomotives and "400" series of passenger trains. This is particularly true around the Chicago area, which was the road's hub-after all, people still call Ogilvie Transportation Center "North Western Station", despite the fact that the distinctive station was demolished in the 80's.

Quite a few old CNW railcars are still running around the Union Pacific system, eighteen years after the two companies merged and the North Western's name phased out. There are even a few yellow and green locomotives in use, but only two still carry their original numbers and CNW logos. This is one of them, captured at rest at the LaFox Metra station.

Downtown Railroading

Old PRR signals-Chicago, IL, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

An interesting shot from just outside of downtown Chicago, on the near west side. These are a pair of Metra commuter trains, heading out of the city on a midday run, just a few minutes out of Chicago's historic Union Station.

The signals are interesting-they're old position signals that date from the 40's, when the Pennsylvania Rail Road ran passenger trains into the city. Position signals have rows of lights that mimic the positions of old semaphore signals. In this case they're also color coded-three greens vertically, three yellows at an angle, and three reds horizontally. Position signals have been gradually phased out, especially in light of more sophisticated communications between dispatchers and crews, but there are still a few of them in Chicago.

This shot is also interesting because you can see the Sears Tower in the background. It's one of, if not the, defining shape on the Chicago skyline, and seems to turn up whenever you shoot.

Rapid Transit

Rapid Transit, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Former CTA 5000 series cars. These are, I believe, the sole survivors of just four built.

The North Western

The North Western, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

A former Chicago and North Western EMD GP-7R, originally delivered to the Rock Island, and dating from 1952. The GP-series of locomotives was originally designed to be a jack-of-all-trades sort of engine, capable of pulling freight or passengers, or doing some yard work as needed. General Purpose, as the designation goes, similar to a certain long-running off road vehicle. One wonders why nobody calls these "Jeeps" too!

I'm told that this particular example, which resides at the Illinois Railway Museum, was originally purchased for parts for the Museum's other GP-7 (the first one delivered, in fact!), but was discovered to be in good running shape. So the decision was to put it to use, and I've seen it pulling passenger coaches as well as moving stuff around the yards. I;m told that there is a plan afoot to restore it to it's original Rock Island livery.

Leviathan

Leviathan, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

The Leviathan, locomotive number 63, was built for the Central Pacific Railroad in 1868, one of four purchased from the Schenectady Locomotive Works. A wood burning locomotive, the Leviathan was a sister to the famous Jupiter, which participated in the famous Golden Spike ceremony on the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Like the Jupiter and their other sisters, the Leviathan was scrapped many years ago-as trains got longer these small, early locomotives could no longer keep up. This stunning recreation of number 63 was completed in 2009, and tours American railroad museums and other special events. It's beautiful, and offers an interesting glimpse to an important part of history.

Pennsy Noir

Pennsy Noir, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

Built specifically for the Pennsylvania Railroad, the GG1 was a unique, streamlined electric locomotive. They were also long lived-the GG1 was introduced in 1935, and served with the Pennsy, as well as successor companies Penn Central, Conrail, and Amtrak. The last GG1 left service in 1983.

Of the 140 GG1's built, fifteen survive. Sadly, none are currently operational, due mostly to the expense and other difficulties related to the large electrical transformers needed for such a large electric locomotive. This one, PRR 4927, served with Amtrak until the late 70's, and is now in storage at the Illinois Railway Museum.

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.

Swift's Premium

Swift's Premium, a photo by William 74 on Flickr.

We recently visited this vintage Swift & Co. refrigerated car, parked out the back of the Fox River Trolley Museum. I've seen a couple of these in other museums, and somewhere I found a photo of a Chicago & North Western freight train pulling a solid line of them out of the city. Not a surprise since Swift had a big facility in Chicago (big enough to warrant it's own stop on the CTA's Stockyards branch).