JBB: An Artblog!
Peter Solarz
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@railwayhistorical
Fifty Years Ago... A Haven for F-Units
In the mid- to late-1970s, Bloomington, Illinois was well-known as a haven for the remaining GM&O F-units.
With this during the Illinois Central Gulf years, one of them, 806A, got the orange and white treatment and renumbered to 1615. All of these units are EMD F3As built for the railroad in 1946 or 1947.
Two images by Richard Koenig; taken on the eve of the Bicentennial, July 3rd 1976.
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Fifty Years Ago... When They Were New
Here we see a southbound Amtrak Illini, number 381, rolling by Champaign Tower, on the Illinois Central. I recall that the EMD F40PH, as a model, was brand new at the time.
We went back later that day, once it was turned around for the morning run north, and did some night shots. We even climbed inside the engine compartment for a photo (compare with the interior of the Milwaukee Road F found in my previous post).
Three images by Richard Koenig; taken July 3rd 1976.
Fifty Years Ago... The F-units of Latta Yard
Back in the 1970s, there was a little set of F-units, one being a slug, that seemed to be based at Latta Yard in Jasonville, Indiana. This is along the Milwaukee Road’s Southeastern line.
We would venture over to do night shots every so often, and this one hosted a nearly-full moon. The times were very different then—with rail photographers being able to crawl all over the units, inside and out.
Three images by Richard Koenig; taken July 9th 1976.
Strawberry Moon
One photography by Richard Koenig; taken June 28th 2026.
IC’s Alco C636s
The Illinois Central had six of these huge locomotives constructed the the American Locomotive Company (Alco). They were built in May of 1968 and retired in 1979, lasting only a decade. The top photograph was taken in Champaign, Illinois, on the Bicentennial: July 4th 1976. The bottom image came from the night before, I believe also taken in Champaign.
One other interesting fact: the locomotive second in line in the top image is an EMD SD45, and this was the only unit of that type on the entire railroad.
Two images by Richard Koenig; taken July 3rd and 4th 1976.
A photograph taken on July 4th 1976, fifty years ago today. I'm re-posting on the occasion of our semiquincentennial.
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Gibson City Switcher
Ran across these slides recently: an Illinois Central EMD SW1 switcher. It is sitting in front of Central Soya in Gibson City, Illinois. The locomotive was built for the Illinois Central as number 9022 in June of 1946; the bell on the hood is splendid. Two images by Richard Koenig; taken on the Bicentennial, July 4th 1976.
A photograph taken on July 4th 1976, fifty years ago today. I'm re-posting on the occasion of our semiquincentennial.
The Shawnee on the Bicentennial
This is a southbound Shawnee, number 391, racing down The Mainline of Mid-America, the Illinois Central (ICG at the time).
The locale is just south of Leverett Junction, north of Champaign, Illinois. The locomotive is a brand-spanking new EMD F40PH.
Image by Richard Koenig; taken on July 4th 1976.
A photograph taken on July 4th 1976, fifty years ago today. I'm re-posting on the occasion of our semiquincentennial.
The First Bicentennial Unit
I believe Seaboard Coast Line 1776 was the first diesel locomotive to be adorned with the nation's bicentennial in mind. The unit is a General Electric U36B built in June of 1971.
I was traveling with some rail enthusiasts through Evansville, Indiana, when we just happened upon it, if memory serves after 50 years.
In these images, the locomotive is first seen moving eastward on Division Street. As it turned off that intriguing section, it paused for whatever reason—perhaps for the benefit of a car load of rail buffs chasing it (see third photograph).
Recently I did some poking around via various Facebook groups and learned that the man running the locomotive is Mr. Troy Lee King, Road Foreman of Engines. I believe he worked for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad upon which the locomotive is seen running.
In any case, the engine continued running northward, now on the former Chicago & Eastern Illinois—this portion of which was folded into the L&N in 1970. We were able to catch up with it again at Wansford Yard north of Evansville where the remainder of the images were made (again, confirmed by employees of the railroad via FB).
I imagine there will be several articles next year that will highlight all the bicentennial locomotives that ran around back in 1976 as nearly every railroad felt it was good practice at the time.
Seven images by Richard Koenig; taken March 28th 1976.
A locomotive painted specifically for the nation's bicentennial. I'm re-posting on the occasion of our semiquincentennial, though not taken on that day.
Bicentennial Unit Comes to Town (2 of 4) Continuing a series of post with ICG's bicentennial unit as subject...
In this image the train has arrived just south of the Bloomington, Indiana, yard. That timber bridge carries Rogers Street and has since rebuilt of concrete. Viewing the unit head here on shows off the eagle design well. One image by Richard Koenig; taken February 2nd 1976.
A locomotive painted specifically for the nation's bicentennial. I'm re-posting on the occasion of our semiquincentennial, though not taken on that day.
Bicentennial Unit Comes to Town (4 of 4) Concluding a series of posts with ICG's bicentennial unit as subject...
Again, we’re on Illinois Central’s line to Indianapolis, called the “hi-dry” for its tall bridges and fills. Here's another reason it got that moniker: Shuffle Creek Viaduct (near Lake Lemon, northeast of Bloomington by ten miles or so). Difficult to believe it was fifty years ago this month. One image by Richard Koenig; taken February 2nd 1976.
A locomotive painted specifically for the nation's bicentennial. I'm re-posting on the occasion of our semiquincentennial, though not taken on that day.
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Another Bicentennial
I saw and photographed this SW1500, of the Indianapolis Union Railway, a few times in 1976. I'll work on getting the locale.
Two images by Richard Koenig; taken 1976.
A locomotive painted specifically for the nation's bicentennial. I'm re-posting on the occasion of our semiquincentennial, though not taken on that day.
Peoria Rocket I was fortunate enough to be able to photograph both Rock Islands Rockets back in the 1970s.
This one was the first of the two, the Peoria Rocket, perhaps, and it happens to be powered by the distinctive bicentennial unit of the time: number 652 (it would later be preserved).
The train is seen traveling eastbound (inbound) and photographed from Marley Road in New Lenox, Illinois.
One image by Richard Koenig; taken September 5th 1976.
A locomotive painted specifically for the nation's bicentennial. I'm re-posting on the occasion of our semiquincentennial, though not taken on that day.
Down by the Bay
Four images by Richard Koenig; taken June 28th 2026.
Down by the Bay
Five images by Richard Koenig, taken June 28th 2026.
Pittsburgh Sunset
Standing atop the historic Smithfield Street Bridge, we're looking westward down the Monongahela River to where it meets the Allegheny to form the Ohio River (thus the "Three Rivers" moniker for the previous stadium at the location).
Two images by Richard Koenig; taken June 2nd 2026.
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Smithfield Street Bridge/Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad Station
One of the most historically important bridges in Pittsburgh, this bridge was devised by Gustav Lindenthal; it utilizes a intriguing lenticular design. Built in 1883, it supports tons of traffic to this day. (Since I was sometimes using longer exposures, I had to be conscious of the bridge shaking when buses crossed the span.)
The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad operated from 1875 to 1992 but this wonderful lighted sign continues to shine. The letters are perched on the railroad's station building in Pittsburgh. The edifice was erected in 1898 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Two images by Richard Koenig; taken June 2nd 2026.
Horseshoe Curve
To follow up on my previous post (made up of 1977 views at the same location), we now see a Norfolk Southern stack train coming down the hill of Horseshoe Curve. The angle of these images pretty much match that of my photographs from 1977, made forty-nine years prior.
As rail enthusiasts know, one of the four tracks has long since been removed; it seems like a lot more foliage is present, but my previous post is made up of images shot before trees had leafed out for summer, so it's difficult to tell.
Four images by Richard Koenig; taken June 2nd 2026.