#emdsdp40f

Legacy Equipment

Three Alco RS3s work the Amtrak facility in Chicago. Number 117 is ex-PC 5441, nee PRR 8441 (built November of 1953), number 125 is ex-PC 5502, nee NYC 8253 (built June of 1951), and number 122 is ex NH 523 (built August of 1950). The two SDP40Fs have recently had Phase II paint applied.

Amtrak Floridian

This is a southbound Floridian just north of Harrodsburg, Indiana; old State Road 37 crosses over the railroad here. This short-lived Amtrak train ran on the Louisville & Nashville, which was the former Monon mainline between Chicago and Louisville.

Vernal Pike Timber Bridge

Yet another southbound Amtrak Floridian for the Louisville & Nashville, former Monon. The train is about to pass under the timber bridge that carried Vernal Pike over the Hoosier Line, northwest of Bloomington, Indiana.

This train must have been timed perfectly for me to go photograph right after school—I was in high school at the time and had a big ol’ American car that my dad let me tear around in.

Station Stop

This is a northbound Amtrak Floridian making its station stop at Bloomington, Indiana. At the time this was the Louisville & Nashville, but is formerly the Monon Railroad.

Southbound Amtrak Floridian

Here we see the same train, in three different locations, as it moves down the Louisville & Nashville, former Monon.

The first picture has the train near the old frame depot at Clear Creek, Indiana, just south of Bloomington. The next two images were taken at the “S” curve just north of Peerless. And the final photograph has the same train street running adjacent to the county courthouse in downtown Bedford.

Ghost Train

Here are some photographs of Amtrak’s National Limited in Indianapolis. This train, under the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, ran from 1971 till 1979, when it was discontinued. This is an eastbound train—looking at a timetable for this time period, the train was scheduled to be in this station from 11:15 to 11:35 PM.

Along with a train of legacy equipment, the brick facade of the train shed and the wonderful clock tower of Indianapolis Union Station can be seen in the first image. I evidently was allowed to visit the cab of the SDP40F as the second shot is of the engineer’s control stand.

The last image has the train gliding out during a long time exposure; IU tower can be seen in the middle of the image. This rather large brick tower built was built in 1930 by the Indianapolis Union Railroad, closed in 1980, and razed in 2018.

Herald Telephone

Here’s a rural southern Indiana scene, with a southbound Amtrak Floridian on the Louisville & Nashville, former Monon. We’re north of Bloomington, between Elettsville and Hunter on the Hoosier Line.

Two EMD SDP40Fs power the train, utilizing steam generators to heat the legacy equipment. The Herald Telephone was the name of the local newspaper I grew up with.

Limedale Tower

Here we see another southbound Amtrak Floridian on the Louisville & Nashville, former Monon. This time it’s seen crossing over Conrail, former Pennsylvania, at Limedale, just south of Greencastle, Indiana.