#shirleyil

Covered Wagons: A Series

This is a southbound freight on the Chicago & Alton, later GM&O, then ICG at the time of the photograph. The location is Shirley, Illinois, just south of Bloomington.

Bloomington was known as a haven for F-units in the mid- to late-1970s. I was able to photograph the so-called covered wagons several times before the charismatic locomotives were ether scrapped or sold off (most in 1977). A couple went to the MBTA: they were rebuilt and served commuter trains in the Boston area.

Four EMD F3s are seen here powering this train headed south toward East St. Louis. I followed the train and will post additional images in subsequent posts.

Sling Shot

In the mid- to late-1970s, the ICG was able to negotiate a deal where they ran this train with a single unit, and I suppose a two-man crew. I believe these trains, known as the "sling shot", ran between Chicago and East St. Louis.

We're on the former Alton/GM&O, which was part of the Illinois Central Gulf at the time; the location is Shirley, Illinois. The locomotive is an EMD GP35 built in March of 1965. (And while not visible here, GM&O GP35s ran on Alco trucks.)