#springfieldillinois

In the Capital City

This post will conclude the series focusing on one train, powered by F-units, on the former Chicago & Alton, later GM&O/ICG.

We begin at Ridgely Yard, Springfield, Illinois, where our train is approaching a signal bridge adorned with a color position light for each main track. The second image has the train crossing over North Ninth Street, while the third shows it south of downtown Springfield at Iles Tower. You may be able to see in that last image that the engineer is leaning out of the window, arm extended, so he can pick up train orders on the fly.

F3s on the Alton

Here we see a northbound train on the historical Chicago & Alton (GM&O/ICG) in Springfield, Illinois. The train is on the main adjacent to Ridgely Yard off Sangamon Avenue.

ICG 1615 was GM&O 806A prior to renumbering and a paint job; both of these units were built in 1946. The Chicago & Alton had color-position lights due to it being controlled by the Baltimore & Ohio, whose chief engineer devised the wonderful signals.

Springfield, Illinois

Here’s a northbound train on the old Alton Railroad between Chicago and St. Louis. We’re looking along Capitol Avenue with the Capital Building in the background of course.

The Chicago & Alton Railroad was merged into the Gulf Mobile & Ohio in 1947, which was merged into the Illinois Central in 1972. Thus this line was part of the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad at the time this image was made. It’s interesting to note that the locomotive is former GM&O 915, an SD40 built in 1966.