Amtrak’s Inter-American
Not great photographs here, but the content makes it worthwhile to inspect and interpret what was versus what remains.
This is a southbound number 21, the Inter-American, crossing College Avenue in Normal, Illinois. This is the former Chicago & Alton, later Gulf, Mobile & Ohio. One may note the distinctive B&O signals here—a result of the C&A being controlled by that major railroad. It was Illinois Central Gulf at the time of these pictures, and is now of the Union Pacific (with another group owning the line in between these last two).
The train is approaching a spot in Normal that will host a passenger station (MP 124), but at this time trains stopped a bit further down the line in Bloomington itself. One will also note the the train will meet a northbound freight with an ICG unit on point. Illinois Central’s charter line cuts across the Alton near where that train can be seen. Looking at Google Maps today, it’s clear that this historical line of the IC no longer exists here (though it does in bits and pieces in other parts of the state). And looking at Google Street View, it’s difficult to recognize anything from these vintage views—other than the high-rise buildings, which I assume are connected to Illinois State University.
The train is being powered by three E-units—two are former Union Pacific E9s (built in 1955) while the middle unit is an E8 (built in 1953) of the RF&P. Two are in Phase II paint (so-called cigar-band), while one is in the original Phase I (bloody-nose) scheme. I didn’t realize this train, the Inter-American, went all the way to Laredo, Texas, and had connecting service with National Railways of Mexico. I’ll add a timetable page above (copyright Amtrak, by way of timetables.org).
Two images by Richard Koenig; taken November 21st 1976.
