#f-units

[railwayhistorical]

Covered Wagons: a Series

This is a southbound freight on the Chicago & Alton, later GM&O, then ICG at the time of the photograph. This is the same spot as my previous post: Shirley, just south of Bloomington, Illinois.

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.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken November 21st 1976.

[marmarinou]

Santa Fe back in the day... by santafetrainman

[thefakeray]

F's at Clovis by Joe McMillan Via Flickr: Santa Fe F9A 287C, FTA 173L and F7A 228C share the service facility at Clovis, New Mexico, January 21, 1964. Photo by Joe McMillan.

[railwayhistorical]

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. And with this being part of the ICG years, one of them, number 1615, got the orange and white treatment (formerly 806A). These units are all F3As built for the railroad in 1946 or 1947.

These two images by Richard Koenig; taken on the eve of the Bicentennial, July 3rd 1976.

[railwayhistorical]

The Keokuk Junction Railway

While I went in search of the famous Keokuk Junction Railway A-B-A matched set of F-units in action, all I was able to find was a gaggle of vintage motive power sitting dead in La Harpe, Illinois. The short-line railroad has some nice switchers, at least four slant-nose geeps, and of course the wonderful F-units. Thee were more units in La Harpe then I show here.

In the first image, we see ex-ATSF number 2029, a GP20 built in 1961. These units, ones with turbo-chargers (General Motors EMD models GP20 and GP30), ushered in second-generation diesel power in the United States.

Within the second picture, we have number 2057, a GP20 that first ran for the CB&Q in 1961. The cab unit, number 1752, is an FP9 of unknown origin. And the third unit is another GP20 that began working for the ATSF, also in 1961.

And in the final image we see West Michigan 100. The very informative “Diesel Shop” site tells me this engine is an EMD NW2 built in 1949. While it is in paint for West Michigan, it began working for the Frisco and then went to the Burlington Northern. An attractive detail that some older switchers have is how the top of the windshield curves to follow the roof-line.

Three images by Richard Koenig; taken August 18th 2017.

[briansolomonauthor]

F-Units and Domes—2017

On the theme of F-units and Budd Vista domes, I thought I’d offer these views from May 2017. I was looking through the digital archives for a photo from May 19th, and I found that for whatever reason, I’ve rarely photographed trains on May 19th! May 18th on the other hand seems to be a be popular day in my files. So, on May 18th, 2017, I’d followed a Pan Am Railways Office Car Special on the…

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[briansolomonauthor]

Reading & Northern F-units at Jim Thorpe

Reading & Northern F-units at Jim Thorpe

In March Kris & I arrived at Jim Thorpe, PA in time to travel on the midday Lehigh Gorge Scenic train. We were please to find Reading & Northern’s recently acquired former Norfolk Southern F-units on display near the old CNJ passenger station. Exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm Z-series zoom.

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