Nostalgia & History > Four, One After Another

These four photographs were taken from the Roosevelt Road Viaduct the afternoon of July 3, 1978 of RTA Rock Island District trains having just departed LaSalle Street Station.

Enjoy,
Marty Bernard



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/15 12:24 by MartyBernard.

---

---

---

.

---

In the last photo (#4) I vaguely remember the F40's pulling the old cars. The question is, how did the lights in the cars work? Were the cars self-contained (batteries-generators) or did they rig up cables from the locomotive to the cars? Were they used during the winter? Lastly, was the locomotive turned at Joliet----I certainly can't recall the F40's leading into La Salle St. Station!

I assume this was a Beverly Branch train and there was a turntable at Blue Island.  It was summer so no lights or heat were needed.  Someone responded to another post that by winter the new bi-levels were delivered.

Marty Bernard

The "Al Capone" cars were not self contained.  They drew power off of a special
generator (on the RS3's anyway). I don't know if they were compatable with the
HEP on the F40's.
zr190

CSX_ENG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In the last photo (#4) I vaguely remember the
> F40's pulling the old cars. The question is,
> how did the lights in the cars work? Were the
> cars self-contained (batteries-generators) or did
> they rig up cables from the locomotive to the
> cars? Were they used during the winter? Lastly,
> was the locomotive turned at Joliet----I certainly
> can't recall the F40's leading into La Salle St.
> Station!

The trains of conventional cars pulled by F40s were rush hour Blue Island trains,
so the engines would have been spun on the turntable at B.I. just like the E-units.

I was working afternoons then so I only saw these trains in the PM rush.
I would have to assume that the F40s led the AM rush trains.

These consists ran only during the summer of that year so heat was not a problem.
As for the lighting, I have no idea. Perhaps they just ran without lights during the long summer days.



 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/15 17:51 by Englewood.

I remember those Amtrak ex-C&NW intercity bi-levels being parked at La Salle St. station.  They even had the bi-level lounge as part of a consist.

Learn something new everyday! I had not realized the former C&NW Bi-Level 400 coaches ever served on the Rock Island!

Thanks, Marty.

B&OBill