Nostalgia & History > Last Run of GM&O's Midnight Special

I spent a lot of time on April 30, 1971 photographing the last runs of Gulf, Mobile & Ohio's passenger trains. I decided that I would ride #6, The Midnight Special, from Bloomington, Illinois to Chicago and ride the first Amtrak back to Bloomington. While waiting the arrival of #6 I took this photo of its counter part, #5 meeting a freight at Bloomington. It has white classification lights signifying that it is an extra, now being May 1st. Where were you on April 30th, 1971?

Roger Holmes

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At Trowbridge Tower in East Lansing MI, attending Michigan State University, skipping all classess to watch GTW's final 2 "Maple Leafs" (#'s158-159), C&O's last "Pere Marquettes" (#'s 11, 12, 14 & 15) and GTW's farewell evening "Mohawks" (#'s 164-165). It wasn't one of the famous last train extravaganzas or final parades from one of Chicago's stations that I would read about in the next month's "Trains Magazine," but I've never forgotten it.

Cheers,
Aussiehinz.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/10 08:30 by aussiehinz.

Q4960 Wrote:
-Where were you on April
> 30th, 1971?

Living in Europe. I was there for two years, and returned to a world were most of the trains I had left were gone.

I was in Chicago, IL, 4/30/71.

1. The GTW e/b Maple Leaf departs Dearborn Station.

2. The engineer boards the Capitol Limited, Northwestern Station.

Gerry

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Half way through 11 weeks of Navy Bootcamp in San Diego. It was so beautiful right then. Bob

B&OCT chief dispatcher's office getting the last two passenger trains ever on the B&OCT to Pine Jct. on time to my colleagues in Akron (B&O for No 6) and Chicago 16th Street (PC/NYC for No 608). The day of the last trains didn't feel as strange as the day after.

TAW

April 30,May 1. Auburndale,Fl filming the last SCL,first Amtrash.

Uncle Joe-just east of Tampa

Very good posting time.

Uncle Joe

Nice photo's guys. Hard to believe it is over 39 years now!!!!! Wow, it is has been over 40 years since I rode the likes of the Cinncy Limited, Pan American had of the the George Washington....
I was still in High School, a junior at Charlestown High, Charlestown MA.

Wonderful shot of the Capital Limited.......

Steve

Riding behind a steam engine in Germany

Your post and photo are inspiring me to listen my my Leadbelly album...

Thanks for sharing the GM&O image Roger. Did you photograph the "Midnight Special" on April 30th of May 1st?

Thanks.
Joseph Y.
CN/IC

Technically it was the Midnight Special of the 30th but it was taken on May 1st.

Roger Holmes