Nostalgia & History > Illinois Central Main Line.

Chicago, Spring 1991.
6 car Electric
IC 8302-2601-1406.
Maintenance car.
Amtrak.
2 car electric.
IC 1452-1501 with caboose.
WC 6539-3004.
(B.M.Ernatt video).

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This is an interesting video and not just because of the location. In the second clip, the 2601 was one
of two ex-GM&O GP30's, note the Alco trucks, that Paducah rebuilt experimentally and the GP30 style hood
got lost in the process. AFAIK, these two units never got ATS and thus, almost never led anywhere on the IC.
And those two WC units running light are also interesting as they pose the question; what was the WC doing
on the IC south of Markham? Finally, the Amtrak train had to be the Panama Limited northbound, given the
lighting, with that consist.

Thanks for posting.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Very interesting video because of all the action. Thanks for posting it.

Marty Bernard

There are two units on the Cimarron Valley numbered 2601 and 2602 that resemble the IC unit here in the video. I was lead to believe long ago they were some other designation but not GP30 rebuilds and maybe not even ex IC. Was someone incorrect on that ?

GP26's #2601 and #2602 were able to lead over most of the railroad. ATS and cab signals were in place on the Champaign District and it was ABS over the rest, meaning that a locomotive not equipped with cab signals only couldn't lead over that district.

That's definitely northbound Amtrak 58, but by 1991 it had been renamed the City Of New Orleans for nearly a decade. It's interesting seen that many Horizon cars in the consist. There was usually only one, picked up at Carbondale. That car would have been in the consist of the previous day's southbound Illini and would be picked up when the lead coach was pulled as the River Cities to St. Louis and Kansas City.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

MaryMcPherson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GP26's #2601 and #2602 were able to lead over most
> of the railroad. ATS and cab signals were in
> place on the Champaign District and it was ABS
> over the rest, meaning that a locomotive not
> equipped with cab signals only couldn't lead over
> that district.
>
> That's definitely northbound Amtrak 58, but by
> 1991 it had been renamed the City Of New Orleans
> for nearly a decade. It's interesting seen that
> many Horizon cars in the consist. There was
> usually only one, picked up at Carbondale. That
> car would have been in the consist of the previous
> day's southbound Illini and would be picked up
> when the lead coach was pulled as the River Cities
> to St. Louis and Kansas City.


Thanks for the additional information, Mary, I do appreciate it. Living
on the Iowa Division with its ATS between Waterloo and Ft. Dodge, you almost
never saw a non-ATS engine leading, and if you did, it was east of Waterloo.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Great video ! Really liked seeing #58 roll by w/ 2 domes in the consist!