Nostalgia & History > The first F-unit I remember seeing was a CB&Q Greyback

The first F-unit I remember seeing was a CB&Q Greyback.  Thus they are special.  And the location in this photo is also special.

The Tower is Eola Tower at the east end of the Burlington's Eola Yard east of Aurora, Illinois.  I never worked that tower, but spent enough time there that it feels like I did.  I feel the same about West Eola Tower at the west end of the yard.  I did work Montgomery Tower, which is two towers to the west.

For perspective we are looking west.  The three track racetrack is just out of the photo to the right in front of the tower.  The Greyback 162 ABC is on a track that runs behind the tower and I'm pretty sure connected with the EJ&E.  If you look close, you can see the Vaughn Rd bridge in the distance.  My good friend Rick Burn took this in July 1962.

CB&Q 162ABC was a F3ABA built June 1948 and traded for some of the next generation of EMD or GE diesels.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/22 07:41 by MartyBernard.

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Well-crafted scene - The Greybacks and the tower both in the same shot really make this interesting.
Bob

I think the chinese red boxcar compliments the greybacks nicely.

Matthew Dittert

I always liked the grey back scheme.  I think it didn't get the credit it deserved.

MartyBernard Wrote:
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> The first F-unit I remember seeing was a CB&Q
> Greyback.  Thus they are special.

For me, it was a tie Santa Fe red and Q grayback. We lived half way between La Grange and Willow Springs - don't remember which I saw first. Both special.

TAW

You can't live half way between La Grange and Western Springs!
 

The first F unit I saw was a brand-new ATSF FT in Bakersfield,

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

MartyBernard Wrote:
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> You can't live half way between La Grange and
> Western Springs!
>  
Willow Springs!

TAW



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/22 17:26 by TAW.

Forget the F units. What about the 2 position lower quadrant semaphore on the bracket at the extreme right of the photo. Looks like a rare Federal. Did it govern one of the three track mains?

For me it was NYC original lightning stripe in Rochester NY

The first F units I saw were SAL - Pullman green with a yellow band.

BCHellman Wrote:
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> Forget the F units. What about the 2 position
> lower quadrant semaphore on the bracket at the
> extreme right of the photo. Looks like a rare
> Federal. Did it govern one of the three track
> mains?

I have no memory of that signal.  It's where the order board would be.  Marty