I took this photo at Hawthorne Junction one summer afternoon just before sunset, in June of 2008. I was pleasantly surprised to see and photograph this relic from Chicago's railroading past. Seen here is a former Illinois Central Railroad covered hopper, in markings from the post 1972 era Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. The ICG was created from the merger and acquisition of the former Gulf. Mobile & Ohio Railroad during the year of 1972. I grew up in Chicago seeing the many colorful varieties of Illinois Central Gulf orange freight cars, cabooses and locomotives during the 1970's, and thought that they were all gone by now.
I was never so glad to be proven wrong when this one rolled past the CN crosstracks, on a southbound transfer train, riding on the Belt Railway of Chicago tracks.
1 comment:
Good find Eddie. A few years back I found myself in Sidney Ohio (Courier work) and got held up at a crossing (which I always enjoy) and spotted 3 of these in a row, follwed by 2 Illinois Terminal covered hoppers....unfortunately I did not get a photo of those. I wonder if they're still around?
Dennis (tininjun65)
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