Friday, February 05, 2010

Northbound Amtrak Hiawatha train departing Glenview Illinois. January 2010.

Northbound Amtrak Hiawatha departing Glenview Illinois. January 2010.

I took this photo one overcast January morning recently, in north suburban Glenview Illinois.

The northbound Amtrak Hiawatha regional passenger train eroute to Milwaukee Wisconsin, has just gotten underway. The train is slowly building up speed as it departs from the Glenview station.

Seen here on the rear of the train, is a former Amtrak 1970's era EMD model F-40PH passenger locmotive that was rebuilt and converted in to a "Baggage Cab Control Car".
With the prime mover / engine block removed after many years of service, these former locomotives made fine new baggage cars. With the engineers control cab retained, terminal time was greatly reduced cutting operating costs.

The car is operated just like a Metra commuter coach cab car, with cables connecting to the locomotive controls at the other end of the train. Genius!

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